you are here -> Home : Our Services & Products : Multi-Employer Defined Benefit Schemes

Multi-Employer Defined Benefit Schemes

The Pensions Trust is the UK’s leading independent multi-employer pension scheme specialist. Our pension solutions are available to the social, educational, voluntary and
not-for-profit sectors.

Current legislation defines multi-employer schemes as:

'Where groups of employing organisations agree to participate in a common pension arrangement.'

The employers involved can either be:

  • ‘Associated’ – where an organisation has a number of subsidiaries.

  • ‘Non-associated’ – where the organisations have no legal connection, but work in a similar sector.

Recent legislation has made it very complicated and costly to leave a defined benefit multi-employer scheme. Organisations must accept that membership of these schemes is a very long-term commitment.

The Pensions Trust currently manages two 'defined contribution' schemes open to employers in the not-for-profit sector:   

  • The Unitised Ethical Plan.

  • The Flexible Retirement Plan.

The Trust also actively promotes manages the following 'defined benefit' multi-employer schemes:

Social Housing Sector
  • The Social Housing Pension Scheme (SHPS).

  • The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations’ Pension Scheme (SFHA).


Independent Schools' Sector
  • The Independent Schools' Pension Scheme (ISPS).


To view further information on the Unitised Ethical Plan please click here.

To view further information on the Flexible Retirement Plan please click here.

To view further information on SHPS please click here.

To view further information on the SFHA Pension Scheme please click here.

To view further information on ISPS please click here.


If you wish to discuss our Products and Services further, please call us on
0845 123 6660 or email us