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Pensions and other post-retirement benefits
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Employee Benefits [Abstract]  
Pensions and other post-retirement benefits Pensions and other post-retirement benefits
Most group companies have pension plans, the forms and benefits of which vary with conditions and practices in the countries concerned. Pension benefits may be provided through defined contribution plans (money purchase schemes) or defined benefit plans (final salary and other types of schemes with committed pension benefit payments). For defined contribution plans, retirement benefits are determined by the value of funds arising from contributions paid in respect of each employee. For defined benefit plans, retirement benefits are based on such factors as an employee’s pensionable salary and length of service. Defined benefit plans may be funded or unfunded. The assets of funded plans are generally held in separately administered trusts.
For information on significant estimates and judgements made in relation to accounting for these plans see Pensions and other post-retirement benefits in Note 1.
The pension obligation in the UK consists primarily of a funded final salary pension plan under which retired employees draw the majority of their benefit as an annuity. This pension plan is governed by a corporate trustee whose board is composed of four member-nominated directors, four company-nominated directors, one independent director and one independent chairman nominated by the company. The trustee board is required by law to act in the best interests of the plan participants and is responsible for setting certain policies, such as investment policies of the plan. This plan was closed to new joiners in 2010 and was closed to future accrual on 30 June 2021 resulting in a curtailment gain of $0.3 billion being recognized in
23. Pensions and other post-retirement benefits – continued
the income statement during the year. For active members of the plan at 30 June 2021, benefit payables are now linked to salary as at that date, rather than salary on retirement. Employees in the UK are eligible for membership of a defined contribution plan.
In the US, all pension benefits now accrue under a cash balance formula. Benefits previously accrued under final salary formulas are legally protected. Retiring US employees typically take their pension benefit in the form of a lump sum payment upon retirement. The plan is funded and its assets are overseen by a fiduciary Investment Committee. During 2021 the committee was composed of seven bp employees appointed by the president of bp Corporation North America Inc. (the appointing officer). The Investment Committee is required by law to act in the best interests of the plan participants and is responsible for setting certain policies, such as the investment policies of the plan. US employees are also eligible to participate in a defined contribution (401k) plan in which employee contributions are matched with company contributions.
In the US, group companies also provide post-retirement healthcare to eligible retired employees and their dependants (and, in certain legacy cases, life insurance coverage); the entitlement to these benefits is based on the employee remaining in service until a specified age and completion of a minimum period of service.
In the Eurozone, there are defined benefit pension plans in Germany, France, the Netherlands and other countries. In Germany and France, the majority of the pensions are unfunded. In Germany, the group’s largest Eurozone plan, employees receive a pension and also have a choice to supplement their core pension through salary sacrifice. For employees who joined since 2002, the core pension benefit is a career average plan with retirement benefits based on such factors as an employee’s pensionable salary and length of service. The returns on the notional contributions made by both the company and employees are based on the interest rate which is set out in German tax law. Retired German employees take their pension benefit typically in the form of an annuity. The German plans are governed by legal agreements between bp and the works council or between bp and the trade union.
The level of contributions to funded defined benefit plans is the amount needed to provide adequate funds to meet pension obligations as they fall due. During 2021 the aggregate level of contributions was $274 million (2020 $325 million and 2019 $349 million). The aggregate level of contributions in 2022 is expected to be approximately $200 million, and includes contributions in all countries that we expect to be required to make contributions by law or under contractual agreements, as well as an allowance for discretionary funding.
For the primary UK plan there is a funding agreement between the group and the trustee. On a three year cycle a schedule of contributions is agreed covering the next five years. The schedule of contributions is next scheduled to be updated after the 31 December 2023 formal actuarial valuation. No contractually committed funding was due at 31 December 2021. The closure of the defined benefit plan to future accrual and the consequent lower service cost reduces the plan's expected future funding volatility.
The surplus relating to the primary UK pension plan is recognized on the balance sheet on the basis that the company is entitled to a refund of any remaining assets once all members have left the plan.
Minimum pension funding in the US is determined by legislation and is supplemented by discretionary contributions. No contributions were made into the primary US pension plan in 2021 and no statutory funding requirement is expected in the next 12 months.
The surplus relating to the primary US fund is recognized on the balance sheet on the basis that economic benefit can be gained from the surplus through a reduction in future contributions.
There was no minimum funding requirement for the US plan, and no significant minimum funding requirements in other countries at 31 December 2021.
