How will the delay of Auto-enrolment affect my company?

This depends upon the size of your firm.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that firms with fewer than 30 employees will now have until 1 April 2017 to complete their auto-enrolment pension process for staff, instead of 1 April 2015.

Firms with 30 to 49 staff will need to enrol between 1 August 2015 and 1 October 2015, while those with 50 to 249 staff must now implement the scheme between 1 April 2014 and 1 April 2015.
Larger firms with 250 or more staff will not face any change in date and must begin enrolment this October and complete by 1 February 2014.

Why has the DWP delayed the start of Auto-Enrolment?

Minister for Pensions, Steve Webb, said that the revised timetable would make it easier for small businesses to comply with the changes.

“We have done all we can to ease any burden on business the reforms will bring and employers of all sizes now know the date they need to start enrolling their staff,” he said. Chief Pension policy adviser at the Institute of Directors, Malcolm Small, called the Government’s decision “sensible”. “These regulations are onerous, complex and difficult for many firms to get to grips with,” he said.

DWP - New timetable for Automatic Enrolment starting dates

If you would like to discuss Auto Enrolment further and how it will affect your firm, please feel free to contact Ward Williams Financial Services Ltd (Cliff Pocock) on 01932 830664 or email cliff@wardwilliams.co.uk