Blog
A deep-dive into a variety of pension topics to help you understand and learn more about your pension and the Scheme.
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1/4/2026
Editorial
<p><strong>This blog is for defined benefit (DB) members of the Railways Pension Scheme (RPS).</strong><strong></strong></p><p>From time to time, you might find yourself with a little extra money in your pay; perhaps from overtime, shift allowances, commission, backpay or other one-off payments. It’s easy for those amounts to get absorbed into everyday spending without much thought.</p><p>You could use some of that extra income to boost your pension savings.</p><p>For many defined benefit members of the <strong>Railways Pension Scheme</strong>, this can be done through <strong>BRASS. </strong>Historically short for <em>British Rail Additional Superannuation Scheme,</em> BRASS is the Railways Pension Scheme’s main Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangement. </p><p>BRASS lets you save extra into a separate pension pot alongside your main Scheme pension, with tax advantages and flexibility built in. It isn’t entirely investment risk free, but for some members, it can be a straightforward way to turn extra earnings into longer-term retirement savings.</p><p><strong>BRASS: key facts</strong></p><ul type="disc"><li>BRASS stands for British Rail Additional Superannuation Scheme. It is the Railways Pension Scheme’s main Additional Voluntary Contribution arrangement</li><li>BRASS is available to members currently paying in to defined benefit (DB) sections of the Railways Pension Scheme</li><li>You can make regular contributions or one-off payments</li><li>Contributions receive tax relief, subject to HMRC limits</li><li>Your BRASS pot is invested, so its value can go up and down</li><li>You can choose which fund(s) to invest your BRASS pot in, and the level of risk you are comfortable with.</li><li>You usually take your BRASS pot at the same time as your DB pension, unless you transfer it to another pension arrangement first</li></ul><p><strong>Why some members use extra earnings to pay into BRASS</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>1. Flexibility for irregular income</strong></p><p>BRASS is flexible. You can:</p><ul><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-align: inherit; text-transform: inherit; word-spacing: normal; caret-color: auto; white-space: inherit; font-size: inherit">make small regular contributions, or</span></li><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-align: inherit; text-transform: inherit; word-spacing: normal; caret-color: auto; white-space: inherit; font-size: inherit"></span>pay in one-off amounts when you have extra earnings.</li></ul><p>That flexibility is one reason some members choose BRASS when their income isn’t the same every month.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>2. Tax relief is built in</strong></p><p>BRASS contributions are taken from your pay before income tax is worked out. This is known as a net pay arrangement. It means you automatically receive tax relief on what you pay in, within HMRC limits such as the Annual Allowance.</p><p>For some members, this makes paying extra earnings into BRASS more tax efficient than taking the same amount as taxable pay.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>3. To provide extra income in retirement</strong></p><p>Your Railways Pension Scheme benefits provide a valuable foundation for retirement income. Paying extra into BRASS can help you build an additional pension pot alongside your main Scheme benefits. When you come to take your pension benefits, your BRASS pot could be used to provide extra income or increase the lump sum you take at retirement, depending on your circumstances and the choices available at the time.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>4. Flexibility that could support retiring earlier</strong></p><p>Some members use BRASS as part of wider retirement planning. Having an additional pension pot may give you more options around when you retire. Whether that additional pot could help you retire earlier will depend on your personal circumstances, your overall savings, and how your BRASS pot is invested and performs.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>5. You might save on National Insurance too</strong></p><p>Some employers offer BRASS through salary sacrifice. Where this applies, you agree to give up part of your pay and your employer pays the pension contribution instead. This can reduce National Insurance contributions, so more of your pay goes into your pension.</p><p>Salary sacrifice arrangements are set by employers and don’t apply everywhere, so it’s always worth checking with your employer what’s available to you.</p><p><strong>How much can you pay into BRASS?</strong><strong></strong></p><p>If you want to work it out before speaking to your payroll or HR team, log in to your myRPS account and use the BRASS maximum calculator. The calculator helps you estimate how much you can pay into BRASS based on your pay and existing pension contributions. </p><p>Find the calculator in the ‘Planning for the future’ area of your myRPS account.