The obligation and cost of providing pensions and other post-retirement benefits is assessed annually using the projected unit credit method. The date of the most recent actuarial review was 31 December 2021. The UK plans are subject to a formal actuarial valuation every three years; valuations are required more frequently in many other countries.The most recent formal actuarial valuation of the UK pension plans was as at 31 December 2020. A valuation of the US plan and largest Eurozone plans are carried out annually.
The material financial assumptions used to estimate the benefit obligations of the various plans are set out below. The assumptions are reviewed by management at the end of each year and are used to evaluate the accrued benefit obligation at 31 December and pension expense for the following year.
%
Financial assumptions used to determine benefit obligationa
UKUSEurozone
202120202019202120202019202120202019
Discount rate for plan liabilities1.8 1.4 2.1 2.7 2.2 3.1 1.3 1.0 1.3 
Rate of increase for pensions in payment
3.2 2.8 2.7  — — 1.4 1.3 1.5 
Rate of increase in deferred pensions3.2 2.8 2.7  — — 0.4 0.5 0.5 
Inflation for plan liabilities3.3 2.9 2.7 2.1 1.7 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.7 
         %
Financial assumptions used to determine benefit expenseUKUSEurozone
202120202019202120202019202120202019
Discount rate for plan service cost1.5 2.1 3.0 2.4 3.2 4.2 1.4 1.8 2.5 
Discount rate for plan other finance expenseb
1.7 2.1 2.9 2.2 3.1 4.1 1.0 1.3 2.0 
Inflation for plan service cost2.8 2.6 3.1 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.7 
a    Salary growth is no longer a material financial assumption for the Group following the closure of the primary pension plan to future accrual. The rate of increase in salaries for the UK was 3.6% and 3.4% in 2020 and 2019 respectively.
b The discount rate for plan other finance expense was 1.4% for the primary UK plan for the period before the plan closed to future accrual on 30th June 2021 and 1.9% thereafter.

The discount rate assumptions are based on third-party AA corporate bond indices and for our largest plans in the UK, US and the Eurozone we use yields that reflect the maturity profile of the expected benefit payments. The inflation rate assumptions for our UK and US plans are based on the difference between the yields on index-linked and fixed-interest long-term government bonds. In other countries, including the Eurozone, we use this approach, or advice from the local actuary depending on the information available. The inflation assumptions are used to determine the rate of increase for pensions in payment and the rate of increase in deferred pensions where there is such an increase.
23. Pensions and other post-retirement benefits – continued
In addition to the financial assumptions, we regularly review the demographic and mortality assumptions. The mortality assumptions reflect best practice in the countries in which we provide pensions and have been chosen with regard to applicable published tables adjusted where appropriate to reflect the experience of the group and an extrapolation of past longevity improvements into the future. bp’s most substantial pension liabilities are in the UK, the US and the Eurozone where our mortality assumptions are as follows:
Years
Mortality assumptionsUKUSEurozone
202120202019202120202019202120202019
Life expectancy at age 60 for a male currently aged 60
26.9 26.9 27.3 24.9 24.7 24.9 25.8 25.7 25.7 
Life expectancy at age 60 for a male currently aged 40
28.4 28.4 28.9 26.6 26.4 26.7 28.3 28.2 28.3 
Life expectancy at age 60 for a female currently aged 60
28.9 28.8 28.7 27.9 27.7 28.0 29.1 29.0 29.1 
Life expectancy at age 60 for a female currently aged 40
30.5 30.4 30.5 29.4 29.2 29.7 31.2 31.2 31.2 
Pension plan assets are generally held in trusts, the primary objective of which is to accumulate assets sufficient to meet the obligations of the plans. The assets of the trusts are invested in a manner consistent with fiduciary obligations and principles that reflect current practices in portfolio management.
A significant proportion of the assets are held in equities, which are expected to generate a higher level of return over the long term, with an acceptable level of risk. In order to provide reasonable assurance that no single security or type of security has an unwarranted impact on the total portfolio, the investment portfolios are highly diversified.
The trustee’s long-term investment objective for the primary UK plan as it matures is to invest in assets whose value changes in the same way as the plan liabilities, in order to reduce the level of funding risk. To move towards this objective, the UK plan uses a liability driven investment (LDI) approach for part of the portfolio, investing primarily in government bonds to achieve this matching effect for the most significant plan liability assumptions of interest rate and inflation rate. This is partly funded by short-term sale and repurchase agreements, whereby the plan borrows money using existing bonds as security and which will be bought back at a specified price at an agreed future date. The funds raised are used to invest in further bonds to increase the proportion of assets which match the plan liabilities. The borrowings are shown separately in the analysis of pension plan assets in the table below.
