Hold at Satan
Until very recently the contribution rate was always greater than the actual rate. That was because Actuaries always used pessimistic assumptions and real life was never worse case. As a result time after time the fund was in surplus. The current problem arises because after years and years of that being the case real life has changed and suddenly those assumptions aren't pessimistic they are optimistic. The Actuaries don't have rose tinted specs they tend to have a gloomy outlook so they've gone out and got new pessimistic assumptions. Unfortunately those new assumptions greatly increase the cost of any defined benefit scheme and that's why generally the UK can't afford defined benefit schemes any more.