UK

Auto-enrolment, in plain English.

Workzoom defines Auto-enrolment as follows. Auto-enrolment is the UK statutory requirement that employers automatically enrol eligible workers in a qualifying workplace pension scheme and contribute on their behalf. Minimum...

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The short answer

Auto-enrolment is the UK statutory requirement that employers automatically enrol eligible workers in a qualifying workplace pension scheme and contribute on their behalf. Minimum employer contribution is currently 3 percent; minimum employee contribution is 5 percent. Workzoom UK Payroll is on the roadmap; eligibility assessment, enrolment, opt-out tracking, and contribution remittance are planned at launch.

How Auto-enrolment works.

Auto-enrolment is the UK duty to enrol eligible workers into a qualifying pension scheme and contribute, unless the worker opts out. Eligibility is assessed every pay period against age and earnings thresholds, so a worker can move in and out of scope as hours change. Opt-outs inside the statutory window require contributions be refunded, and the duty to re-enrol recurs roughly every three years.

Where Auto-enrolment goes wrong.

  • Assessing eligibility once at hire rather than every pay period, missing workers whose earnings later rise.
  • Inducing, or appearing to induce, opt-out, which is prohibited.
  • Missing the cyclical re-enrolment date, which restarts the duty for previously opted-out workers.

Where Auto-enrolment sits between HR and payroll.

Auto-enrolment does not stand alone. The concepts most often paired with it on a UK run are HMRC PAYE. Each is defined elsewhere in this glossary so you can trace the full chain without leaving the site.

Related terms

Questions about Auto-enrolment

Auto-enrolment is the UK statutory requirement that employers automatically enrol eligible workers in a qualifying workplace pension scheme and contribute on their behalf. Minimum employer contribution is currently 3 percent; minimum employee contribution is 5 percent. Workzoom UK Payroll is on the roadmap; eligibility assessment, enrolment, opt-out tracking, and contribution remittance are planned at launch.
Auto-enrolment is the UK duty to enrol eligible workers into a qualifying pension scheme and contribute, unless the worker opts out. Eligibility is assessed every pay period against age and earnings thresholds, so a worker can move in and out of scope as hours change. Opt-outs inside the statutory window require contributions be refunded, and the duty to re-enrol recurs roughly every three years.
Assessing eligibility once at hire rather than every pay period, missing workers whose earnings later rise.

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