For the primary UK pension plan there is an agreement with the trustee to increase the proportion of assets with liability matching characteristics over time primarily by reducing the proportion of plan assets held as equities and increasing the proportion held as bonds. This agreement is not impacted by the closure of the plan to future accrual. There is a similar agreement in place for the primary US plan. During 2021, the UK and the US plans switched 5% and 13% of plan assets respectively from equities to bonds (2020 11% and nil% respectively).
The current asset allocation policy for the major plans at 31 December 2021 was as follows:
UKUS
Asset category%%
Total equity (including private equity)12 27 
Bonds/cash (including LDI)81 73 
Property/real estate7  
The amounts invested under the LDI programme by the primary UK pension plan as at 31 December 2021 were $7,399 million (2020 $4,217 million) of government-issued nominal bonds and $24,516 million (2020 $24,576 million) of index-linked bonds.
Some of the group’s pension plans in the Eurozone and other countries use derivative financial instruments as part of their asset mix to manage the level of risk. The fair value of these instruments is included in other assets in the table below.
The group’s main pension plans do not invest directly in either securities or property/real estate of the company or of any subsidiary.
The fair values of the various categories of assets held by the defined benefit plans at 31 December are presented in the table below, including the effects of derivative financial instruments. Movements in the fair value of plan assets during the year are shown in detail in the table on page 223.
23. Pensions and other post-retirement benefits – continued
$ million
 
UKa
USb
EurozoneOtherTotal
Fair value of pension plan assets
At 31 December 2021
Listed equities – developed markets
2,964 340 473 290 4,067 
   – emerging markets
252 45 67 76 440 
Private equityc
3,233 1,537  3 4,773 
Government issued nominal bondsd
7,491 2,606 974 432 11,503 
Government issued index-linked bondsd
24,516  100  24,616 
Corporate bondsd
10,128 2,475 689 498 13,790 
Propertye
2,714  110 22 2,846 
Cash1,136 116 54 69 1,375 
Other1,133 54 70 22 1,279 
Debt (repurchase agreements) used to fund liability driven investments
(10,723)   (10,723)
42,844 7,173 2,537 1,412 53,966 
At 31 December 2020
Listed equities – developed markets5,008 1,112 542 318 6,980 
   – emerging markets
418 115 68 70 671 
Private equityc
2,899 1,604 — 4,507 
Government issued nominal bondsd
4,303 1,839 1,111 616 7,869 
Government issued index-linked bondsd
24,576 — 107 — 24,683 
Corporate bondsd
8,906 2,398 587 279 12,170 
Propertye
2,553 — 110 28 2,691 
Cash1,392 267 51 163 1,873 
Other795 131 104 30 1,060 
Debt (repurchase agreements) used to fund liability driven investments
(9,387)— — — (9,387)
41,463 7,466 2,680 1,508 53,117 
At 31 December 2019
Listed equities – developed markets6,285 1,290 495 371 8,441 
   – emerging markets
1,096 124 61 64 1,345 
Private equityc
2,675 1,474 — 4,152 
Government issued nominal bondsd
4,884 2,100 959 572 8,515 
Government issued index-linked bondsd
19,462 — 100 — 19,562 
Corporate bondsd
6,132 2,304 569 256 9,261 
Propertye
2,507 — 96 27 2,630 
Cash426 289 33 93 841 
Other98 74 30 26 228 
Debt (repurchase agreements) used to fund liability driven investments(7,436)— — — (7,436)
36,129 7,655 2,343 1,412 47,539 
a    Bonds held by the UK pension plans are denominated in sterling. Property held by the UK pension plans is in the United Kingdom.
b    Bonds held by the US pension plans are denominated in US dollars.
c Private equity is valued at fair value based on the most recent transaction price or third-party net asset, revenue or earnings based valuations that generally result in the use of significant unobservable inputs.
d Bonds held by pension plans are valued using quoted prices in active markets.
e Properties are valued based on an analysis of recent market transactions supported by market knowledge derived from third-party professional valuers that generally result in the use of significant unobservable inputs.
