Your Benefits

2023
Colleague
Guide
Contents
Welcome to Maximus Benefits Centre........................................2
Your benefit options at a glance..................................................3
Your Financial Savings Benefits....................................................4
Your Health & Wellbeing Benefits ...............................................5
Your Balanced Lifestyle Benefits .................................................6
Your Benefit Extras.........................................................................7
How to make your benefit selections..........................................9
Looking for inspiration?................................................................9
Need some help?....................................................................... 10
Welcome to Maximus Benefits Centre
At Maximus, we know our benefits scheme is an important part of your overall rewards
package. It’s one of the ways we say thank you in recognition of the work you do.
The scheme is hosted on our online portal, Maximus Benefits Centre, which is your gateway
to the many benefits we offer our UK colleagues. The site can be accessed at any time
from any device and is easy to navigate. Via the platform, you can browse all the benefits
on offer, calculate how they might affect your monthly salary and make those all-important
purchases.
What’s the difference between ‘core’ benefits and ‘voluntary’ benefits?
Core Benefits
Core benefits are funded by the business and you’re automatically enrolled onto these. You
should familiarise yourself with all the core benefits we offer to ensure they are right for you,
in some cases you can make adjustments. Core benefits are illustrated with a (c) symbol.
Voluntary Benefits
Voluntary benefits are ones you can choose to buy. Using the platform, you can see how each
voluntary benefit might affect your monthly pay. Voluntary benefits are illustrated with a (v)
symbol.
Our voluntary benefits have a number of advantages:
• Competitively priced – our voluntary benefits have been negotiated by Maximus on
your behalf so are likely to offer better value than you might get elsewhere.
• Spread the costs – by paying for a voluntary benefit over a 12 month period, higher cost
items become more affordable.
• Save on tax and National Insurance – selected voluntary benefits are taken as a salary
sacrifice, meaning you could save on Tax and/or National Insurance contributions.
• Add your family – not only can you pick the voluntary benefits that are right for you, in
some cases you can also include family members on your cover.
Three key areas
We know that leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle and having peace of mind is important
to you. That’s why our benefits are divided into three key areas; financial savings, health
and wellbeing, and balanced lifestyle. From pension planning to restaurant discounts and
travel insurance to critical illness insurance, there’s something for everyone.
Benefit Extras
Benefits Extras was introduced over 2 years ago so that all colleagues can access those
added extra perks all in one place.
It’s just one of the many ways we are ensuring all colleagues are rewarded for their
continued contribution to the business, helping them to further manage their mental,
physical and financial wellbeing and making sure confidential support is available to those
who need it, whenever they need it. Benefit extras are illustrated with a (e) symbol.
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Your benefit options at a glance
When can I select or make Automatic Tax and NI When can I select or
Benefit What does it provide? Automatic Tax and NI
changes to this benefit? roll-over treatment Benefit What does it provide? make changes to this
roll-over savings
benefit?
FINANCIAL SAVINGS
BALANCED LIFESTYLE
Lump sum payment to your Core: none
Life Enrolment window and
beneficiaries in the event of your Yes Flex: tax, NI
Insurance
death while in employment
specified life event only Charitable An account from which to donate
savings Any time Yes Tax
Giving to your chosen charities

Colleagues can increase, Yes

decrease, make changes
A tax-efficient way of saving for or cease at anytime (as (but you Regular, hassle-free and match-
Pension ** Maximus
your retirement long as it is not below have option funded contributions to the Any time Yes Tax
to remove Foundation
automatic enrolment Foundation
minimum levels) this benefit)

Critical Illness
Lump sum payment if you or your Cycle to Huge savings on the hire of a new
Insurance for Enrolment window and Any time No Tax, NI
partner are diagnosed with a Yes NI savings Work bike and/or bike accessories
Colleague & specified life event only
qualifying critical illness
Partner

Buy:
Access tools and online services
Financial Holiday Opportunity to buy or sell your Tax, NI
that offer finance management Enrolment window
Wellbeing Trading annual leave to receive extra days No
support only
(Buy/Sell) or release cash back Sell:

