Auto-enrolment Update

You will now be aware that the law on workplace pensions has changed. Every employer in the UK with at least one member of staff now has a duty to ensure employees meeting a certain criteria are enrolled into a workplace pension scheme. In addition both employers and employees are obligated to make contributions into the pension scheme.

Auto-enrolment has been rolling out across the UK since 2012 and millions of employees are now up and running in a pension scheme. Between now and May 2017 the focus will be on businesses with a number of employees between 1 and 50, with each individual business having a unique ‘staging date’ depending on the number of people employed.

Developing and implementing a plan for Auto-enrolment can take between 6 - 18 months to complete effectively, so if you do not already have provisions in place, the Team at Tamar HR will be happy to provide you with the details of how you can comply with the new legislation. It’s also worth mentioning that auto-enrolment is not optional for employers and there is a legal requirement to comply, so don’t get caught out by leaving it too late. There is plenty of help available out there and we would be happy to point you in the right direction.

Staging Date

In case you are unaware of your ‘staging date’, the information below will help you to find this out. The best way to think of a ‘staging date’ is the date at which the law will apply to your business.

To find your staging date, simply visit the Pension Regulator website at www.thepensionregulator.gov.uk and click on the ‘Find out your staging date’ section. You will be presented with a box like the one pictured below and all you need to do is enter your PAYE reference to be provided with your specific date.

Once you know your staging date you can begin to think about your preparations for auto-enrolment and how to comply with your duties as an employer.

If you would like to know more about auto enrolment please don’t hesitate to contact one of the team here at Tamar HR.