Business growth

Pension auto-enrolment compliance
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Ensuring pension auto-enrolment compliance: staying ahead of the curve

Ensuring pension auto-enrolment compliance: staying ahead of the curve 1280 720 Growth Partners

As a responsible employer in the UK, it’s crucial to comply with the pension auto-enrolment regulations. Whether you are a start-up or a well-established firm, staying up-to-date with the compliance legislation can be quite challenging, but failing to comply with the legal requirements can result in hefty fines and have damaging reputational consequences.

What is pension auto-enrolment compliance?

Pension auto-enrolment compliance is a legal requirement for employers in the UK to automatically enrol ‘eligible’ employees into a workplace pension scheme. The system was introduced in 2012 to address the growing problem of pension provision and encourage more workers to save for their retirement.

Under the scheme, employers are required to automatically enrol ‘eligible’ employees into a pension scheme, make a minimum contribution, and provide employees with information about the scheme and their rights. Employees do have the opportunity to opt out of the pension scheme if they wish.

The scheme aims to ensure that employees have the opportunity to save for their retirement in a workplace pension scheme, which can contribute to their financial security in later life.

 

Who needs to comply with pension auto-enrolment?

Employers of all sizes in the UK must comply with auto-enrolment regulations. This includes businesses, charities, and not-for-profit organisations. Additionally, even if you employ just one person, you are still required to comply.

Not all employees are classed as ‘eligible’ for auto-enrolment. To be automatically enrolled, an employee must meet the following criteria:

  • Be at least 22 years old but below the state pension age,
  • Work in the UK,
  • Earn a minimum of £10,000 per year.

Employers must provide a workplace pension scheme for eligible employees and make contributions to their pension. However, employees have the option to opt out of the pension scheme if they wish.

 

List of key duties employers must fulfil for pension auto-enrolment compliance

Employers have a legal obligation to enrol eligible employees into a pension scheme and make contributions on their behalf. Non-compliant businesses may receive harsh penalties, so it’s essential to ensure compliance with pension auto-enrolment regulations.

1. Assess your workforce

Assess your workforce and determine which employees are eligible for auto-enrolment. Remember to monitor any new employees who become eligible for auto-enrolment as per the legislation.

2. Choose a pension scheme

Select a pension scheme that meets the minimum requirements for auto-enrolment. Evaluate the different options available in the market and choose one that’s suitable for your business and employees.

3. Communicate with your employees

Inform your employees about auto-enrolment, including who is eligible, how it works, and the benefits of being enrolled.

4. Set up payroll processes

  • Make sure your payroll process includes auto-enrolment.
  • Ensure that eligible employees are enrolled and contributions are made on their behalf.

5. Keep records

  • Maintain records to demonstrate that you’re complying with auto-enrolment legislation.
  • Keep records of contributions, opt-ins, opt-outs, and all communications with your employees.
  • Submit your Declaration of Compliance to The Pensions Regulator.
  • Carry out your ‘re-enrolment duties’ every three years. 

By following this checklist, you can ensure that your business meets pension auto-enrolment regulations.  

Each of these duties is critical for ensuring that your business fully complies with pension auto-enrolment regulations. Failure to fulfil any of these duties can result in costly consequences, such as:

  • Fines from The Pensions Regulator can range from £50 per day to £10,000 per day depending on the size of your business and the level of non-compliance.
  • Lawsuits from employees who were not enrolled in a qualifying pension scheme could result in significant payouts for your business.
  • Damage to your business’ reputation, as failure to comply with pension auto-enrolment may be viewed as a breach of trust with your employees.

Common auto-enrolment problems faced by employers:

Employers often face several common problems when implementing the scheme, including.

  • Difficulty in selecting a qualifying pension scheme.
  • Ensuring all eligible staff are enrolled in the scheme.
  • Calculating and processing contributions accurately and on time.
  • Managing opt-outs and opt-ins properly.
  • Keeping accurate records for reporting and compliance purposes.

If as an employer you fail to address these issues, you may face penalties for non-compliance.

