Welcome to our survey about your perceptions of USS and proposed changes to the scheme

You have received this survey from the University of Manchester UCU branch (UMUCU). The survey aims to help us understand the views of members regarding the USS pension scheme and various proposals for its reform and will be used to inform ongoing talks with the university’s Senior Leadership Team and national negotiations between UUK and UCU.

Question Title

* 1. The current rate of contributions to USS is 9.6% of salary. To what extent do you agree or disagree that this is affordable, and represents value for money?
Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is strongly agree and 1 is strongly disagree.

  Strongly agree (5) 4 3 2 Strongly disagree (1)
The current contribution level is affordable
The current contribution level represents value for money

Question Title

* 2. How important are each of the following benefits of USS to you personally?
Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is very important and 1 is not at all important.

  Very important (5) 4 3 2 Not important (1)
A guaranteed income for life when you retire, based on your working-life salary and how
long you have been paying in, which increases
each year in relation to inflation
Death in service benefits
Incapacity benefits

Question Title

* 3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about USS?
Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is strongly agree and 1 is strongly disagree.

  Strongly agree (5) 4 3 2 Strongly disagree (1)
I consider the USS pension is a valuable part of my overall employment reward package
When I started in my role, I considered the USS pension as an attraction of working at the
University
Currently, I consider the USS pension as an attraction of working at the
University

Question Title

* 4. Are you aware that your employer currently pays the equivalent of 21.1% of your gross salary directly into your pension, (and that you would lose this part of your deferred salary, equivalent to two-thirds of all contributions towards your pension, if you were to opt-out of the scheme)?

Question Title

* 5. To what extent are you satisfied with your overall experience of USS?
Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is very satisfied and 1 is very dissatisfied.

Question Title

* 6. Do you trust the USS to act in your interests?

Question Title

* 7. Would you like more say in how the USS is run?

Question Title

* 8. Are you aware that the TPS (the government backed pension scheme for teachers and staff in FE colleges and post-92 universities) is a Defined Benefit scheme into which members pay between 7.4% and 11.7% depending on salary with an average of 9.6%, and employers pay 23.68%, i.e. more than the 21.1% pre-92 employers pay into USS?

T