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Occupational defined benefit landscape in the UK 2025 annex

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Section 1: Number of private schemes

Figure 1.1 Table 1: Distribution of schemes by status

Status Number of Schemes Percentage of Total
A: Open 170 3%
B: CTNM 910 18%
C: CTFA 3,720 74%
D: Winding Up 260 5%
Total 5,060 100%

Figure 1.2 Table 1: Distribution of schemes by status and year, total values

Year A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
2012 830 2,680 2,990 800 7,300
2013 780 2,390 3,200 610 6,980
2014 700 2,210 3,300 440 6,650
2015 460 2,220 3,340 380 6,400
2016 420 2,030 3,430 320 6,200
2017 340 1,900 3,480 250 5,970
2018 310 1,700 3,590 210 5,810
2019 280 1,560 3,660 200 5,700
2020 250 1,430 3,730 190 5,600
2021 230 1,310 3,770 210 5,520
2022 210 1,200 3,760 200 5,370
2023 200 1,080 3,790 220 5,290
2024 180 990 3,790 230 5,190
2025 170 910 3,720 260 5,060

Figure 1.2 Table 2: Distribution of schemes by status and year, yearly percentage

Year A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
2012 11% 37% 41% 11% 100%
2013 11% 34% 46% 9% 100%
2014 11% 33% 50% 7% 100%
2015 7% 35% 52% 6% 100%
2016 7% 33% 55% 5% 100%
2017 6% 32% 58% 4% 100%
2018 5% 29% 62% 4% 100%
2019 5% 27% 64% 3% 100%
2020 5% 25% 67% 3% 100%
2021 4% 24% 68% 4% 100%
2022 4% 22% 70% 4% 100%
2023 4% 20% 72% 4% 100%
2024 4% 19% 73% 4% 100%
2025 3% 18% 74% 5% 100%

Figure 1.3 Table 1: Distribution of schemes by status and year excluding hybrid schemes, total values

Year A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
2012 750 2,090 2,170 670 5,680
2013 700 1,880 2,380 500 5,460
2014 630 1,780 2,520 360 5,290
2015 390 1,820 2,540 310 5,060
2016 360 1,690 2,690 270 5,010
2017 290 1,610 2,740 220 4,860
2018 260 1,440 2,830 180 4,710
2019 230 1,340 2,980 180 4,730
2020 210 1,240 3,060 170 4,680
2021 200 1,140 3,100 190 4,630
2022 190 1,040 3,130 180 4,540
2023 180 930 3,160 210 4,480
2024 170 850 3,190 200 4,410
2025 160 780 3,140 240 4,320

Figure 1.3 Table 2: Distribution of schemes by status and year excluding hybrid schemes, yearly percentage

Year A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
2012 13% 37% 38% 12% 100%
2013 13% 34% 44% 9% 100%
2014 12% 34% 48% 7% 100%
2015 8% 36% 50% 6% 100%
2016 7% 34% 54% 5% 100%
2017 6% 33% 56% 5% 100%
2018 5% 31% 60% 4% 100%
2019 5% 28% 63% 4% 100%
2020 5% 26% 65% 4% 100%
2021 4% 25% 67% 4% 100%
2022 4% 23% 69% 4% 100%
2023 4% 21% 71% 5% 100%
2024 4% 19% 72% 5% 100%
2025 4% 18% 73% 5% 100%

Figure 1.4 Table 1: Distribution of schemes by status and membership group, total values

Membership Group A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
A: 2 - 99 40 320 1,430 160 1,940
B: 100 - 999 60 370 1,640 80 2,150
C: 1,000 - 4,999 40 130 470 20 660
D: 5,000 - 9,999 20 40 80 10 150
E: 10,000 + 20 50 100 0 160

Figure 1.4 Table 2: Distribution of schemes by status and membership group, yearly percentage

Membership Group A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
A: 2 - 99 2% 16% 74% 8% 100%
B: 100 - 999 3% 17% 76% 4% 100%
C: 1,000 - 4,999 6% 20% 71% 3% 100%
D: 5,000 - 9,999 12% 28% 56% 4% 100%
E: 10,000 + 10% 29% 60% 1% 100%

Section 2: Memberships of private schemes

Figure 2.1 Table 1: Distribution of membership by status

Status Active Deferred Pensioner Number of memberships Percentage of memberships
A: Open 453,000 469,000 313,000 1,235,000 13%
B: CTNM 209,000 864,000 1,323,000 2,395,000 26%
C: CTFA 0 2,810,000 2,594,000 5,413,000 59%
D: Winding Up 0 52,000 79,000 130,000 1%
Total 662,000 4,195,000 4,308,000 9,174,000 100%