 

Why pension auto-enrolment compliance should be a priority for your business in the UK

Pension auto-enrolment compliance is a legal obligation that applies to all businesses operating in the UK. Failure to comply with the regulations could lead to financial penalties and reputational damage for your business. Therefore, businesses must take pension auto-enrolment compliance seriously and ensure they fulfil their duties as employers. This will not only ensure compliance with the law but also provide employees with a valuable benefit for their future.

 

How we can help keep you compliant:

As you can see, ensuring auto-enrolment compliance is not a one-off task and does require allocating suitable and competent resources to ensure compliance with employer duties. 

All our clients benefit from our fully comprehensive and compliant pension solution. This includes:

  • Auto-enrolment processing and administration – you never have to worry about managing your employees’ pensions again.
  • We take on full responsibility for ensuring compliance with your auto-enrolment employer duties.
  • Your employees can speak to our in-house friendly experts to get one-to-one support and guidance on their workplace pensions. 
  • Online trackable pension pot for full visibility of the pension scheme. 

We will help you stay on top of your auto-enrolment employer duties and compliance, as well as help your employees engage with their pensions. Book a demo of our services or contact us to find out more.


Amrik Birdi, Pension Consultant and Head of Operations at Growth Partners

blankAmrik has a wealth of knowledge in pensions having joined Growth Partners from KPMG where he was responsible for advising companies and trustees on independent DC provider procurement exercises, DC investment strategy review, DC pensions strategy review, automatic enrolment compliance, and meeting ongoing governance requirements. Amrik spent three years before this as a Pensions Guidance Specialist at Pensions Wise helping members understand their pension and retirement options, empowering them to take control of their retirement journey. With a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and Certificate in DC Governance, combined with a Degree in Economics, Amrik is a fully qualified pensions consultant and able to offer strategic support to our clients on their options for workplace pension schemes and auto-enrolment.

Menopausal women are now the fastest-growing demographic in the workplace.
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Menopausal women are now the fastest-growing demographic in the workplace

Menopausal women are now the fastest-growing demographic in the workplace 1920 1280 Growth Partners

Effective employee wellbeing is an essential component of a thriving business. So when it comes to choosing between the vast range of services available, it can make business sense to opt for services with the potential to make the biggest impact on as many employees as possible. However menopausal women are the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce, yet only 18% of businesses offer menopause support services. 

A survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development revealed 47% of women who need to take a day off work due to menopause symptoms don’t tell their employer the real reason for their absence. And 45% of women report that menopausal symptoms have had a negative impact on their work. This calls for an urgent need for more support for both those employees experiencing menopause but also for managers and co-workers too. 

When we consider that menopausal women are at significantly higher risk of leaving their job due to the impact symptoms may have on their work, the argument for menopausal support services in the workplace becomes even more pressing. The average cost to replace an employee is currently 3.5% of their annual salary – a significant financial impact on the bottom line. This cost of course is made up of recruitment charges but also the often-overlooked financial impact of other employees picking up the slack leading to burnout and further increased absence rates. The first 6 to 12 months of employment are the costliest depending on the role – new employees are unable to perform tasks at the required level until they’re fully up to speed, they need training and significant time investment from colleagues and managers to get them there. In most cases (not just those relating to menopausal workers) productivity drops from the moment an employee decides they want to leave 

All this is not to say that despite the lack of specific menopause support services in the workplace, employers are already providing more support services tailored to their workforce. A study by CBI Economics suggests 70% of businesses that can, now give employees more flexibility to work in a way that supports health and wellbeing since the pandemic. 

Things employers might want to consider offering employees affected by menopause:

  • Flexible working to support varied working patterns 
  • Confidential professional counselling services 
  • Option to take more regular breaks
  • Training for managers to better understand the menopause 
  • Providing a supportive work environment that prioritises employee wellbeing
  • Signposting to reputable local and national support services
  • Talking openly and normalising life challenges – removing the stigma and taboo around health-related issues  

Of course, services designed to support employees’ physical and emotional wellbeing are all designed to help decrease absence rates, improve productivity, and ultimately achieve business growth. Once a business puts the services in place however, they must ensure they provide the right environment where employees use them for the impact to be truly realised. Employee engagement is a culture; it’s all about unlocking discretionary effort. It takes time but investing time and money in employee wellbeing appropriate to the workforce is a crucial step.

