Automatic enrolment for pensions

Newsletter issue - May 2017.

To encourage workers to start building up retirement benefits, the Pensions Act 2008 introduced certain reforms requiring all employers to offer workplace pension schemes and to enrol eligible workers into their schemes. These reforms are commonly known as the 'automatic enrolment' provisions. Automatic enrolment is currently being phased in, starting with the largest UK employers - eligible employees should have been enrolled by 1 February 2018 at the latest. By October 2018, all existing employers will be required to offer workplace pensions to eligible workers.

Broadly, 'eligible workers' are workers who:

The minimum total contributions under automatic enrolment have been set down by the government and are set to increase between now and April 2019. Employers must pay some of the minimum total contribution, but where the employer does not pay the whole of the minimum total contribution, the employee will need to make up some of the difference. Tax relief will be due on contributions, and even those who do not earn enough to pay income tax will generally be able to obtain tax relief on their contributions when they are added to the scheme pension pot.

The minimum total contribution to the scheme is usually based on 'qualifying earnings'. This is broadly calculated as earnings from employment (which can include wages, salary, commission and bonuses), before income tax and National Insurance contributions is deducted, that fall between the lower and upper earnings limits that have been set by the government (currently £5,876 and £45,000 respectively for 2017/18).

If the employer decides to pay only the minimum amount, the minimum total contribution, as a percentage of qualifying earnings is worked out as follows:

The employer may choose to base contributions on the employee's 'pensionable pay', rather than 'qualifying earnings'. This is most likely to be the case where the employer provided a workplace pension scheme before the introduction of automatic enrolment. 'Pensionable pay' will be defined by the rules of the pension scheme. Typically, pensionable pay is basic salary, not including, elements of earnings such as commission, bonuses and overtime.

Example

John's employer offers a workplace pension scheme under the automatic enrolment provisions and agrees to pay in the minimum total contributions required. John's current annual salary is £25,000 per annum (2017/18). His qualifying earnings are therefore £25,000 - £5,876 = £19,124 per year.

Practical Tip

The Pensions Regulator website provides further guidance on automatic enrolment and includes a staging date calculator, which can be used by employers to check their staging date.

Get a fixed quote

Fixed prices for agreed services

FAIR FEE POLICY. We believe you should always be in control of your fees with no surprises. You are entitled to a competitive fixed quote for agreed services, which is exactly what we charge, not a penny more. Most clients choose this option although if you prefer to pay an hourly rate we can arrange that too.

To receive a fixed quote for your specific circumstances either arrange a Free No Obligation Consultation or submit the form below. The form is designed for most of the routine accountancy services. If you require something more specialist, please contact us directly. If necessary we will contact you for further information.

If you are a new start up business, please use estimates. Full quotes are provided within 2 working days.

FIXED QUOTE REQUEST FORM »

Make more, keep more, work less

Get the right advice and take action

MAKE MORE

Have clear goals including long, medium and short term for what you want to achieve and develop a roadmap to get you there... read more »


KEEP MORE

Use our Tax Planning Service to ensure you don’t pay a penny more in tax than is necessary... read more »


WORK LESS

Work ON your business and not IN your business - work ON your systems so the systems run the business and your people run the systems, leaving you free to have more holidays... read more »

Start Up

Are you looking to start a new business?

Choose your business size to see how we can help you

Small

Key points for our small business clients to know

Choose your business size to see how we can help you

Medium

Help and assistance for medium sized businesses

Choose your business size to see how we can help you

Large

See our extensive range of services for your needs

Choose your business size to see how we can help you