H E A LT H A N D W E L L B E I N G None

Yes
Savings on treatments Core: tax Restaurant
deductions Huge savings on dining out at a
Healthcare and services as well as Enrolment window and (but you Discount Anytime No NI
wide range of restaurant brands
Cash Plan reimbursements on a number of specified life event only have option Card
Flex: NI
consultations to remove
savings
this benefit)

Keep track of your health and get Travel Comprehensive annual travel Enrolment window or
Health No auto Yes NI
an early indication of potential Enrolment Window Only NI savings Insurance insurance cover for your holidays life event only
Assessment rollover
problems

Yes Payroll Pennies - donate the

Core: tax
Private Payroll
Private Medical Insurance cover Enrolment window and (but you deductions pennies from your payslip to the Anytime Yes None
Medical Pennies
for you when you need it specified life event only have option Maximus Foundation
Insurance Flex: NI
to remove
savings
this benefit)
Season An interest-free loan to cover the
Ticket cost of an annual public transport Anytime No None
Dental Cost-effective way of managing Enrolment window and Loans ticket.
Yes NI savings
Insurance your family’s dental care needs specified life event only

A monetary award to recognise

Counselling over the telephone Long
and reward colleagues who
Employee and online. Support includes Service N/A None
celebrate a milestone length of
Assistance legal and financial information, Yes None Awards
service.
Programme plus health and wellbeing
guidance.
Percipio A free online platform with a
Great discounts and cashback Learning range of learning resources for all
Medicash Platform colleagues
from a number of recognised
Extras
brands

Key: Tax = Income Tax

Medicash Online mental health and ** if not done by salary sacrifice, then the deduction method
Wellness wellbeing support NI = National Insurance applied by Payroll will determine the Tax and NI treatment
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 Critical Illness Insurance (v)
Receive financial support if you are diagnosed with an insurer-specified
critical illness.

You can select a lump sum payment of up to £500,000 for yourself and choose to receive
cover for your spouse or partner of up to £250,000.

Life Insurance (c)

Rest assured, your loved ones will be taken care of should you pass away
whilst employed by Maximus.

Life Insurance offers you peace of mind by providing a lump sum payment to your
nominated beneficiaries in the event of your death. You are insured from your start date,
subject to acceptance by the insurance company, with a core cover level of 3x your basic pay
(4x or more for some legacy colleagues). You may be able to increase your level of cover at
your own expense – please refer to Maximus Benefits Centre to review your options.
Please remember to complete the Beneficiary Nomination (Expression of Wish) form which
is now available as an online form on Cascade.
If you are Civil Pension Service member, you will need to complete the additional death
benefit nomination form which can be found on the Civil Service Pension member portal.

Pension (c)
Prepare for your future.

The Maximus UK Pension Plan gives you the chance to build a pension for your retirement.

Your
Your contributions and employer contributions are based on the contract terms and
conditions on which you are employed. More information can be found on Maximus Benefit
Centre platform. The Maximus UK Pension Plan is invested with Legal & General. You save
both tax and National Insurance if you contribute via salary sacrifice.

Financial
Savings
Benefits
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 Health Assessments (v)
Keep track of your health and get an early indication of potential problems.

The Health Assessments benefit, provided by Nuffield Health, gives a comprehensive

view of your health, covering key concerns such as diabetes, heart health, cancer risk and
emotional wellbeing that is flexible as either face to face or online assessment. Undertake
personal health checks that can identify any existing or potential health risks and offer
support and guidance to help improve your health.

Dental Insurance (v)

Take the financial pain out of a trip to the dentist.

Dental Insurance enables you to claim back money off the cost of routine dental fees as well
as specialist treatments. This includes everything from fillings to dentures. You can choose
from six levels of cover and also extend this to include your partner and dependants at your
expense.