Scott Read, CEO of Employee Services at Growth Partners

Scott Read Growth Partners discusses the link between employee engagement and retention

Scott Read is a results-driven business leader with a proven track record in helping employers strategise key business growth through employee engagement.

About Growth Partners

We’re a payroll provider and so much more. We’re on a mission to make employers’ and employees’ lives easier, happier, and healthier. We do this through our end-to-end service for payroll, pensions, and employee engagement. Our new support package gives businesses support payments to invest in their business, a dedicated employee engagement manager and ongoing employee engagement consultation.

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Are you overpaying to outsource your payroll?

Are you overpaying to outsource your payroll? 1920 1221 Growth Partners

We’ve developed a new online payroll cost-saving calculator to help businesses understand if they are overpaying for their payroll.

If you’re overpaying to outsource your payroll, you’d like to know, right? So, our payroll experts have created an easy-to-use online calculator to help businesses ensure they’re getting value for money.

How much do businesses pay to outsource their payroll?

When it comes to outsourced payroll, many payroll providers have bespoke pricing – with several factors affecting the price such as:

  • Number of employees
  • Pension auto-enrolment processing
  • Frequency of payroll
  • Additional integrated services

The payroll fee varies between providers and can often decrease the more employees you have. So, if you have 300 employees, for example, some payroll providers could charge you £6 per employee per month, but if you have 30 employees, they may charge you £10 per employee per month.

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It’s important to also consider any added extra costs for administering pension auto-enrolment or processing ad-hoc payments such as maternity pay or sick pay, for example. Also, be sure to check the terms and conditions regarding processing furlough payments or similar which had a huge impact on payroll providers in 2020.

 

Who’s liable for compliance with HMRC when you outsource payroll?

When outsourcing to a traditional payroll provider, you will find they will process your payroll for you, but your business will still be 100% liable for their work and compliance with HMRC. So, any errors leading to fines will still be billed to you.

This, however, isn’t the case with all payroll providers, so be sure to ask. At Growth Partners, we take on full responsibility for compliance with HMRC requirements, so all our clients outsource both processing and the liabilities to us.

 

What happens to pension auto-enrolment employer duties when you outsource payroll?

Most, if not all, payroll software has a pension auto-enrolment module to help payroll providers carry out the auto-enrolment assessment. However, like payroll, compliance with your pension auto-enrolment employer duties sit squarely with the employer even when the payroll provider you have outsourced your payroll to agrees to administer the duties on your behalf.

With Growth Partners, you won’t need to worry about compliance with your auto-enrolment employer duties again – our dedicated pensions team will take full ownership and responsibility for compliance with your auto-enrolment duties.

 

My finance team process payroll, why would I outsource my payroll?

Outsourcing payroll to a qualified and professional payroll service can reduce the costs and risks involved in payroll management. It also allows you to use your resource better – instead of processing payroll and keeping on top of complex payroll regulatory requirements and constant updates, your finance team is free to focus on business objectives and corporate goals.

 

How much do we charge for outsourced payroll services?

We charge a flat rate of £2 per employee, per week. This doesn’t change regardless of how many employees you have, or your payroll frequency. We also don’t want to bill our customers every time they ask for help, so one fee covers everything.