</p><p><strong>What the BRASS limit is based on</strong><strong></strong></p><p>In broad terms, the maximum you can pay into BRASS is worked out using:</p><ul type="disc"><li>your earnings, and</li><li>how much you already contribute to your main Scheme pension</li><li>HMRC <a target="_blank" href="/pension-essentials/pension-tax-limits">tax</a> limits, such as the Annual Allowance, which apply to all pension savings</li></ul><p>Because pay and contributions can change during the year – especially if you work overtime or receive additional payments – your BRASS maximum can change too. That’s why you should check before making a larger or one-off contribution.</p><p><strong>If you’re paying in to BRASS regularly</strong><strong></strong></p><p>If you already pay a regular amount into BRASS, that counts towards your annual maximum. The calculator takes this into account and shows how much extra you may be able to pay in. </p><p><strong>If you want to save more than the maximum allowed for BRASS </strong><strong></strong></p><p>Some members reach their BRASS limit and still want to save more. In those cases, <a href="https://www.railwayspensions.co.uk/defined-benefit-members/saving-more-BRASS-AVC-Extra/save-more-AVC-Extra" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable="" data-sf-marked=""><strong>AVC Extra</strong></a> may be available. AVC Extra is a separate Additional Voluntary Contribution arrangement with its own rules and limits . AVC Extra is not available to Network Rail members.</p><p><strong>How to pay extra earnings into BRASS</strong><strong></strong></p><p>Start the process by completing the <strong>BRASS e-form</strong> once you’ve logged into your myRPS account. You can then send it to your HR or Payroll team. It will give them all the information they need to set up the contribution. If the amount you’ve asked to contribute is over your limits for paying in to BRASS, your HR or Payroll team will let you know. You may then decide to pay the excess into AVC Extra.</p><p><strong>How could your BRASS pot supplement your Railways Pension Scheme defined benefits?</strong><strong></strong></p><p>If you’d like to see how your BRASS pot could increase your pension benefits, log in to your myRPS account and use the Pension Planner to model your BRASS contributions. It will show how any one-off or regular BRASS contributions could boost your lump sum when you come to take your benefits. </p><p><strong>Manage your BRASS funds from your myRPS account</strong></p><p>Once you’ve paid into BRASS, you can manage your savings through your <strong>myRPS account</strong>. When you log in, you can see the current value of your BRASS pot, review how it’s invested, and make changes if you need to. You can choose to invest in one or more Lifestyle strategies, where your investments are managed for you, or select individual investment funds if you prefer a more hands-on approach – or a mix of both. You can change where your existing savings are invested, decide where future contributions go, and check how your choices are performing, all in one place. </p><p>It’s a good idea to review your BRASS funds from time to time to make sure they still feel right for you, especially as your plans or circumstances change.</p><p><strong>Consider how your extra earnings can work best for you</strong></p><p>Paying occasional extra income into BRASS won’t be right for everyone. Remember, BRASS savings are invested, so their value can go down as well as up and returns are not guaranteed. But for some members, it can be a useful way to add to pension savings, with the benefit of tax relief, flexibility and the reassurance of staying within the Scheme.</p><p>As with any pension decision, it’s worth taking the time to understand how it works and what the risks are.</p><p>To find out more about paying in to BRASS:</p><ul type="disc"><li>log in to <strong>myRPS</strong> to view your current BRASS pot value</li><li>speak to your <strong>payroll </strong>or <strong>HR team </strong>about your options</li><li>visit the <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.railwayspensions.co.uk/defined-benefit-members/saving-more-BRASS-AVC-Extra"><strong>Saving more with BRASS</strong></a> pages to learn more</li></ul>
<p><strong>This blog is for defined benefit (DB) members of the Railways Pension Scheme (RPS).</strong><strong></strong></p><p>From time to time, you might find yourself with a little extra money in your pay; perhaps from overtime, shift allowances, commission, backpay or other one-off payments. It’s easy for those amounts to get absorbed into everyday spending without much thought.</p><p>You could use some of that extra income to boost your pension savings.</p><p>For many defined benefit members of the <strong>Railways Pension Scheme</strong>, this can be done through <strong>BRASS. </strong>Historically short for <em>British Rail Additional Superannuation Scheme,</em> BRASS is the Railways Pension Scheme’s main Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangement. </p><p>BRASS lets you save extra into a separate pension pot alongside your main Scheme pension, with tax advantages and flexibility built in. It isn’t entirely investment risk free, but for some members, it can be a straightforward way to turn extra earnings into longer-term retirement savings.