23. Pensions and other post-retirement benefits – continued
$ million
2021
UKUSEurozoneOtherTotal
Analysis of the amount charged to profit or loss
Current service costa
154 246 105 31 536 
Past service costb
(302) (27)2 (327)
Settlementb
  (4)(1)(5)
Operating charge (credit) relating to defined benefit plans(148)246 74 32 204 
Payments to defined contribution plans76 136 7 36 255 
Total operating charge (credit) (72)382 81 68 459 
Interest income on plan assetsa
(684)(150)(30)(40)(904)
Interest on plan liabilities559 209 78 56 902 
Other finance (income) expense(125)59 48 16 (2)
Analysis of the amount recognized in other comprehensive income
Actual asset return less interest income on plan assets2,440 749 12 25 3,226 
Change in financial assumptions underlying the present value of the plan liabilities
(100)777 233 97 1,007 
Change in demographic assumptions underlying the present value of the plan liabilities
66 (41)(15)1 11 
Experience gains and losses arising on the plan liabilities7 173 (11)3 172 
Remeasurements recognized in other comprehensive income2,413 1,658 219 126 4,416 
Movements in benefit obligation during the year
Benefit obligation at 1 January34,171 10,187 8,161 1,895 54,414 
Exchange adjustments(255) (623)(51)(929)
Operating charge relating to defined benefit plans(148)246 74 32 204 
Interest cost559 209 78 56 902 
Contributions by plan participantsc
18  2 6 26 
Benefit payments (funded plans)d
(1,530)(1,192)(87)(164)(2,973)
Benefit payments (unfunded plans)d
(8)(268)(288)(21)(585)
Disposals  (2) (2)
Remeasurements27 (909)(207)(101)(1,190)
Benefit obligation at 31 Decembera e
32,834 8,273 7,108 1,652 49,867 
Movements in fair value of plan assets during the year
Fair value of plan assets at 1 January41,463 7,466 2,680 1,508 53,117 
Exchange adjustments(365) (214)(28)(607)
Interest income on plan assetsa f
684 150 30 40 904 
Contributions by plan participantsc
18  2 6 26 
Contributions by employers (funded plans)134  115 25 274 
Benefit payments (funded plans)d
(1,530)(1,192)(87)(164)(2,973)
Disposals  (1) (1)
Remeasurementsf
2,440 749 12 25 3,226 
Fair value of plan assets at 31 Decemberg
42,844 7,173 2,537 1,412 53,966 
Surplus (deficit) at 31 December10,010 (1,100)(4,571)(240)4,099 
Represented by
Asset recognized10,280 1,410 155 74 11,919 
Liability recognized(270)(2,510)(4,726)(314)(7,820)
10,010 (1,100)(4,571)(240)4,099 
The surplus (deficit) may be analysed between funded and unfunded plans as follows
Funded10,280 1,410 94 30 11,814 
Unfunded(270)(2,510)(4,665)(270)(7,715)
10,010 (1,100)(4,571)(240)4,099 
The defined benefit obligation may be analysed between funded and unfunded plans as follows
Funded(32,564)(5,763)(2,443)(1,382)(42,152)
Unfunded(270)(2,510)(4,665)(270)(7,715)
(32,834)(8,273)(7,108)(1,652)(49,867)
a    The costs of managing plan investments are offset against the investment return, the costs of administering pension plan benefits are generally included in current service cost and the costs of administering other post-retirement benefit plans are included in the benefit obligation.
b    The past service credit in the UK represents curtailment gains arising from the closure of the primary pension plan in the UK to future accrual. Past service credits and settlements in the Eurozone include $18 million of curtailments and settlements due to restructuring initiatives. Remaining past service cost and settlements represent charges for special termination benefits reflecting the increased liability arising as a result of early retirements.
c Most of the contributions made by plan participants into UK pension plans were made under salary sacrifice.
d The benefit payments amount shown above comprises $3,416 million benefits and $93 million settlements, plus $49 million of plan expenses incurred in the administration of the benefit.
e    The benefit obligation for the US is made up of $6,164 million for pension liabilities and $2,109 million for other post-retirement benefit liabilities (which are unfunded and are primarily retiree medical liabilities). The benefit obligation for the Eurozone includes $4,405 million for pension liabilities in Germany which is largely unfunded.
f The actual return on plan assets is made up of the sum of the interest income on plan assets and the remeasurement of plan assets as disclosed above.
g The fair value of plan assets includes borrowings related to the LDI programme as described on page 221.