One fee covers everything

We provide an end-to-end service for payroll, pension and employee engagement services, so our flat-rate fee covers so much more than just outsourced payroll…

 

Payroll services

  • A guarantee that all your employees are paid accurately, on time
  • Full compliance with HMRC regulations
  • 24/7 online access to pay documents for your employees

Pension services 

  • All auto-enrolment administration – never worry about managing your employees’ pensions again
  • We take on full responsibility for ensuring compliance with your auto-enrolment duties
  • Our in-house pensions team handle all auto-enrolment communications and administration duties

Wellbeing services

  • Financial wellbeing services for your employees including support and guidance for your employees on their workplace pensions
  • Emotional wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with access to professional, confidential counselling services in-person, online or by phone
  • Physical wellbeing for your employees including 24/7 access to a GP

Employee discounts

  • The latest range of benefits and discounts for your employees to help make their wages go further. 

Employment law service for employers

  • Unlimited phone and email advice from a dedicated HR law consultant
  • Support to draft bespoke items of correspondence
  • Review and preparation of contractual HR documentation
  • On-site assistance in a crisis
  • Tribunal preparation and representation

Employee engagement support

We give all our clients their own dedicated employee engagement manager to help

  • Employee engagement consultancy strategy for employer/employees
  • Ongoing support from a dedicated engagement specialist 
  • Employee engagement support payment designed to help you invest in your employee engagement activities

Get a quote

We know from research employees want easy access to their pay documents. Online access to pay slips, receiving pay earlier than payday, and an online chat to sort out pay issues are the most sought-after financial benefits.

77% of employees would use employee engagement services more if they were all in one place, like an app. With our all-in-one solution, your employees can access their pay, pension, and employee benefits all in one place.

See how much you can save, or even earn with our new cost-saving calculator – get a quote here

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Hospitality businesses fail to maximise employee benefits [New Research Paper]

Hospitality businesses fail to maximise employee benefits [New Research Paper] 1280 720 Growth Partners

We’ve partnered with KAM, to reveal the use and awareness of employee engagement services within the hospitality sector and understand to what extent employees are more likely to remain in a role because of them.

The study led by research consultancy KAM involved 500 employees within the hospitality sector as well as eight hospitality bosses. The findings clearly highlight how employers in the hospitality sector are missing a trick in effectively communicating the employee benefits they offer as part of their retention strategies.

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Unsurprisingly, there is a demand for certain employee engagement services and even an expectation from employees. And the availability of such services increases the extent to which they are likely to remain in a role – 75% say that offering employee engagement services makes the business a more attractive place to work and 3 in 4 hospitality employees said they were happier in their role because of employee engagement services.  In fact, offering certain benefits can have the power to encourage employees to switch jobs; 83% said their company offering a specific health and wellbeing benefit contributed to them deciding to switch jobs.

But despite high numbers of hospitality employers offering employee engagement services, the research found that many employees find them difficult to understand and access; 72% said they would use employee engagement services more if they were easier to access. The majority would find it easier if they were all accessible in one place, like an app (82%.)

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Key findings from the research

  • Employee engagement services make a business a more attractive place to work and there is an expectation for businesses to offer services which look after employees’ physical and mental wellbeing as well as their financial wellbeing.
  • Employers need to do a better job of communicating employee engagement services not just when advertising, but to current employees too.
  • Employees would use employee engagement services more if they were easier to access, most employees have them but find them difficult to understand and access.
  • Health and wellbeing benefits have the power to encourage employees to switch jobs with 83% of people saying the offer of a specific health and wellbeing benefit contributed to them deciding to switch jobs.
  • Online access to pay slips, receiving pay earlier than payday and an online chat to sort out issues with pay are the most sought-after financial benefits employees look for.
→Download the new Research Paper here

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When it comes to health and lifestyle the most popular benefits among hospitality employees are gym discounts, flexible shifts, healthy eating programmes and medical healthcare –  this is particularly popular among older employees. And when asked about financial benefits, 24/7 online access to pay documents, the ability to receive their pay earlier than payday and an online chat service to query/sort out issues with their pay slip came top.

This research has highlighted how employers may have employee benefits in place but if they’re not easy to access or communicated effectively, they’re not having an impact – potentially adding to the problem rather than helping to resolve it.

 

Do you need help bringing services together all in one place?

We provide employers across all sectors with a cost-effective end-to-end service for payroll, pensions and employee engagement services. If your workforce could benefit from their pay, pension and employee benefits all in one place, book your no-obligation demo of My SMART-e here.

