alpha Pension Calculator
alpha Member Contribution Rates 2026/27
| Pensionable earnings | Member contribution | Example grade |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £36,199 | 4.60% | AO, EO |
| £36,200 to £56,000 | 5.45% | HEO, SEO |
| £56,001 to £150,000 | 7.35% | Grade 7, Grade 6, most SCS |
| Above £150,000 | 8.05% | Senior SCS |
alpha is the Civil Service pension scheme — a career average arrangement, not a pot of money. Each year you build a slice of pension worth 2.32% of that year's pensionable earnings, and the accrued total is revalued annually.
Your contribution rate is banded by pensionable earnings, from 4.60% to 8.05%. The rates are unchanged for 2026/27; the two lower thresholds rise with inflation each April, which is why the bottom band moved from £34,800 to £36,199. Your employer pays 28.97% of pensionable pay on top, which never shows on your payslip.
What it costs you: an HEO on the median £38,960 contributes 5.45%, or about £2,123 a year. Take-home is £2,489 a month paying into alpha, against £2,631 if you opted out — roughly £142 a month, because the contribution comes out before income tax.
Only basic pay is pensionable. Bonuses and non-consolidated performance payments are not, so they do not raise your contributions or your pension.