Figures from The Pensions Regulator (TPR) show 469 auto-enrolment compliance notices were issued to employers between July and September 2015.
A compliance notice is issued under section 35 of the Pensions Act 2008 to remedy a contravention of one or more auto-enrolment employer duty provision.
The latest number is almost quadruple that for the previous quarter. In addition, during the last quarter TPR issued 85 unpaid contributions notices, 107 fixed penalty notices of £400, and two escalating penalty notices carrying a daily fine of between £50 and £10,000 – bringing the total of escalating penalty notices issued to seven.
Petaurum Solutions’ Comment
The rate of increase in auto-enrolment non-compliance is a concern, especially as the trend has continued and increased since our reports on this in February and June earlier this year. TPR is clearly continuing to take a hard line with employers who fail to complete all the technicalities of auto-enrolment on time, which highlights the need for SMEs to face this challenge early and get the right support to comply fully, especially if they are already behind the ideal timetable.”
Complying with complex Auto Enrolment obligations can be a daunting prospect for many small and micro-sized business. Choosing a cost effective, long-term implementation solution is critical for these businesses to ensure they do not become swamped with the processing requirements and responsibilities that Auto Enrolment can bring. Therefore, for businesses considering their solution, focus should not only be on the pension scheme, but also on how it will be administered, methods to communicate, impacts on systems and data collection processes along with any HR and Legal changes may you need to make.
Our schemes Defaqto 5* quality Carey Master Trust Pension Scheme, comes with best in class assessment and communication software and is part of our SME specific, competitively priced end-to-end solution that will take care of the above, leaving you free to manage your business safe in the knowledge that your Auto Enrolment obligations are in professional hands. Want to know more? Then feel free to download our info pack here, or contact us to secure your PAE future.
This information is intended as a general overview and discussion of the subjects dealt with. The information provided here was accurate as of the day it was posted; however, the law may have changed since that date. This information is not intended to be, and should not be used as, a substitute for taking legal, HR or benefits advice in any specific situation. Petaurum Solutions is not responsible for any actions taken or not taken on the basis of this information. Please refer to the full terms and conditions on our website.