Did you know? We provide all our clients with an employee engagement support payment and a dedicated employee engagement manager. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you to reduce costs, attract and retain employees, increase productivity and ensure compliance.

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Spring Budget 2023: How do the payroll announcements impact your business?

Spring Budget 2023: How do the payroll announcements impact your business? 1196 1308 Growth Partners

The Chancellor announced some important changes in the Spring Budget 2023, including some key announcements impacting payroll.

We’ve taken the opportunity to summarise some of the key measures set to be introduced from the view of business owners and finance directors with responsibility for payroll.

Tax rates and thresholds

It was announced that the following will remain frozen:

  • Standard Personal Allowance (£12,570)
  • Income Tax rates (20%, 40% and 45%)
  • Income tax threshold (basic and higher rate threshold)

However, from 6 April 2023, the additional rate income tax threshold will reduce from £150,000 to £125,140.

There were also some important updates in respect of National Insurance Contributions (NIC), including:

  • NIC thresholds will remain frozen
  • Rates of NIC for directors who are subject to an annual earnings period will revert to being the same as for other employed earners
  • Rates of Class 1A NIC on benefits-in-kind and Class 1B NIC payable on PAYE Settlement Agreements will revert to 13.8 percent.

Helping people back to work

Where both parents are employed, and each earns less than £100,000, the introduction of free childcare hours for all children from the age of nine months could help many parents return back to work. This will be introduced in stages from April 2024.

Further measures, including more wraparound care for school age children to also facilitate the return of parents to the workplace.

Helping people to stay in work

In a drive to encourage over 50s back into the workforce, the Chancellor announced:

  • The annual allowance (annual limit on UK tax relieved pension savings) will increase from £40,000 to £60,000,
  • Higher earners with ‘adjusted income’ of over £260,000 will still be subject to tapering of their annual allowance, but the maximum taper will result in a £10,000 annual allowance, relative to £4,000 at present.
  • Removal of the lifetime allowance.

Increasing employee engagement

The Chancellor confirmed:

  • Enhancements to tax-advantaged Company Share Option Plan (CSOPs), which is a tax-advantaged employee share scheme, which will see the employee share options limit doubled from £30,000 to £60,000,
  • The ‘worth having’ condition, which limits which types of shares are eligible for inclusion within a CSOP scheme, will be removed,

Charities and gift aid

Charitable tax reliefs are to be restricted to UK charities only, with donations to charities located in the EU and EEA no longer qualifying for UK charitable tax reliefs from April 2024. This will impact individuals who claim higher rate relief on donations to such non-UK charities.

Upcoming important government consultations

In summer 2023, the Government will consult on informal and ad hoc flexible working arrangements between employees and employers to better understand how these operate.

Additionally, the Government will consult on how the tax system might incentivise increased employer provision of occupational health support. This might potentially include expanding benefit-in-kind exemptions for employees and an enhanced deduction for the associated costs.

More information

See how new legislation may impact your responsibilities over the next 12 months by downloading our Payroll Changes summary.

 

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Need help navigating these key payroll announcements?

The announcements from the spring budget will affect businesses differently. Navigating any legislative changes and ensuring your organisation understands and implements the proposed changes can be challenging, especially given the financial and/or legal penalties associated with non-compliance – not to mention the negative impact it can have on the wellbeing of your staff.

To help understand how the announcements in the Spring Budget affect your organisation, you can contact our business growth experts

For more information about unburdening your business from payroll and pension compliance visit our SMART Employment page and read more about supporting your employees’ financial wellbeing, emotional wellbeing and physical wellbeing.

