Leaving the plan
If you leave the Career average plan before normal retirement age, your options depend on whether you have been in pensionable service for more than two years or less than two years. This section of the website also contains information about drawing your deferred pension and about opting out if you still work at Unilever.
Service in previous schemes
Service relating to any benefits you have transferred in from a previous pension scheme counts towards your pensionable service for deciding your benefits on leaving. You are treated as having two years’ pensionable service automatically if you have transferred in benefits from a personal pension.
More than two years
The total pension you have built up at the date you leave the plan becomes 'deferred'. This means it stays in the plan for you to draw at age 65 (or when your Unilever employment ends, if later).
Read moreLess than two years
With the Trustees' agreement, you can currently choose a pension if you have less than two years' pensionable service. Or, you can transfer your plan benefits (including your Investing plan benefits) into another arrangement.
Read moreDrawing your deferred pension
If your employment with Unilever has ended and Unilever and the Trustees agree, you can draw your deferred pension from age 50 onwards (increasing to age 55 from 6 April 2010).
Read moreOpting out of the plan
You can leave the plan if you want to, even if you still work at Unilever – this is called 'opting out'.
Read more