23. Pensions and other post-retirement benefits – continued
$ million
2020
UKUSEurozoneOtherTotal
Analysis of the amount charged to profit or loss
Current service costa
250 292 103 38 683 
Past service costb
(48)(66)12 (20)(122)
Settlementb
— (23)10 (1)(14)
Operating charge relating to defined benefit plans202 203 125 17 547 
Payments to defined contribution plans49 183 38 272 
Total operating charge251 386 127 55 819 
Interest income on plan assetsa
(725)(210)(33)(40)(1,008)
Interest on plan liabilities596 289 97 59 1,041 
Other finance (income) expense(129)79 64 19 33 
Analysis of the amount recognized in other comprehensive income
Actual asset return less interest income on plan assets4,108 1,041 104 38 5,291 
Change in financial assumptions underlying the present value of the plan liabilities
(4,207)(1,178)(143)(42)(5,570)
Change in demographic assumptions underlying the present value of the plan liabilities
585 29 56 (4)666 
Experience gains and losses arising on the plan liabilities54 (101)(178)(217)
Remeasurements recognized in other comprehensive income540 (209)(161)— 170 
Movements in benefit obligation during the year
Benefit obligation at 1 January29,780 10,119 7,353 1,826 49,078 
Exchange adjustments1,303 — 720 64 2,087 
Operating charge relating to defined benefit plans202 203 125 17 547 
Interest cost596 289 97 59 1,041 
Contributions by plan participantsc
21 — 11 34 
Benefit payments (funded plans)d
(1,291)(1,441)(81)(86)(2,899)
Benefit payments (unfunded plans)d
(8)(197)(265)(34)(504)
Reclassified as assets held for sale— (1)(55)— (56)
Disposals— (35)— — (35)
Remeasurements3,568 1,250 265 38 5,121 
Benefit obligation at 31 Decembera e
34,171 10,187 8,161 1,895 54,414 
Movements in fair value of plan assets during the year
Fair value of plan assets at 1 January36,129 7,655 2,343 1,412 47,539 
Exchange adjustments1,582 — 235 64 1,881 
Interest income on plan assetsa f
725 210 33 40 1,008 
Contributions by plan participantsc
21 — 11 34 
Contributions by employers (funded plans)189 99 29 325 
Benefit payments (funded plans)d
(1,291)(1,441)(81)(86)(2,899)
Reclassified as assets held for sale— (7)(55)— (62)
Remeasurementsf
4,108 1,041 104 38 5,291 
Fair value of plan assets at 31 Decemberg
41,463 7,466 2,680 1,508 53,117 
Surplus (deficit) at 31 December7,292 (2,721)(5,481)(387)(1,297)
Represented by
Asset recognized7,567 269 59 62 7,957 
Liability recognized(275)(2,990)(5,540)(449)(9,254)
7,292 (2,721)(5,481)(387)(1,297)
The surplus (deficit) may be analysed between funded and unfunded plans as follows
Funded7,564 269 (109)(58)7,666 
Unfunded(272)(2,990)(5,372)(329)(8,963)
7,292 (2,721)(5,481)(387)(1,297)
The defined benefit obligation may be analysed between funded and unfunded plans as follows
Funded(33,899)(7,197)(2,789)(1,566)(45,451)
Unfunded(272)(2,990)(5,372)(329)(8,963)
(34,171)(10,187)(8,161)(1,895)(54,414)
a    The costs of managing plan investments are offset against the investment return, the costs of administering pension plan benefits are generally included in current service cost and the costs of administering other post-retirement benefit plans are included in the benefit obligation.
b    Past service credits represent curtailment gains arising from restructuring programmes in the UK, US and other countries, whilst past service costs and settlements in the Eurozone represent charges for special termination benefits reflecting the increased liability arising as a result of early retirements. Settlement costs in the US resulted from a pension risk transfer to an external carrier for a group of small benefit retirees.
c    Most of the contributions made by plan participants into UK pension plans were made under salary sacrifice.
d    The benefit payments amount shown above comprises $2,935 million benefits and $428 million settlements, plus $40 million of plan expenses incurred in the administration of the benefit.
e    The benefit obligation for the US is made up of $7,728 million for pension liabilities and $2,459 million for other post-retirement benefit liabilities (which are unfunded and are primarily retiree medical liabilities). The benefit obligation for the Eurozone includes $5,060 million for pension liabilities in Germany which is largely unfunded.
f    The actual return on plan assets is made up of the sum of the interest income on plan assets and the remeasurement of plan assets as disclosed above.
g    The fair value of plan assets includes borrowings related to the LDI programme as described on page 221.