Amrik Birdi, Pension Consultant at Growth Partners

blankAmrik has a wealth of knowledge in pensions having joined Growth Partners from KPMG where he was responsible for advising companies and trustees on independent DC provider procurement exercises, DC investment strategy review, DC pensions strategy review, automatic enrolment compliance, and meeting ongoing governance requirements. Amrik spent three years before this as a Pensions Guidance Specialist at Pensions Wise helping members understand their pension and retirement options, empowering them to take control of their retirement journey. With a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and Certificate in DC Governance, combined with a Degree in Economics, Amrik is a fully qualified pensions consultant and able to offer strategic support to our clients on their options for workplace pension schemes and auto-enrolment.

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Spring Budget 2023: What do the pension announcements mean for you and your employees?

Spring Budget 2023: What do the pension announcements mean for you and your employees? 1920 1413 Growth Partners

In the run-up to the Spring Budget, there were expectations that this could be the most significant budget for pensions since the freedom and choice reforms announced in the Budget 2014 – and the Chancellor certainly didn’t disappoint in that regard.

The announcements made by the Chancellor in the Spring Budget will have far-reaching implications for high earners. We break down the key announcements below and explain what they mean for employers and their workforce.

  • Pension Annual Allowance will increase from £40k to £60k – the pension annual allowance (AA) is the total amount of money that can be paid into the pension in any tax year without the member/employee incurring a tax charge. This includes both Employer and Employee contributions. It was either £40,000 or 100% of total earnings – whichever is lower. But it’s now going up to a maximum of £60,000 on 6 April 2023. 
  • Tapered Annual Allowance will increase from £4k to £10k – certain higher earners may be impacted by a tapered annual allowance, which gradually reduces the amount you can save into a pension plan each tax year depending on your earnings. The Chancellor has now confirmed that the tapering won’t reduce the allowance to any lower than £10,000 (previously set to £4,000).
  • Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA) will increase from £4k to £10k – when an individual starts to drawdown or cash in the taxable part of their pension, MPAA is triggered. This means the individual will see their annual allowance reduced from £40,000 to £4,000 each tax year. The MPAA is now going up from £4,000 to £10,000 – making it easier for people to keep working and saving once they’ve started taking money from their pension.  
  • Lifetime allowance (LTA) will be removed entirely  – LTA is the total savings you can build up in all your pensions in your lifetime. Previously, the LTA limit was set to £1,073,100. This meant those who exceeded this limit would be liable to a tax charge of up to 55% on the amount over the allowance. The Chancellor announced that the lifetime allowance would be removed completely, and no one would face a lifetime allowance tax charge from 6 April 2023.

An important consideration for employers

Each of these changes on their own would see many people positively impacted when it comes to pension savings:

  • The Pensions Annual Allowance and Tapered Annual Allowance boost will benefit many higher-paid workers.
  • The increase to the Money Purchase Annual Allowance will directly benefit many people who’ve had to dip into their pension due to the cost-of-living crisis whilst still working, allowing them to contribute more into their pension to refill their pension pot without fear of a tax charge.
  • Abolishing the Lifetime Allowance opens doors to use pensions to pass on unlimited amounts of wealth, tax efficiently, to the next generation.

Employers will need to consider how the announcements could impact employee behaviour as they look to maximise the benefits of these changes and their employee benefits offerings. This could include (but is not limited to):

  • dealing with re-enrolment requests
  • managing employee requests to increase contributions, including ad hoc payments into their pension plans.
  • reviewing life insurance arrangements
  • reviewing benefits employers have offered to higher earners, particularly those higher earners previously impacted by the Lifetime and/or Annual Allowance.

As employees grapple with how to maximise savings in the new system, employers could benefit from greater support in balancing the opportunities and risks and ensuring their valued workforce have access to the support needed to understand the changes and its implications to get the best outcomes.

Need some help navigating these pension announcements?

Pensions can be complex; however,  our business growth experts can support you and your employees.

For more information about unburdening your business from payroll and pension compliance visit our SMART Employment page and read more about supporting your employees’ financial wellbeing, emotional wellbeing and physical wellbeing.