</p><p><strong>BRASS: key facts</strong></p><ul type="disc"><li>BRASS stands for British Rail Additional Superannuation Scheme. It is the Railways Pension Scheme’s main Additional Voluntary Contribution arrangement</li><li>BRASS is available to members currently paying in to defined benefit (DB) sections of the Railways Pension Scheme</li><li>You can make regular contributions or one-off payments</li><li>Contributions receive tax relief, subject to HMRC limits</li><li>Your BRASS pot is invested, so its value can go up and down</li><li>You can choose which fund(s) to invest your BRASS pot in, and the level of risk you are comfortable with.</li><li>You usually take your BRASS pot at the same time as your DB pension, unless you transfer it to another pension arrangement first</li></ul><p><strong>Why some members use extra earnings to pay into BRASS</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>1. Flexibility for irregular income</strong></p><p>BRASS is flexible. You can:</p><ul><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-align: inherit; text-transform: inherit; word-spacing: normal; caret-color: auto; white-space: inherit; font-size: inherit">make small regular contributions, or</span></li><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-align: inherit; text-transform: inherit; word-spacing: normal; caret-color: auto; white-space: inherit; font-size: inherit"></span>pay in one-off amounts when you have extra earnings.</li></ul><p>That flexibility is one reason some members choose BRASS when their income isn’t the same every month.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>2. Tax relief is built in</strong></p><p>BRASS contributions are taken from your pay before income tax is worked out. This is known as a net pay arrangement. It means you automatically receive tax relief on what you pay in, within HMRC limits such as the Annual Allowance.</p><p>For some members, this makes paying extra earnings into BRASS more tax efficient than taking the same amount as taxable pay.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>3. To provide extra income in retirement</strong></p><p>Your Railways Pension Scheme benefits provide a valuable foundation for retirement income. Paying extra into BRASS can help you build an additional pension pot alongside your main Scheme benefits. When you come to take your pension benefits, your BRASS pot could be used to provide extra income or increase the lump sum you take at retirement, depending on your circumstances and the choices available at the time.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>4. Flexibility that could support retiring earlier</strong></p><p>Some members use BRASS as part of wider retirement planning. Having an additional pension pot may give you more options around when you retire. Whether that additional pot could help you retire earlier will depend on your personal circumstances, your overall savings, and how your BRASS pot is invested and performs.</p><p style="margin-left: 30px"><strong>5. You might save on National Insurance too</strong></p><p>Some employers offer BRASS through salary sacrifice. Where this applies, you agree to give up part of your pay and your employer pays the pension contribution instead. This can reduce National Insurance contributions, so more of your pay goes into your pension.</p><p>Salary sacrifice arrangements are set by employers and don’t apply everywhere, so it’s always worth checking with your employer what’s available to you.</p><p><strong>How much can you pay into BRASS?</strong><strong></strong></p><p>If you want to work it out before speaking to your payroll or HR team, log in to your myRPS account and use the BRASS maximum calculator. The calculator helps you estimate how much you can pay into BRASS based on your pay and existing pension contributions. </p><p>Find the calculator in the ‘Planning for the future’ area of your myRPS account.</p><p><strong>What the BRASS limit is based on</strong><strong></strong></p><p>In broad terms, the maximum you can pay into BRASS is worked out using:</p><ul type="disc"><li>your earnings, and</li><li>how much you already contribute to your main Scheme pension</li><li>HMRC <a target="_blank" href="/pension-essentials/pension-tax-limits">tax</a> limits, such as the Annual Allowance, which apply to all pension savings</li></ul><p>Because pay and contributions can change during the year – especially if you work overtime or receive additional payments – your BRASS maximum can change too. That’s why you should check before making a larger or one-off contribution.</p><p><strong>If you’re paying in to BRASS regularly</strong><strong></strong></p><p>If you already pay a regular amount into BRASS, that counts towards your annual maximum. The calculator takes this into account and shows how much extra you may be able to pay in. </p><p><strong>If you want to save more than the maximum allowed for BRASS </strong><strong></strong></p><p>Some members reach their BRASS limit and still want to save more. In those cases, <a href="https://www.railwayspensions.co.uk/defined-benefit-members/saving-more-BRASS-AVC-Extra/save-more-AVC-Extra" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable="" data-sf-marked=""><strong>AVC Extra</strong></a> may be available. AVC Extra is a separate Additional Voluntary Contribution arrangement with its own rules and limits . AVC Extra is not available to Network Rail members.