The Pensions Act 2008 set out that every employer in the UK must put certain staff into a workplace pension scheme and contribute towards it.  This is called ‘automatic enrolment’.  If you employ at least one person you are an employer and you have certain legal duties.

The aim of a workplace pension is a way of saving for retirement that’s arranged by the employer.  Some workplace pensions are called ‘occupational’, ‘works’, ‘company’ or ‘work-based’ pensions.

The Pensions Regulator acknowledges that Auto Enrolment represents a massive cultural change in the UK, with the aim of improving the standard of living of all those in retirement.  This is a long-term ambition in which providing a pension for employees has simply become a part of being an employer in the UK.

As an employer, on your duties start date, you will need to automatically enrol your employees into a pension if they are:

• Aged at least 22 but are under State Pension Age
• Earning more than £10,000 a year (£833 a month or £192 a week)
• Not already an active member of a qualifying workplace pension scheme
• Working, or usually working, in the UK.

If employees do not meet these criteria on your duties start date, but they do in the future, you will need to automatically enrol them at that point.