23. Pensions and other post-retirement benefits – continued
$ million
 2019
 UKUSEurozoneOtherTotal
Analysis of the amount charged to profit or loss
Current service costa
227 263 81 38 609 
Past service costb
— (1)
Settlement— (13)— (5)
Operating charge relating to defined benefit plans229 250 94 37 610 
Payments to defined contribution plans42 188 38 275 
Total operating charge271 438 101 75 885 
Interest income on plan assetsa
(909)(285)(43)(46)(1,283)
Interest on plan liabilities757 387 133 69 1,346 
Other finance (income) expense(152)102 90 23 63 
Analysis of the amount recognized in other comprehensive income
Actual asset return less interest income on plan assets2,945 1,079 220 97 4,341 
Change in financial assumptions underlying the present value of the plan liabilities
(2,294)(1,036)(748)(92)(4,170)
Change in demographic assumptions underlying the present value of the plan liabilities
136 91 (4)226 
Experience gains and losses arising on the plan liabilities(57)(22)(69)
Remeasurements recognized in other comprehensive income730 112 (519)328 
a The costs of managing plan investments are offset against the investment return, the costs of administering pension plan benefits are generally included in current service cost and the costs of administering other post-retirement benefit plans are included in the benefit obligation.
b Past service costs and settlements have arisen from restructuring programmes and represent charges for special termination benefits reflecting the increased liability arising as a result of early retirements. Settlements in the US are the result of a buy-out transaction for the pensions of a group of low value annuitants.
Sensitivity analysis
The discount rate, inflation and the mortality assumptions all have a significant effect on the amounts reported. A one-percentage point change, in isolation, in certain assumptions as at 31 December 2021 for the group’s pensions and other post-retirement benefit expense would have had the effects shown in the tables below. The effects shown for the expense in 2022 comprise the total of current service cost and net finance income or expense.
$ million
 One percentage point
UKUSEurozone
 IncreaseDecreaseIncreaseDecreaseIncreaseDecrease
Discount ratea
Effect on expense in 2022(248)159 (57)50 (3)(6)
Effect on obligation at 31 December 2021(5,143)6,788 (951)1,171 (980)1,238 
Inflation rateb
Effect on expense in 202274 (71)10 (8)32 (26)
Effect on obligation at 31 December 20214,062 (3,912)60 (51)880 (748)
a    The amounts presented reflect that the discount rate is used to determine the asset interest income as well as the interest cost on the obligation.
b    The amounts presented reflect the total impact of an inflation rate change on the assumptions for rate of increase in salaries, pensions in payment and deferred pensions.
$ million
 One year increase
UKUSEurozone
Longevity
Effect on expense in 202225 4 7 
Effect on obligation at 31 December 20211,402 119 291 
Estimated future benefit payments and the weighted average duration of defined benefit obligations
The expected benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, but exclude plan expenses, up until 2031 and the weighted average duration of the defined benefit obligations at 31 December 2021 are as follows:
$ million
Estimated future benefit paymentsUKUSEurozoneOtherTotal
20221,100 683 328 97 2,208 
20231,141 546 319 91 2,097 
20241,163 529 312 92 2,096 
20251,164 527 312 92 2,095 
20261,185 523 299 93 2,100 
2027-20316,184 2,501 1,397 476 10,558 
 Years
Weighted average duration17.912.715.912.5
Employee costs and numbers
$ million
Employee costs202120202019
Wages and salariesa
6,934 7,600 7,497 
Social security costs733 729 733 
Share-based paymentsb
733 728 694 
Pension and other post-retirement benefit costs457 852 948 
8,857 9,909 9,872 

202120202019
Average number of employeesc d
USNon-USTotalUSNon-USTotalUSNon-USTotal
gas & low carbon energy400 3,400 3,800 
oil production & operations3,100 6,000 9,100 
customers & productse
6,200 35,800 42,000 
other businesses and corporatef
1,400 7,700 9,100 
11,100 52,900 64,000 12,400 55,700 68,100 13,600 58,900 72,500 
a Includes termination costs of $74 million (2020 $1,237 million and 2019 $182 million).
b The group provides certain employees with shares and share options as part of their remuneration packages. The majority of these share-based payment arrangements are equity-settled.
c Reported to the nearest 100.
d Information for 2021 has been presented to reflect the changes in reportable segments. For more information see Note 1 Significant accounting policies, judgements, estimates and assumptions - Change in segmentation. Comparative data for these new reportable segments for 2020 and 2019 is not available.
e Includes 21,300 (2020 19,100 and 2019 18,100) service station staff.
f Includes 0 (2020 0 and 2019 2,500) agricultural, operational and seasonal workers in Brazil.

The reduction in the average number of employees in 2021 compared to 2020 is principally a result of the reinvent bp programme.