Reward and Benefits

Pay

Each year you’ll receive:

• For staff on UCL pay scale, following your probation period, Annual pay increments within your band (view pay scales) for grades 1-9, plus nationally negotiated increases in pay scales and increases to London allowance.
• Opportunities to receive additional reward in relation to your contribution.
• Support to progress. UCL is committed to recognising excellence where it is justified and we've developed an academic careers framework to make sure that there is equal support and opportunity to progress - whether you deliver research and education in equal measure, specialise in public engagement or enterprise or focus on teaching and institutional citizenship. We also have frameworks to support career development across a number of professional services career paths.
• Annual academic promotion rounds, with guidance to help build your case.

• 27 days annual leave + six university closure days split between Christmas and Easter + statutory holidays.
• Annual Leave Purchasing Scheme, where staff can purchase 5 days of additional annual leave (prorated for partime staff).

Work-life balance

• UCL supports flexible working and, depending on your role, you could request to work remotely on some of your days, compress, reduce or flex your hours.
• Our academic staff have the option to take Sabbatical Leave.
• You'll have the option to join UCL's Chamber Music Club, the Housman Room (Academic Staff Common Room) and many other clubs and networks. 
• A regular programme of Lunch Hour Lectures and access to a huge selection of evening events from seminars and debates to screenings and comedy nights with discounted rates for some shows at the Bloomsbury Theatre.  
• You'll find shower facilities and bike racks across campus offices. 
• While seemingly our estate is urban, UCL is home to specialist city flora and fauna including peregrine falcons, kestrels and bats with more than 250 buildings worth of green spaces. 

Savings and discounts

• You can make significant tax and national insurance contribution savings via our popular salary sacrifice schemes; Electric Vehicle lease (following one year service) and Cycle to work scheme.
• You’ll be able to access season ticket loans, free eye tests.
• To help you get the most from the local community you’ll have discounts in local shops, gyms.
• You will also be able to enjoy the same discounts offered to university students via TOTUM and also huge variety of discounts offered for the education sector by the Discounts for Teachers platform. Their retail cashback card has been featured on Money Saving Expert as a "Top Pick for Pre-Paid Cards" to save money. 

Parents and carers 

• We offer a number of family-friendly benefits, including generous maternity and adoption leave, plus sector-leading paternity leave entitlement.
• From day one: enhanced maternity, adoption and shared parental leave and four weeks paid paternity/partners leave.
• Maternity leave package: staff can apply for a maximum of 52 weeks maternity leave, of which 39 are paid, inclusive of 18 weeks at full pay.
• A one-term gender equality sabbatical for academics returning from maternity leave.
• Adoptive parents: main carers are entitled to the same provision as maternity leave.
• Paternity leave: up to 20 working days pro rata (four working weeks)
• Carer’s Leave: receive up to five days leave with full pay within any 12 month period to care for dependants such as employees own child(ren), next of kin, partners, parents/partner's parents.
• UCL has a workplace nursery (with limited spaces).
• Parents and carers network: established by colleagues to provide a support network for other parents and carers across the university.

Pension schemes

UCL is part of national pension schemes (USS and Saul) for the higher education sector, which are some of the best in the UK.

USS: Employees on grades 6B and above are usually eligible for USS

• defined benefit scheme
• staff contribute 6.1% and UCL will contribute 14.5%
• Life insurance is included (3x salary)

Saul: Employees on grades 1-6 are usually eligible for SAUL

• defined contribution section (SAUL Start)
• staff contribute 6% and UCL will contribute 16%
• Life insurance is included

• defined benefit scheme (applicable to eligible staff employed prior to 1 April 2023 and staff who joined after this date following 3 years membership in Saul Start have the option to join this defined benefit scheme)
• staff contribute 6% and UCL will contribute 21%
• Life insurance is included (4x salary)

Employees who transfer via specific TUPE arrangements and are part of the following schemes may also be able to eligible to continue with membership of the schemes: 

• National Health Service Pension Scheme (NHSPS) & NHS Employers (www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-pensions)
• MRC Pension Scheme (www.sma.jltgroup.com/MNPAmembers/login.aspx)
• Civil Service Pension Scheme (www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/)

NEST is the qualifying workplace pension scheme for UCLU Sabbatical Officers and for those employed by UCLU on an As and When/Casual contract (www.nestpensions.org.uk/schemeweb/nest.html)

Health and wellbeing

• Access to two discounted private health care schemes on a voluntary funded basis.
• Free eye tests. 
• Free counselling service: speak to a professional counsellor or information specialist in confidence, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 
• Save money and spread the cost of renting/ purchasing a bike through the cycle-to- work scheme.
• Discounted gym membership.

Relocation support

UCL offers a relocation scheme for newly appointed academic and teaching staff (Grade 8-10) and senior professional services (research, technical, administrative/ managerial) staff (Grades 9 and 10) who relocate their home to take up an appointment with UCL, in order to significantly reduce their travelling time to work.

This includes:

• Visa administration
• Shipping and storage coordination
• Arrival services 
• Settling-in support
• House loans to eligible staff
• Immigration cost support for Researchers

A culture of continuous learning

UCL is proud to be a knowledge environment and we care deeply about making sure that there are equal opportunities for everyone to grow and keep making a real contribution, in a way that fits with your own career aspirations. 

• Free access to LinkedIn Learning
• A free programme of training courses and development opportunities with hundreds of courses to choose from.
• An expectation that you will take three personal development courses a year. 
• Specific development opportunities and frameworks to support careers in teaching, research and professional services.
• Study assistance scheme to provide support with the costs of completing a qualification.
• Leadership development courses.
• Erasmus+ opportunities.
• Secondment opportunities.
• Coaching and mentoring.
• There are always lots of exciting activities happening across UCL which you can take part in, including attending or presenting at our Lunch Hour Lectures and 'It's All Academic' festival, or getting involved in a Green project.
• You'll have free access to all UCL museums and libraries, with regular exhibitions and events across campus.
• Fancy learning how to make your own jewellery, furniture or decorations? As a member of staff you'll be eligible to become a member of the UCL's Institute of Making and use their cutting-edge facilities.
• You'll have the chance to learn a language through our discounted evening classes. 

Recognition awards

UCL has a number of different awards set up to recognise the fantastic achievements of staff.

• Inclusion Awards
  Recognises the work or contributions that individuals or teams make to progressing or improving equality, diversity or inclusion practice. 
• One UCL Awards
  Recognises the exceptional work of staff working across the university.
• UCL Education Awards
• Recognises staff making outstanding contributions to the learning experience and success of our students.
• Provost's Public Engagement Awards
  Recognises the fantastic work of UCL staff, students, and their community partners to open up the university’s research and teaching to the wider world.