Healthcare Cash plan (c)

Save money on a range of treatments and services, and claim reimbursements
for dental, optical, physiotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractor, homeopathy
and other consultations.

The Healthcare Cash Plan is provided by Medicash and covers colleagues for a wide range
of treatments and services to a maximum amount each year. You can choose to increase
your cover or extend the cover to include a partner and up to four dependants at your
expense. You can also get great discounts for a number of your favourite stores and earn
WOWpoints when making those healthy lifestyle purchases. For more information please
refer to Benefits Extras.

Private Medical Insurance* (c)

Receive rapid access to certain types of medical care and private treatment
for you and your family.

The Private Medical Insurance is designed to provide you with specialist private medical
care should you ever need it. You can choose your treatment location from a selection
of hospitals and day patient units. You can also choose to extend the cover to include a

Your Health
partner, children and dependants at your expense.
*only available to eligible colleagues

Employee Assistance Programme (c)

& Wellbeing
Access a free, 24/7 confidential, support programme for any legal,
financial or personal issues through LifeWorks.

You can access online support by visiting Login.lifeworks.com and using the username:

Benefits
MaximusUK and password: lifeworks. Alternatively, you can receive help and advice by
calling 0808 101 0948.

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Your Balanced
Lifestyle Benefits
Charitable Giving (v)
Give more for less to your favourite charities.
Doing your bit couldn’t be easier. Pick a charity, set your donation and we’ll arrange the rest.
You can choose from any registered charity and contribute from as little as £5 per month.
You can amend your tax-efficient contributions at any time of the year.
Payroll Pennies (v)
Donate the pennies from your payslip to charity
Payroll Pennies is a simple way to make a big difference by donating to the Maximus
Foundation direct from your salary. Your net monthly salary will be rounded down to the
nearest pound and the pennies will be donated to the Maximus Foundation.
Travel Insurance (v)
Enjoy peace of mind wherever you go all year.
Enjoy annual cover for multiple trips. The insurance provides Emergency Medical Expenses
cover up to £10 million, with up to £5,000 for cancellation, cutting the holiday short, and
much more. You can also extend the cover to include your partner and dependants.
Cycle to Work (v)
Save money, get fit and help protect the environment.
Cycle to Work enables you to hire a new bike for your use, free from tax and National
Insurance contributions. Bicycles are provided by Halfords, who can offer you choice from
over 800 different stores and independent bike shops and give you an additional 4%
discount on the price, 20% off certain cycle parts and accessories and a free one year care
plan for your bike. Choose a bike worth up to £1,000. After the 12-month hire ends, you will
have the option to return the bike, purchase it by paying an additional amount based on a
fair market value or extend your hire agreement term with Halfords.
Holiday Trading (Buy/Sell) (v)
Enjoy additional holidays, or sell back extra hours.
Buy or sell your annual leave by up to five days, pro-rated for part-time colleagues
providing you extra time off or some extra cash. If you decide to sell leave, this will be paid
in instalments directly into your monthly salary and will be subject to Tax and National
Insurance deductions.
If you choose to buy or sell holiday in March 2023 your pay will be adjusted over a 12 month
period, between April 2023 and March 2024, irrespective of your holiday year dates.
Please note - if you are a Central, Connect, Employability or Health employee and have any
holiday carried over into the new holiday year, this value will be offset against what you can
purchase.
Restaurant Discount Card (v)
Get 2-for-1 meals or up to 50% off your food bill.
Choose between a: Gourmet Society and tastecard. Gourmet Society–get 2-for-1 meals or
25% off the total bill, including drinks at places such as Café Rouge, Hotel du Vin and Loch
Fyne. Tastecard – get 2-for-1 meals or 50% off the food bill at places such as ASK, Prezzo and
Zizzi. You can also access up to 40% off cinema tickets and up to 60% off entertainment and
days out. All for just £2.50 per month, for 12 months.
Maximus Foundation (v)
Together, we can make a little go a long way.
Sign up to Payroll Giving and make easy, hassle-free monthly contributions to the Maximus
Foundation UK. Not only is any contribution you make matched by the business, but as a
Payroll Giver, you have a say on which charities receive grants and 100% of your donation
goes directly to a charity or cause nominated by a colleague.
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 Volunteer Day Scheme
Giving back to communities through volunteering.