Amrik Birdi, Pension Consultant at Growth Partners

blankAmrik has a wealth of knowledge in pensions having joined Growth Partners from KPMG where he was responsible for advising companies and trustees on independent DC provider procurement exercises, DC investment strategy review, DC pensions strategy review, automatic enrolment compliance, and meeting ongoing governance requirements. Amrik spent three years before this as a Pensions Guidance Specialist at Pensions Wise helping members understand their pension and retirement options, empowering them to take control of their retirement journey. With a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and Certificate in DC Governance, combined with a Degree in Economics, Amrik is a fully qualified pensions consultant and able to offer strategic support to our clients on their options for workplace pension schemes and auto-enrolment.

Pension pot
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Government backs bill which will extend pension auto-enrolment to younger and lower paid workers

Government backs bill which will extend pension auto-enrolment to younger and lower paid workers 1920 1282 Growth Partners

New plans to expand auto-enrolment were backed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on Friday 3 March and are likely to be phased in early to mid-next year.

Auto-enrolment (AE) laid the foundation for a new era of pension savings, and since its introduction in 2012, the number of people saving into a workplace pension has doubled. To build on this success, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed on Friday (3 March) that it will support proposals to expand auto-enrolment – measures which will see auto-enrolment extended to younger people and lower paid workers.

In this article, we will explore what this means for employers.

What happens currently with pension auto-enrolment?

Under auto-enrolment, UK employers are legally required to put all their ‘qualifying’ employees into a workplace pension and contribute to their pension savings.

A ‘qualifying’ employee is someone who:

  • works in the UK
  • is at least 22 years old, but under State Pension age, and
  • earns more than £10,000 a year.

The minimum contribution (3% employer and 5% employee) applies to any earnings over £6,240 up to a limit of £50,270 (in the tax year 2022/23). This slice of the employee earnings is known as ‘qualifying earnings.’

What are the new proposals for expanding pension auto-enrolment?

The Private Members Bill looks to grant two extensions to auto-enrolment:

  1. Abolishing the £6,240 lower earnings limit for contributions
  2. Reducing the age for being automatically enrolled from the current 22 to 18.

In its press release, DWP stated that ‘lowering the age at which eligible workers must be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme by their employers from 22 to 18 would make saving the norm for young adults and enable them to begin to save from the start of their working lives’.

In addition, it said ‘the removal of the lower earnings limit would support those with low earnings and multiple jobs by ensuring they are saving from the first pound earned’.

When are the changes being introduced?

While the Bill will have to complete its remaining stages in the House of Commons and will also need to be approved by the House of Lords, Former Pensions Minister, Steve Webb, stated that this was “unlikely to be a problem with government support”.

With the next General Election to take place no later than January 2025, we anticipate the phasing of these proposals early to mid-next year.

How will the changes impact employers?

  • Reducing the age threshold from 22 to 18 may increase the pool of ‘qualifying’ employees for many employers.
  • Deducting pension contributions from the first pound earned – as opposed to deducting contributions from the slice of the employee earnings which fall between the £6,240 and £50,270 bracket – will mean the 3% employer contribution will need to be calculated from an expanded portion of the employee earnings.
  • Payroll teams will need to ensure the necessary changes are implemented in a timely manner to maintain correct deduction of contributions.
  • Member communications need to be considered – employers will need to liaise with their pension provider to understand member communications regarding both content and timing, as the changes will invariably have an impact on the employees’ take-home pay.

There is a statutory requirement for the DWP to carry out a consultation before releasing the official implementation approach and timings, so we don’t expect the Secretary of State to exercise its powers to amend the age limit and lower qualifying earnings limit for auto-enrolment until next year.

Employers could benefit from having early conversations about what the change means for them because the proposals are likely to impact employers in respect of both their direct and indirect costs resulting from higher employer contributions, administration costs arising from embedding the changes to their payroll system to ensure compliance with its auto-enrolment employer duties, as well as ensuring members are communicated with through appropriate channels before, during and post implementation of the aforementioned proposals.

Need some help with pension auto-enrolment?

Pensions can be complex; however, our in-house experts you can speak to our business growth experts who can help simplify as well as support you with your auto-enrolment compliance requirements.

