How much does it cost?
You pay a percentage of your Pensionable Pay into the Pension Scheme, plus a percentage of your Band Earnings if you are under your State Pension Age and have not chosen the 1/83 pension build-up rate. Your contributions are deducted automatically from your monthly or weekly salary. You get tax relief on whatever you pay into the Scheme. Most members pay Scheme contributions via BA's salary sacrifice arrangement – SmartPension – (you can find more details about SmartPension on the BA intranet).
Flexibility in what you pay
Within NAPS there are two Pensionable Pays you can choose from:
- NAPS 1 Pensionable Pay = the pensionable elements of your basic pay reduced by 1.5 times the current Lower Earnings Limit (LEL)
- NAPS 2 Pensionable Pay = the pensionable elements of your basic pay reduced by 15%
NB: The reduction in NAPS 2 can never be higher than in NAPS 1
The standard Plan is Plan 65
For all service after 1 October 2010, the standard Plan is Plan 65, which has a Normal Retirement Age of 65. The standard rate at which your pension builds up is 1/75 (for both Flying Staff and Ground Staff) for which you pay contributions of 5.25% of Pensionable Pay. In addition, members under State Pension Age who have not selected the 1/83 pension build up rate pay an additional 3.1% of Band Earnings.
| All Staff – Plan 65 |
Default build-up rate 1/75 |
|---|---|
|
Percentage of Pensionable Pay that you pay
In addition, members under State Pension Age pay an additional contribution of 3.1% of their Band Earnings. This was introduced by the Company following the launch of the Government’s new State Pension arrangements from April 2016. |
5.25% |
If you are currently under State Pension Age (SPA) you can choose to build your pension at a slower rate of 1/83 for future service. You will pay the same contributions that you would pay for the standard 1/75 build-up rate but BA will cover the cost of the additional employer’s National Insurance Contributions (NICs), currently 3.1% of Band Earnings, passed onto members by the Company following the launch of the Government’s new State Pension arrangements from April 2016.
CloseSpecial contribution arrangements apply for members whose earnings are below an Upper pay threshold, set at £26,995 a year on 1 October 2015. Members whose pay is below a Lower pay threshold (£23,997 on 1 October 2015) pay contributions which are 3% lower than the standard rates. Members whose pay is between the Lower pay threshold and Upper pay threshold pay contributions up to 3% lower than the standard rates. The amount by which contributions are reduced is calculated according to where the member's pay falls between the Lower and Upper pay threshold.
CloseThe standard pension package includes a pension for your spouse or partner or qualifying Pensionable Dependant when you die. If you do not want this cover, you can choose to pay 1.5% less. You can stop paying the higher contributions towards the cover for future service by filling out the Adult Survivor's pension opt out form or by writing to us, giving at least one calendar months' notice.
CloseA lower build-up rate, currently 1/130, is available to NAPS members whose Unabated Pensionable Pay is above a qualifying level, which is currently £60,000 a year. This may be of assistance to members who anticipate receiving a step up in their pension value, following a promotion for example, and who may therefore exceed the Annual Allowance in that year. See Tax Allowances for more details.
Members do not pay the standard Scheme contribution whilst on the 1/130 build-up rate but do pay the cost of the additional employer’s National Insurance Contributions (NICs), currently 3.1% of Band Earnings passed onto members by the Company following the launch of the Government’s new State Pension arrangements from April 2016.
CloseYou can top up your retirement income by making additional payments called Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs).
Close