As part of the Volunteer Day Scheme, colleagues may be able to dedicate a part of their
working time to volunteering with a local charity of their choice.
Volunteering days offers colleagues the opportunity to give something back in an engaged
and meaningful way which and will allow Maximus UK to have an even greater impact on
local communities and the environment through colleagues dedicating their valuable time.
To find out more or book a volunteer day, click here.

Ability First & Able Futures

Programs to help people with disabilities plus mental health support for
people at work.

Ability First is an internal service to support all colleagues to overcome any barriers they
may have at work.
From mental health to musculoskeletal problems, neurological conditions to learning
difficulties, and various other issues, it ensures we have the right support and adjustments in
place so that all colleagues can succeed.
To find out which conditions can be referred and how the process works, please click here.

Able Futures is a support programme that helps people manage and overcome their
mental health challenges within the workplace. The programme offers nine months of
guidance from mental health specialists.
To find out more click here, to visit the website and you can also access the FAQs on the
Maximus UK intranet by clicking here.

Your Benefit
Extras
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Season Ticket Loans (e) myLearning Platform (e)
Get an interest-free loan to cover the cost of an annual public transport ticket. Providing colleagues with continuous learning and development
opportunities.
You can apply for an interest-free loan to cover the cost of travelling to and from work over a
12-month period. Access learning materials on the myLearning platform or download the app to continue your
learning journey wherever you are.

Employee Assistance Programme (c)

Access a free, 24/7 confidential, support programme for any legal, financial Financial Wellbeing (e)
or personal issues through LifeWorks. Help is at hand to support your financial health and wellbeing.

You can access online support by visiting Login.lifeworks.com and using the username: Visit a range of portals and gain access to numerous resources that can help you manage
MaximusUK and password: lifeworks. Alternatively, you can receive help and advice by your financial wellbeing.
calling 0808 101 0948.

Headspace (e)
Long Service Awards (e)
Be rewarded for a milestone length of service in recognition for your All Maximus colleagues have access to a premium Headspace account. Get signed up today
continued commitment to our business. and you’ll have access to over 1000 hours of mindfulness and sleep content you can easily fit
into your busy schedule. To access Headspace please click here
To thank you for your hard work and dedication over the years, you will receive a certificate
and monetary award to celebrate the work you do and the difference you make.

Medicash Extras (e)

Cut your everyday shopping costs with a range of offers.

Receive great discounts and cashback on everything from gym memberships and beauty
treatments to your favourite high street retailers and supermarkets.

Medicash Wellness (e)

Online mental health and wellbeing support provided by Care first.

Care first’s online wellbeing platform has a wealth of helpful and informative resources on
areas including stress, debt and workplace wellbeing.

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How to make your benefit selections
It’s a bit like online shopping – you can add things to your basket and see the total cost before committing.

How to log-in and select benefits

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

Visit maximusbenefitscentre.
co.uk from 1 March 2023 on
any work device
You’ll be automatically signed
in to the Benefits Centre
Click the ‘explore your Choose the benefits you Click the ‘your benefits
benefits’ icon to select your want by adding them to your basket’ icon to review your
benefits basket selections and remember to
submit your selection before
Tuesday 21 March

Remember, you will need to submit any changes to your benefit selections before the 21 March deadline otherwise you might not get another chance to make changes until March 2024.

Legacy benefits
Some of the benefits are only available to current subscribers and these are referred to as legacy benefits. Legacy benefits include Childcare Vouchers and core Income Protection. Although they are not
actively promoted, if you had either of these benefits last year and your contractual circumstances have not changed (change of contract etc.) you’ll still be entitled to take advantage of them again this
year.
Looking for inspiration?
We’ve put together examples of how the benefits can help colleagues at different stages of their lives. Which combination of benefits best suits your stage of life and why?

