Defined benefit schemes provide members with retirement and death benefits based on formulae set out in the rules of the scheme. Benefits are often based on a member’s salary close to retirement (or earlier if leaving service) and on their completed pensionable service. For this reason, these schemes are sometimes known as ‘final salary’ schemes. However, defined benefit schemes may also be ‘career average’ schemes in which the pension calculation is typically based on the member’s average earnings while a member of the scheme.