Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
The Occupational Pension Scheme Survey (OPSS) provides a detailed view of the nature of occupational pension provision in the UK by organisations. Until 2000, the surveys were conducted every four to five years. Following a review in 2003, the surveys have been annual since 2004. Taken together, the surveys allow the changes in the nature of occupational pension provision to be studied across the UK as a whole. The OPSS has been run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) since 2006. The survey was previously carried out by the Government Actuary's Department between 1953 and 2005. Transfer of responsibility to the ONS enabled the data to be collected under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, making the survey mandatory and hence helping to boost response rates. The UK Data Archive only holds the results from the surveys carried out by the ONS, i.e. from 2006 onwards. The OPSS is restricted to occupational pension schemes registered in the UK, set up under trust law by one or more employers for the benefit of their employees. It does not cover individual or group personal pension schemes or stakeholder pension schemes. It covers both public and private sector occupational pension schemes, and does not cover state pension provision. All public sector schemes in the survey are 'defined benefit' schemes, where benefits are related to the members' earnings or salary. Private sector schemes include 'defined benefit' schemes as well as 'defined contribution' schemes, where benefits are based on the accumulation of contributions paid. The samples for the annual surveys are selected at random from the Pensions Scheme Registry, which is a register of all occupational and personal pension schemes in the UK with two or more members, and maintained by the Pensions Regulator. Linking to other business studies These data contain Inter-Departmental Business Register reference numbers. These are anonymous but unique reference numbers assigned to business organisations. Their inclusion allows researchers to combine different business survey sources together. You may consider applying for other business data to assist your research. The sixth edition (March 2015) includes a revised data file for 2012 and a provisional data file for 2013. Latest Edition Information For the eighth edition (July 2017), the 2015 data file has been added to the study.
Main Topics:
Separate questionnaires are sent out, depending on the type, size and status of the occupational pension scheme, as follows:defined benefit schemesdefined contribution schemespublic sector defined benefit schemesvery small schemes (those with fewer than 12 members) regardless of whether they are defined benefit or defined contribution schemesschemes which were winding up, regardless of size or whether they were defined benefit or defined contribution schemesSchemes having multiple sections (i.e. the basis on which benefits are given differs between members of the scheme) are given one questionnaire for each section having over 100 members. Questionnaires for public sector schemes, very small schemes and winding up schemes are shortened and/or modified versions of the questionnaire. Topics covered by the questionnaires include:membershipcontributionsbenefits, including:benefits at normal pension agebenefits other than at retirement on age grounds (ill-health, death, etc)benefits on death after retirementpension increasespreserved pensionstransfer paymentspension sharing on divorcechanges to schemeother pension provision by principal employerbusiness sector of principal employer
One-stage stratified or systematic random sample
only 'live' schemes selected; stratified by scheme size
Postal survey
some responses submitted via internet
