{"id":1087,"date":"2015-02-09T11:15:17","date_gmt":"2015-02-09T11:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jsrcharteredaccountants.com\/?p=1087"},"modified":"2015-02-09T12:04:18","modified_gmt":"2015-02-09T12:04:18","slug":"automatic-enrolment-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jsrcharteredaccountants.com\/automatic-enrolment-mean","title":{"rendered":"Automatic enrolment. What does it mean for you?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Under new law introduced in 2012, all employers must offer a workplace pension scheme and automatically enrol eligible workers in it. This requirement has applied to larger employers since October 2012 and by 2018 will apply to all employers.<\/strong><\/p>\n By 2018 all employers will have automatically enrolled their eligible workers into a workplace pension scheme unless the worker opts out. As a result, many more people will be able to build up savings to help cover their retirement needs.<\/p>\n Whether you work full time or part time, your employer will have to enrol you in a workplace pension scheme if you:<\/p>\n As long as you meet these criteria you\u2019ll also be covered if you\u2019re on a short-term contract, or an agency pays your wages, or you\u2019re away on maternity, adoption or carers\u2019 leave.<\/p>\n You can opt out of your employer\u2019s workplace pension scheme after you\u2019ve been enrolled. But if you do, you\u2019ll lose out on your employer\u2019s contribution to your pension, as well as the government\u2019s contribution in the form of tax relief.<\/p>\n If you decide to opt out, ask the people who run your employer\u2019s workplace pension scheme for an opt-out form. You must then return your completed form to your employer, not to the people who run the scheme.<\/p>\n If you decide to opt out within a month of being enrolled, any payments you\u2019ve made into your pension pot during this time will be refunded to you.<\/p>\n After the first month, you can still opt out at any time, but any payments you\u2019ve made will stay in your pension pot for retirement rather than be refunded.<\/p>\n You can re-join your employer\u2019s workplace pension scheme at a later date if you want to. And your employer must by law re-enrol you back into the scheme approximately every three years, as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria.<\/p>\n There is a minimum total amount that has to be contributed by you, your employer, and the government in the form of tax relief. This total minimum contribution is currently set at 2% of your earnings (0.8% from you, 1% from your employer, and 0.2% as tax relief). In 2017 and 2018, the percentage of your earnings that it is based on will increase.<\/p>\n The minimum contribution applies to anything you earn over \u00a35,772 (in the tax year 2014-15) up to a limit of \u00a341,865. This includes overtime and bonus payments. So if you were earning \u00a318,000 a year, your contribution would be a percentage of \u00a312,228 (the difference between \u00a35,772 and \u00a318,000).<\/p>\n Your employer will let you know how much of your earnings you\u2019ll need to contribute. They may tell you this as a sum of money or as a percentage.<\/p>\n The total minimum contribution is currently set at 2% of your earnings (0.8% from you, 1% from your employer, and 0.2% as tax relief). From October 2017, it will increase as follows:<\/p>\n October 2017 to September 2018:<\/strong> 5% of your earnings (2.4% from you, 2% from your employer, and 0.6% as tax relief)<\/p>\n From October 2018 onwards:<\/strong> 8% of your earnings (4% from you, 3% from your employer, and 1% as tax relief)<\/p>\n <\/p>\nWho will be automatically enrolled?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Do I have any choice about being enrolled?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How much will I have to contribute?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Increases in the minimum contribution<\/strong><\/h3>\n