
Categorised in: News
It’s been 2 months since the last staging date deadline for auto enrolment and by now all businesses should be compliant to auto enrolment legislation. But auto enrolment is an ongoing process and there are still many doubts and myths around. Here are a few of the most pressing myths about it debunked:
Truth: Workers will only be eligible for auto-enrolment if they fulfil the following criteria:
Meeting these criteria means a worker is classed as an ‘eligible jobholder’ and will be automatically enrolled into their work pension scheme.
But even ‘eligible jobholder’ are able to opt out of their workplace pension scheme by expressing that wish to their employer. If they opt out within the first month of auto-enrolment, they will receive a full refund for any contributions made. After the first month, they can still opt out, but won’t receive any refunds.
If a worker is not within the age bracket but meets the other two criteria, they won’t be automatic enrolled to the workplace pension scheme, but they can request to be enrolled and their employer must enrol them and make contributions to their pension fund.
Truth: Within five months after staging date, employer must file a Declaration of Compliance, which is crucial to comply with the law. But that is not all.
Auto-enrolment is an ongoing process – employers must continually assess workers to make sure they enrol anyone who becomes eligible into a pension scheme. Employers also need to re-enrol any employee who might have opted out every three years. And for each of this tasks, appropriate communications must be sent.
For example: One of your employees earns £14,000 a year and during the last pay period they have turned 22. They will now be an eligible worker and should be automatically enrolled onto a pension scheme and sent the relevant communications.
A survey by CEBRA estimated that managing the requirements of automatic enrolment can take up to 3.5 days per month of administration time.
Truth: First of all, your existing pension scheme must meet certain criteria established by the auto enrolment legislation. You will need to check that with your provider.
Even if your existing scheme is a qualifying one, you still have to assess your workforce and auto enrol any employees who are not currently members of the existing pension scheme, ensure all contributions from previous and new members meet the minimum levels set by the government and declare compliance within five months of your staging date.
You will also have to write your employees letting them know how auto-enrolment will impact on them.
Truth: Employees can opt out if they do not wish to contribute to a workplace pension scheme, however, employers must reassess their situation every three years and if they fall into the ‘eligible jobholder’ category they must be enrolled again.
Truth: Employers can be subject to penalties if The Pensions Regulator understands they are doing any of the following:
We are using cookies to provide statistics that help us give you the best experience of our site. you can find out more or switch them off if you prefer. However, by continuing to use the site without changing settings, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.
ACCEPT