BT PLC (LON:BT) announced on Monday that it will close its defined benefit pension scheme after reaching an agreement with a major union on the future arrangements for 20,000 staff.
The FTSE 100-listed telecoms giant said it expected to close the scheme, one of the biggest in the country, to future benefits on May 31 but that some administrative-related issues remained to be resolved.
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BT and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have agreed to work together to establish a new "hybrid" pension arrangement over the coming year for team members leaving the scheme, combining elements of both defined benefit and defined contribution pension schemes.
The BT defined contribution scheme currently has around 35,000 members.
In a statement, Gavin Patterson, BT’s chief executive said: "These changes bring far more financial certainty for the company in terms of our future pension arrangements.
"This will help us balance the needs of BT pensioners with the investments we are making to future-proof the UK's communications networks and improve customer experience."
In late afternoon trading, BT shares were 1.3% lower at 224.9p.