What is a defined benefit (DB) pension surplus?
Offers a secure and compliant way to deploy surplus capital, available to new and existing clients whose DB schemes are in surplus 
Frees up earmarked pension contributions for reinvestment into business growth, transformation, or operational efficiency initiatives 
Providing an alternative to a direct surplus refund by funding future employer DC contributions 
The Aviva Master Trust DB Surplus solution
In a changing pensions landscape, our DB surplus solution provides employers with a solution for putting DB surplus assets to work - subject to the legal, trustee and regulatory requirements applicable to the transferring scheme.
Instead of sitting unused, surplus assets can be used to fund employer DC contributions, reducing corporate outgoings and supporting wider business priorities, as an alternative use of scheme surplus. The legal and tax treatment of any transfer will depend on the circumstances of the scheme and appropriate professional advice.
DB trustees play a key role in this process and will need to obtain appropriate legal, actuarial and tax advice to determine whether a surplus transfer is suitable and how a transfer to the Aviva Master Trust should be structured. As part of this process, DB trustees should obtain appropriate legal, actuarial and tax advice and consider whether non-statutory HMRC clearance is appropriate before proceeding.
How it works
Subject to the required approvals and governance steps, your DB surplus (or part of it) is transferred to the Aviva Master Trust
It's invested in a low risk investment approach, designed to preserve capital and protect against market volatility
Employer DC contributions are funded from the surplus
A solution backed by strength, scale and specialist support
The Aviva Master Trust manages over £17bn in assets for over 600,000 UK workers
Whether you're an employer, trustee, or adviser, we're helping you make better use of trapped capital while protecting member benefits. And with specialist support, our solution is unlocking better benefits – for your business and your members.
Specialist support
With a dedicated team of specialist advisers, including trustee, governance, operational, and investment specialists, you'll get comprehensive support throughout the surplus transfer process. They'll work closely with you to make your transfer smooth and straight-forward.
Support for vulnerable members
Our customer service colleagues are trained to serve the needs of members with vulnerabilities including mental and physical health issues, disabilities and language barriers. Importantly, they’re also equipped to help people troubled by money worries or debt.
A retirement plan that adapts to members' lives
When you choose Aviva Master Trust, your members will get to make use of Guided Retirement. It’s our structured retirement income plan that can adapt to your members’ changing needs throughout retirement.
Team up with an award-winning pension provider
Our workplace solutions and the options they give our members at retirement have been recognised by the industry across the years. We're a winner of the Pensions Administration Award at the 2026 Pension Age Awards and were Highly Commended for Best Master Trust and Best Default Sustainability Strategy at the 2025 Corporate Adviser Awards.
Is this solution right for you?
Apply to unlock your DB surplus
Your usual Aviva contact or adviser can help you understand the prerequisites, governance steps, and legal considerations before applying for a transfer.
Important information: Availability of this solution will depend on the circumstances of the transferring scheme, including trustee approval, scheme rules and applicable legal and tax requirements. Employers and trustees should obtain appropriate professional advice. Tax treatment will depend on the circumstances of the transferring scheme and applicable legislation at the time.