Colleague A is 22 and in a relationship: Colleague B is 37 and married with children: Colleague C is 56 and married with adult children:

Colleague A is hoping to buy his first home next year. He is money Colleague B and her husband have had health and financial Colleague C and his wife own their home and have a large
conscious and carefully considers all his outgoings on a regular problems, but recently discovered she could claim back on future disposable income. They enjoy spending time socialising with
basis: medical treatments. friends and extended family.

Holiday Trading (Buy/Sell): While the thought of
purchasing extra days off is appealing, Colleague
A knows that if he were to sell some days back he
could free up some extra cash to put aside for the
future.
Cycle to Work: Colleague A is also health
conscious. The Cycle to Work benefit enables him
to save tax and National Insurance on a new bike.
Now he’s cycling to work, his monthly petrol bill is
significantly less, and he can see an improvement in
his health and general happiness.
Pension: Although there’s plenty of time until his
retirement, Colleague A knows how important it is
to save for the future and decides to increase his
pension contributions to take advantage of the Tax
benefits.
Critical Illness Insurance: Colleague B is aware of the
financial impact bad health could have, so she has
recently reviewed and increased her Critical Illness
Insurance and extended to cover the family too.
Dental Insurance: After being hit by some recent
unexpected bills, Colleague B was dreading a trip
to the dentist. Fortunately, she could claim back the
cost of her restorative treatment using this benefit
which comes out of her monthly salary free of
National Insurance.
Employee Assistance Programme: Colleague B
is reassured by the EAP benefit that enables her
to speak in confidence to a team of experts who
can offer her support and advice with her ongoing
financial and medical worries.
Health Assessments (v): Taking care of their
health is a priority for Colleague C, and a Health
Assessment gives them a clear picture of any key
concerns such as diabetes, heart health, cancer risks
and emotional wellbeing
Healthcare Cash Plan: Colleague C has peace of
mind knowing his routine health check-ups, such as
trips to the dentist, are reimbursed at no extra cost
allowing him to maintain his health without putting
his hand in his pocket.
Restaurant Discount Card: With discounted meals,
savings on days out, as well as trips to the cinema,
Colleague C uses the Restaurant Discount Card to
enjoy the finer things in life, for less.

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Need some help?

If you have any problems accessing the site, contact the Maximus Benefits Centre
helpdesk on 02382 020 088 between Monday and Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm,
excluding bank holidays.
New Starters
You can also raise a request online, by clicking the ‘Support’ button.
To reward colleagues for the work they do, our benefits are designed to add the most
value to your overall reward package.
How to access the Maximus Benefit Centre
Key dates
As a new starter you will not be able to access the Maximus Benefit Centre until you have
This year’s annual enrolment window: received your system generated welcome email which should arrive between 1 and 5
weeks from your start date.
• opens on 1 March 2023
• closes on 21 March 2023 Selecting your Benefits
Once you have received your welcome email you will have a three-week period to log
in to the Maximus Benefits Centre to review your core benefits and select any flexible
benefits you would like to have.
For any benefits selected to take affect you must remember to submit your shopping
basket once you have finished making your selections:
If you miss the ‘new colleague’ window, the next opportunity to shop for some of the
benefits will be at the next annual enrolment in March 2024 – so be sure not to miss out!
Health &
Financial savings Balanced lifestyle Benefit extras
wellbeing

Disclaimer
Whilst every effort is made to maintain the accuracy of this brochure, it is only intended to
act as a guide to the scheme. In the event that there is inconsistency between the brochure
and the provider’s terms and conditions, the provider’s terms and conditions will prevail.
This guide is not contractual. Once accepted into Maximus Benefits Centre, you will be
subject to the rules of the scheme and the provider’s conditions and requirements for
provision of each benefit. No information in this brochure should be taken as a personal
recommendation or advice on the part of Maximus or any of its suppliers or partners.

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