The Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme (Amendment Scheme) 2025 (HTML)
Updated 6 November 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
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Presented to Parliament on 4 November 2025 pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of the Superannuation Act 1972.
© Crown copyright 2025
ISBN 978-1-5286-5780-8
The Minister for the Civil Service makes this Scheme in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1, 2(2), 2(4)(a) and 2(9) of the Superannuation Act 1972(a) and now vested in the Minister(b).
In accordance with section 1 of that Act, the Minister has consulted the representatives of such persons as appear to the Minister likely to be affected by the Scheme.
Citation and Commencement
1. -(1) This Scheme may be cited as the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme (Amendment) Scheme 2025.
(2) This Scheme comes into operation on 4 November 2025 and has effect from 1 April 2025.
Amendments to the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme 1988
2. The Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme 1988(c) is amended as set out in the Schedule to this Scheme.
Authorised on behalf of the Minister for the Civil Service
(a) 1972 c.11.
(b) See article 2(1)(c) of S.I. 1981/1670 and article 3 of, and paragraph 6 of the Schedule to S.I. 1995/269.
(c) Laid before Parliament on 21 December 1988. Rule 2A and Rule 3.2 were inserted by the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme (Amendment) Scheme 2018.
SCHEDULE
Amendments to the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme 1988
1. The Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme 1988 is amended as follows.
Amendment of Rule 2A(3)
2. In Rule 2A(3)—
(a) in subparagraph (i), for “Equitable Life or where that Member’s Scheme Assets are applied in whole or in part to the Equitable Life with profits fund” substitute “Utmost Life and Pensions or where that Member’s Scheme Assets are applied in whole or in part to the Utmost Life and Pensions Investing by Age Strategy”;
(b) in subparagraph (ii) omit “or”;
(c) in subparagraph (iii)—
a. after “31st August 2018” insert “by virtue of subparagraph (ii)”; and
b. at the end omit the full stop and insert “; or”.
(d) after subparagraph (iii) insert—
“(iv) who was a Member of this Scheme before 1st January 2020 by virtue of holding protected life cover arrangements with Equitable Life or whose Scheme Assets were applied in whole or in part to the Equitable Life with profits fund and who notified the Minister before 29th August 2020 that they wished to continue as a Member of this Scheme.”.
Amendment of Rule 3.2
3. In the heading of the Rule, for “31st August 2018” substitute “31st July 2020”.
4. In Rule 3.2(1), for “31st August 2018” substitute “31st July 2020”.
5. In Rule 3.2(2)—
(a) for “Equitable Life” substitute “Utmost Life and Pensions”; and
(b) omit the words “or where that Member’s Scheme Assets have been applied in whole or in part to the Equitable Life with profits fund”.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Scheme)
This Scheme amends the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme 1988. Paragraphs 2 to 4 of this Scheme make changes to reflect the transfer of protected life cover and “with profits” arrangements from Equitable Life to Utmost Life and Pensions following an order made by the High Court on 1 January 2020. The amendments contained in these paragraphs also address the conversion of “with profits” arrangements to unit-linked investments following the aforementioned transfer to Utmost Life and Pensions and the subsequent transfer of those unit- linked investments to Legal & General (subject to member opt out).
Paragraph 5 ensures that only members with protected life cover with Utmost Life and Pensions may continue to make contributions to the scheme in respect of that cover after 31st July 2020.
In accordance with section 1 of the Superannuation Act 1972, the Minister has consulted with persons appearing to the Minister to represent persons likely to be affected by this amendment scheme.
The amendments take effect from 1 April 2025. Retrospective amendment is permitted by s2(4) of the Superannuation Act 1972.