</p><p><strong>How to pay extra earnings into BRASS</strong><strong></strong></p><p>Start the process by completing the <strong>BRASS e-form</strong> once you’ve logged into your myRPS account. You can then send it to your HR or Payroll team. It will give them all the information they need to set up the contribution. If the amount you’ve asked to contribute is over your limits for paying in to BRASS, your HR or Payroll team will let you know. You may then decide to pay the excess into AVC Extra.</p><p><strong>How could your BRASS pot supplement your Railways Pension Scheme defined benefits?</strong><strong></strong></p><p>If you’d like to see how your BRASS pot could increase your pension benefits, log in to your myRPS account and use the Pension Planner to model your BRASS contributions. It will show how any one-off or regular BRASS contributions could boost your lump sum when you come to take your benefits. </p><p><strong>Manage your BRASS funds from your myRPS account</strong></p><p>Once you’ve paid into BRASS, you can manage your savings through your <strong>myRPS account</strong>. When you log in, you can see the current value of your BRASS pot, review how it’s invested, and make changes if you need to. You can choose to invest in one or more Lifestyle strategies, where your investments are managed for you, or select individual investment funds if you prefer a more hands-on approach – or a mix of both. You can change where your existing savings are invested, decide where future contributions go, and check how your choices are performing, all in one place. </p><p>It’s a good idea to review your BRASS funds from time to time to make sure they still feel right for you, especially as your plans or circumstances change.</p><p><strong>Consider how your extra earnings can work best for you</strong></p><p>Paying occasional extra income into BRASS won’t be right for everyone. Remember, BRASS savings are invested, so their value can go down as well as up and returns are not guaranteed. But for some members, it can be a useful way to add to pension savings, with the benefit of tax relief, flexibility and the reassurance of staying within the Scheme.</p><p>As with any pension decision, it’s worth taking the time to understand how it works and what the risks are.</p><p>To find out more about paying in to BRASS:</p><ul type="disc"><li>log in to <strong>myRPS</strong> to view your current BRASS pot value</li><li>speak to your <strong>payroll </strong>or <strong>HR team </strong>about your options</li><li>visit the <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.railwayspensions.co.uk/defined-benefit-members/saving-more-BRASS-AVC-Extra"><strong>Saving more with BRASS</strong></a> pages to learn more</li></ul>
Blog
Turn extra earnings into long-term pension power
DB members: If you earn any extra income such as an annual bonus or overtime payment you could consider paying into BRASS.
This blog is for defined benefit (DB) members of the Railways Pension Scheme (RPS).
From time to time, you might find yourself with a little extra money in your pay; perhaps from overtime, shift allowances, commission, backpay or other one-off payments. It’s easy for those amounts to get absorbed into everyday spending without much thought.
You could use some of that extra income to boost your pension savings.
For many defined benefit members of the Railways Pension Scheme, this can be done through BRASS. Historically short for British Rail Additional Superannuation Scheme, BRASS is the Railways Pension Scheme’s main Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangement.
BRASS lets you save extra into a separate pension pot alongside your main Scheme pension, with tax advantages and flexibility built in. It isn’t entirely investment risk free, but for some members, it can be a straightforward way to turn extra earnings into longer-term retirement savings.
BRASS: key facts
- BRASS stands for British Rail Additional Superannuation Scheme. It is the Railways Pension Scheme’s main Additional Voluntary Contribution arrangement
- BRASS is available to members currently paying in to defined benefit (DB) sections of the Railways Pension Scheme
- You can make regular contributions or one-off payments
- Contributions receive tax relief, subject to HMRC limits
- Your BRASS pot is invested, so its value can go up and down
- You can choose which fund(s) to invest your BRASS pot in, and the level of risk you are comfortable with.
- You usually take your BRASS pot at the same time as your DB pension, unless you transfer it to another pension arrangement first
Why some members use extra earnings to pay into BRASS
1. Flexibility for irregular income
BRASS is flexible. You can:
- make small regular contributions, or
- pay in one-off amounts when you have extra earnings.
That flexibility is one reason some members choose BRASS when their income isn’t the same every month.
