Teachers' pension
All new teachers in Scotland, when they take up a teaching post, are automatically enrolled in to the Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme (STPS) provided by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency.
This pension is a career average salary scheme and a qualifying pension scheme, which meets or exceeds the government standards.
- A 'career average salary scheme' means that your pension will be worked out every year and inflation increases added, to ensure it keeps up with the cost of living.
- The STPS is contracted out of the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS).
Read about the benefits of your Teachers Pension on the pensions.gov.scot website.
Pension contributions and membership
As a member of the Scheme you’ll be required to contribute a percentage of your salary based on your pensionable pay in the month. The current contribution rates are available on the Scottish Public Pensions Agency’s website.
We must continue to maintain your membership of the STPS (unless you personally choose to opt out of membership of the scheme or cease to be eligible for membership), and we must ensure the scheme continues to meet certain government standards.
If we were ever to cease to offer you membership of the scheme, or you cease to be eligible for membership of it whilst in our employment, or we change the scheme in such a way that it no longer meets the government standards, then we would, if you're under 75 and earn more than the National Insurance lower earnings limit, immediately put you into another scheme that meets those government standards.
Supporting information
For an employee’s guide to STPS, visit the Teachers | SPPA (pensions.gov.scot) website.
For more general information about pensions and saving for retirement visit the Workplace pensions: About workplace pensions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) website.
Scottish Public Pensions Agency contact details
Telephone: 01896 893 000.
Email: There is a secure form on the website for making contact.
Address for postal enquiries: Scottish Public Pensions Agency, 7 Tweedside Park, Tweedbank, Galashiels, TD1 3TE.