Public Servant Lifestyle

Pension provision that is...Only 6% of job adverts in the UK press mention pensions despite big pressure on employers reveals TUC survey.

Despite strong pressure from both the government and unions less than one in ten employers mention pensions in their job adverts, according to the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) annual survey.

The new research reveals that out of 1,132 job advertisements only 69 (6.1%) mentioned a pension, a drop of 0.5% from 2004. Of the small number that mentioned a pension only 29 referred to a final salary pension scheme.

This poor response from employers comes despite strong encouragement from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for them to mention pensions in their job adverts. The DWP has itself recently arranged for all adverts through Jobcentre Plus to include pension information as part of their 'Informed Choice' programme.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Employers who offer workplace pension schemes should be boasting about it. Those who don't are missing a golden opportunity to attract and retain key workers who are seeking a pension in their benefits package.
“If all job adverts gave clear information on their pension schemes prospective employees would take the advertisement more seriously.'

In 2004 TUC researchers discovered that out of a total of 1,519 adverts placed, only 101 (6.6%) made any mention of pensions. Of the 101 adverts that offered a pension only half (50%) listed the type of pension scheme as a final salary one, and a paltry 13 referred to the level of employer contribution.

The TUC figures are based on evidence from job adverts placed during a two-week period between 16 and 29 July 2005. The newspapers used in the survey were: The Sunday Times, The Guardian (on Saturday), London’s Evening Standard, The Daily Mirror and The Hastings and St. Leonard’s Observer.

Follow this link to view the full results of the TUC survey.

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