2. Tax relief is built in
BRASS contributions are taken from your pay before income tax is worked out. This is known as a net pay arrangement. It means you automatically receive tax relief on what you pay in, within HMRC limits such as the Annual Allowance.
For some members, this makes paying extra earnings into BRASS more tax efficient than taking the same amount as taxable pay.
3. To provide extra income in retirement
Your Railways Pension Scheme benefits provide a valuable foundation for retirement income. Paying extra into BRASS can help you build an additional pension pot alongside your main Scheme benefits. When you come to take your pension benefits, your BRASS pot could be used to provide extra income or increase the lump sum you take at retirement, depending on your circumstances and the choices available at the time.
4. Flexibility that could support retiring earlier
Some members use BRASS as part of wider retirement planning. Having an additional pension pot may give you more options around when you retire. Whether that additional pot could help you retire earlier will depend on your personal circumstances, your overall savings, and how your BRASS pot is invested and performs.
5. You might save on National Insurance too
Some employers offer BRASS through salary sacrifice. Where this applies, you agree to give up part of your pay and your employer pays the pension contribution instead. This can reduce National Insurance contributions, so more of your pay goes into your pension.
Salary sacrifice arrangements are set by employers and don’t apply everywhere, so it’s always worth checking with your employer what’s available to you.
How much can you pay into BRASS?
If you want to work it out before speaking to your payroll or HR team, log in to your myRPS account and use the BRASS maximum calculator. The calculator helps you estimate how much you can pay into BRASS based on your pay and existing pension contributions.
Find the calculator in the ‘Planning for the future’ area of your myRPS account.
What the BRASS limit is based on
In broad terms, the maximum you can pay into BRASS is worked out using:
- your earnings, and
- how much you already contribute to your main Scheme pension
- HMRC tax limits, such as the Annual Allowance, which apply to all pension savings
Because pay and contributions can change during the year – especially if you work overtime or receive additional payments – your BRASS maximum can change too. That’s why you should check before making a larger or one-off contribution.
If you’re paying in to BRASS regularly
If you already pay a regular amount into BRASS, that counts towards your annual maximum. The calculator takes this into account and shows how much extra you may be able to pay in.
If you want to save more than the maximum allowed for BRASS
Some members reach their BRASS limit and still want to save more. In those cases, AVC Extra may be available. AVC Extra is a separate Additional Voluntary Contribution arrangement with its own rules and limits . AVC Extra is not available to Network Rail members.
How to pay extra earnings into BRASS
Start the process by completing the BRASS e-form once you’ve logged into your myRPS account. You can then send it to your HR or Payroll team. It will give them all the information they need to set up the contribution. If the amount you’ve asked to contribute is over your limits for paying in to BRASS, your HR or Payroll team will let you know. You may then decide to pay the excess into AVC Extra.
How could your BRASS pot supplement your Railways Pension Scheme defined benefits?
If you’d like to see how your BRASS pot could increase your pension benefits, log in to your myRPS account and use the Pension Planner to model your BRASS contributions. It will show how any one-off or regular BRASS contributions could boost your lump sum when you come to take your benefits.
Manage your BRASS funds from your myRPS account
Once you’ve paid into BRASS, you can manage your savings through your myRPS account. When you log in, you can see the current value of your BRASS pot, review how it’s invested, and make changes if you need to. You can choose to invest in one or more Lifestyle strategies, where your investments are managed for you, or select individual investment funds if you prefer a more hands-on approach – or a mix of both. You can change where your existing savings are invested, decide where future contributions go, and check how your choices are performing, all in one place.
It’s a good idea to review your BRASS funds from time to time to make sure they still feel right for you, especially as your plans or circumstances change.
Consider how your extra earnings can work best for you
Paying occasional extra income into BRASS won’t be right for everyone. Remember, BRASS savings are invested, so their value can go down as well as up and returns are not guaranteed. But for some members, it can be a useful way to add to pension savings, with the benefit of tax relief, flexibility and the reassurance of staying within the Scheme.
As with any pension decision, it’s worth taking the time to understand how it works and what the risks are.
To find out more about paying in to BRASS:
- log in to myRPS to view your current BRASS pot value
- speak to your payroll or HR team about your options
- visit the Saving more with BRASS pages to learn more
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