USS benefit modeller accuracy around the 'cliff edge' before 60

Blaubeere

I have a query around the USS Benefit Modeller and its accuracy in the Defined Benefit projections before and after age 60. I am looking to retire from my institution around age 60 (Nov 2026) and am using the Modeller to gauge options for leaving either before 60 in summer 2026 (I have concerns around getting the push at the end of 2025-26 in the current climate) or after 60 at the end of our first semester in 2027 (if I can last that long).

I have heard colleagues talk about a big gap in the projection between 59 year 11 months and 60 years and I have also seen a THES piece about this 'cliff edge'. It relates to the waiver on penalties for taking the pre-2011 before 60.

My query is that while I know about this 'cliff edge', often thousands of pounds, I just don't see it in my modeller projections, e.g. 59 and 11 months appears as £38131 annual pension/£114 393 lump sum, while 60 and 0 months appears as £38402 annual pension and £115207 lump sum. 

Does anyone have any experience of this or know why this might be? I know I will need to ask USS but I hope for a sense of what the explanations might be before asking.

My DB penion is made up of pre-2011 Final Salary benefits, added-year AVCs agreed in the 2000s, pre-2016 Final Salary Beneftis and since 2016 Income Builder.

On the one hand, I wonder whether the lack of 'cliff edge' has to do with AVC arrangements and the fact that I will have paid off my DB contributions at age 60. On the other, I wonder if it is a glitch or error in the system.

I did ask for a retirement quote earlier this year for leaving in July 2025 when my University had a voluntary severance scheme open (I took my chances in the end). The quote at that time was almost exactly what the Benefit Modeller had suggested, so I had assumed the modeller was pretty accurate...

THanks for advice

MarlowMallard

This suggests a possible problem with the modeller.  I was playing with the modeller back in 2023, it did show a fairly substantial cliff-edge c 10 percent between age 59y 11m and 60y 01m so it apparently knew about the age-60 cliff-edge.   I then got a quote in early 2024 so I stopped playing with the modeller,  and I did flexi-retire at 60.5 in late 2024, taking 80% of pension.  I never had added-years AVCs, but I do have extra in Inv Builder which will bridge from full retirement to SPA.  

I got no reduction for pre-2011, about 21% ERF reduction post-2011,  and it worked out about 9% reduction overall.   Hope that helps.