Figure 2.2 Table 1: Distribution of membership by status and year, total values

Year A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
2012 2,785,000 6,505,000 3,309,000 210,000 12,809,000
2013 2,535,000 5,627,000 4,323,000 200,000 12,685,000
2014 2,319,000 5,421,000 4,459,000 186,000 12,386,000
2015 2,107,000 5,162,000 5,004,000 156,000 12,429,000
2016 1,749,000 5,238,000 4,619,000 181,000 11,787,000
2017 1,449,000 4,733,000 5,093,000 140,000 11,416,000
2018 1,570,000 4,211,000 5,368,000 92,000 11,241,000
2019 1,433,000 3,766,000 5,678,000 60,000 10,937,000
2020 1,567,000 3,406,000 5,588,000 93,000 10,655,000
2021 1,582,000 3,002,000 5,632,000 151,000 10,367,000
2022 1,379,000 2,772,000 5,573,000 72,000 9,797,000
2023 1,217,000 2,665,000 5,650,000 96,000 9,629,000
2024 1,119,000 2,513,000 5,656,000 136,000 9,423,000
2025 1,235,000 2,395,000 5,413,000 130,000 9,174,000

Figure 2.2 Table 2: Distribution of membership by status and year, yearly percentage

Year A: Open B: CTNM C: CTFA D: Winding Up Total
2012 22% 51% 26% 2% 100%
2013 20% 44% 34% 2% 100%
2014 19% 44% 36% 2% 100%
2015 17% 42% 40% 1% 100%
2016 15% 44% 39% 2% 100%
2017 13% 41% 45% 1% 100%
2018 14% 37% 48% 1% 100%
2019 13% 34% 52% 1% 100%
2020 15% 32% 52% 1% 100%
2021 15% 29% 54% 1% 100%
2022 14% 28% 57% 1% 100%
2023 13% 28% 59% 1% 100%
2024 12% 27% 60% 1% 100%
2025 13% 26% 59% 1% 100%

Figure 2.3 Table 1: Membership by type and year

Year Active memberships Deferred memberships Pensioner memberships Total
2012 1,980,000 6,082,000 4,748,000 12,809,000
2013 1,684,000 6,174,000 4,827,000 12,685,000
2014 1,580,000 6,006,000 4,800,000 12,386,000
2015 1,511,000 6,045,000 4,873,000 12,429,000
2016 1,433,000 5,682,000 4,672,000 11,787,000
2017 1,237,000 5,575,000 4,603,000 11,416,000
2018 1,157,000 5,498,000 4,585,000 11,241,000
2019 1,006,000 5,317,000 4,588,000 10,912,000
2020 938,000 5,134,000 4,583,000 10,654,000
2021 844,000 4,995,000 4,526,000 10,365,000
2022 741,000 4,789,000 4,267,000 9,796,000
2023 683,000 4,632,000 4,314,000 9,629,000
2024 661,000 4,437,000 4,325,000 9,423,000
2025 662,000 4,195,000 4,308,000 9,165,000

Figure 2.3 Table 2: Membership by type and year (proportions)

Year Active memberships Deferred memberships Pensioner memberships Total
2012 15% 47% 37% 100%
2013 13% 49% 38% 100%
2014 13% 48% 39% 100%
2015 12% 49% 39% 100%
2016 12% 48% 40% 100%
2017 11% 49% 40% 100%
2018 10% 49% 41% 100%
2019 9% 49% 42% 100%
2020 9% 48% 43% 100%
2021 8% 48% 44% 100%
2022 8% 49% 44% 100%
2023 7% 48% 45% 100%
2024 7% 47% 46% 100%
2025 7% 46% 47% 100%

Section 3: Technical provisions funding position

Figure 3.1 Table 1: Estimated technical provisions funding figures as at 31 March 2025 by membership group (excludes schemes winding up)

Status Assets
(£bn)
Technical
provisions
liabilities
(£bn)
Surplus
(Deficit)
(£bn)
A: 2 - 99 11.642 9.969 1.673
B: 100 - 999 94.608 82.853 11.755
C: 1,000 - 4,999 184.706 158.524 26.182
D: 5,000 - 9,999 139.088 117.842 21.246
E: 10,000 + 671.850 565.874 105.976

Figure 3.2 Table 1: Estimated funding figures as at 31 March 2025 for schemes in deficit by status (excludes schemes winding up) with a comparison to overall total for 31 March 2024

Status Assets
(£bn)
Technical
provisions
liabilities
(£bn)
Surplus
(Deficit)
(£bn)
A: Open 4.5 4.8 -0.3
B: CTNM 71.1 78.4 -7.3
C: CTFA 70.6 77.7 -7.1
Total 146.2 160.9 -14.7
Total (2024) 191.7 210.0 -18.3

Figure 3.2 Table 2: Estimated funding figures as at 31 March 2025 for schemes in surplus by status (excludes schemes winding up) with a comparison to overall total for 31 March 2024

Status Assets
(£bn)
Technical provisions liabilities
(£bn)
Surplus
(Deficit)
(£bn)
A: Open 156 114 43
B: CTNM 317 265 52
C: CTFA 482 396 86
Total 956 774 182
Total (2024) 1,032 827 205

Section 4: Public service DB schemes

Figure 4.1 Table 1: Balance of membership types in public service schemes

Membership Type Memberships Percentage of Total
Active 7,448,000 38%
Deferred 6,359,000 32%
Pensioner 5,977,000 30%
Total 19,784,000 100%

Figure 4.2 Table 1: Comparison of balance of membership types – public service and private DB/hybrid

Type Active Deferred Pensioner
Public service 7,448,000 6,359,000 5,977,000
Private sector 662,000 4,195,000 4,308,000
Total 8,110,000 10,553,000 10,286,000
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