Pension basics

What do we mean by Defined Contribution?

This is the type of pension we provide. Defined Contribution Pensions are what you’ll be saving into if you open a Standard Life personal or workplace pension.

Here’s how it works:

• With this type of pension plan the amount you get back from your pension will depend on how much has been paid in, your pension’s investment performance, how you decide to take your money and the charges taken.
• You pay in, and if you’re a member of a workplace pension scheme your employer will pay in too.
• You can normally take money from your personal and workplace pension from age 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028).
• At age 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028) you can normally choose to take 25% of your total pension plan tax-free, and you’ll be liable to pay income tax on the rest.
• One of the main things to remember is that you’re responsible for your investment choices with this type of pension.

How do tax benefits work with personal pensions?

Money paid into a pension is then invested, which gives it the potential to grow over time. It will also be topped up by the HMRC thanks to tax relief. The table below shows the cost to you when making payments into your pension plan and how the tax relief works.

What is a Defined Benefit (final salary) Pension?

This type of pension scheme is offered by employers and will offer you a specific amount of money when you choose to retire.

Here’s how it works:

• A Defined Benefit Pension pays out a guaranteed income for life (an annuity) when you retire
• The amount you get when you retire depends on how long you’ve worked for your employer, your salary and the terms of the arrangement
• Depending on how your employer runs the pension scheme, you may be able to pay into this type of pension
• The scheme trustees are responsible for the investment choices

You can find out a bit more about workplace pensions in our helpful guide:

Workplace pensions explained

Ways to take money from your pension plan

When you reach age 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028) you can choose to take money from your pension plan. Keep in mind that you can choose a combination of these options if you have a Defined Contribution pension plan.

Keep in mind: If you have a Defined Benefit pension, you can only choose a guaranteed income for life (scheme pension) from the below options. Here’s a quick introduction to your options:

• Flexible Income (drawdown): With this option you can take money out of your pension plan as and when you need it. Anything you leave stays invested so it has the potential to grow. Keep in mind that as your money remains invested, its value could rise and fall. Read more on our Flexible Income page.
• A guaranteed income for life: This is where you use your pension savings to buy a guaranteed income (also known as an annuity). It gives you a set amount of money every year for as long as you live. Read more on our Guaranteed Income page.
• Take it all as cash: You can take your pension as cash from age 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028) You can normally take the first 25% of your total pot tax-free and the rest is taxable. Read more on our page about taking cash.
• Leave it invested: You can choose to leave your pension plan invested until you’re ready to take it, giving it a chance to grow. Keep in mind that the value of your pot could go down as well as up depending on how your investments perform. You still have the freedom to choose any of the other options at any time. Read more on our page about leaving your pension pot invested.

You can get even more detail on how each option works in our guide:

Ways to take your pension money 

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How much should I save into a pension plan?

It really depends on how soon you want to retire and what sort of lifestyle you want after you start working less or stop working altogether. It can be tricky to work this out if you’re years away, so we have a few helpful tools that can help you make a more informed decision.