Active members of UK occupational pension schemes, 2007
• Private pensions in the UK are provided by employers in the private and public sectors and by insurance companies. There are differences between private pension provision in the private and public sectors, as well as differences between funded and unfunded schemes and between defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) schemes.
• In 2007, 7.9 million active members of occupational pension schemes belonged to DB schemes. Around two thirds of this membership was in the public sector and around a third was in the private sector.
• Around a quarter of active members of private sector occupational schemes (0.9 million) were in DC schemes in 2007. There were also 6.9 million individuals contributing to personal pensions in 2006/07, so the total active membership of DC schemes can be estimated at 7.8 million.
• In 2007, funded public sector schemes accounted for 23 per cent of active membership of occupational pension schemes, and unfunded public sector schemes accounted for 37 per cent of active membership.
Notes: Total for public sector active membership excludes schemes where funding status is unknown (less than 0.5 per cent of total active membership). Funded schemes consist of private sector occupational pension schemes, individual and employer-sponsored personal pensions and, in the public sector, the local government pension scheme for local authority employees. Unfunded or 'pay as you go' pension schemes are found in the public sector.
There is a small element of double counting in calculating the total active membership of DC schemes as some individuals with occupational pensions may also contribute to personal pensions.
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