For more information about unburdening your business from payroll and pension compliance visit our SMART Employment page and read more about supporting your employees’ financial wellbeing, emotional wellbeing and physical wellbeing.

 

Amrik Birdi, Pension Consultant at Growth Partners

blankAmrik has a wealth of knowledge in pensions having joined Growth Partners from KPMG where he was responsible for advising companies and trustees on independent DC provider procurement exercises, DC investment strategy review, DC pensions strategy review, automatic enrolment compliance, and meeting ongoing governance requirements. Amrik spent three years before this as a Pensions Guidance Specialist at Pensions Wise helping members understand their pension and retirement options, empowering them to take control of their retirement journey. With a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and Certificate in DC Governance, combined with a Degree in Economics, Amrik is a fully qualified pensions consultant and able to offer strategic support to our clients on their options for workplace pension schemes and auto-enrolment.

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How to attract and retain staff with a retention strategy [Your Free Guide]

How to attract and retain staff with a retention strategy [Your Free Guide] 1458 1152 Growth Partners

If finding and keeping great staff is important to you this year, an employee retention strategy is key.

Our retention strategy guide will help you create an effective wellbeing and engagement strategy for your business that will help you to attract and retain staff. The guide focuses on how you can add a range of employee benefits and wellbeing services in a cost-effective way, without necessarily adding additional costs to your business.

The guide includes:

  • The importance of having a retention strategy
  • The three pillars of wellbeing, future challenges
  • How to implement your plan

Download your free guide to develop a retention strategy suited to your business needs.

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Did Blue Monday really happen
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Did Blue Monday really happen and what did it mean for employers?

Did Blue Monday really happen and what did it mean for employers? 1800 1200 Growth Partners

This year Blue Monday landed on 16th January 2023 and no doubt you heard the phrase being used a lot.

Blue Monday is the term given to ‘the most depressing day of the year’ thanks to the cold weather, dark nights and often long wait for payday. The day – which technically relates to the third Monday of the year – is heavily linked to mental health and wellbeing concerns. In 2020, the Samaritans helped to address these issues with the birth of the Brew Monday campaign.

So, did Blue Monday really exist again this year, how much did it affect employees, and should you have been concerned about it?  We’ve had a look at whether Blue Monday really impacts employees each year, and some of the concerns employers should be tackling.

Does Blue Monday really exist?

The name Blue Monday was coined in 2004 when a holiday company tasked a psychologist to develop a scientific formula for the January Blues. The formula was to be used by the travel company to sell holidays; focusing on making things better by booking a holiday. Despite the lack of science and financial endeavours behind it, the phrase Blue Monday stuck and has been recognised every year since.

Several charities have raised concern over the focus on Blue Monday, and there isn’t, in fact, any evidence to suggest your employees will be notably more unhappy on any particular Monday in January, or , in fact, in January at all (Mind, 2016).

In 2009, a UK report found that January isn’t the time when your employees are likely to suffer the most with anxiety at all. Suicide rates tend to be at their highest in April and May, which is a key measure used by researchers to monitor mental health and wellbeing.

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit and the UK went into lockdown in Spring 2020, mental health issues rose 10% with IFS reporting a quarter of people surveyed experiencing at least one mental health problem.

Although this suggests that Blue Monday doesn’t necessarily exist per se, the term has certainly helped raise awareness of the prominence of mental health and wellbeing in the UK, and the stigma around it is decreasing thanks to the inroads made by charities like The Samaritans and Time to Change.

Is Blue Monday important for employers?

The research into the Blue Monday concept suggests that your employees really can feel blue on any day and as their employer, you have an important role to play in supporting them through these tough times, whenever they occur.

January does tend to be tough going as it feels like a really long month, and it can often take staff time to get back into the swing of things after the festive period.

The start of the year is the perfect time to make a plan for investing time in staff and checking-in with them on their plans for a brand new year. Spending time with employees on both their professional and personal goals helps create a richer understanding of what’s driving them and their needs now and longer-term.

This is particularly prevalent with the National lockdown in the UK, adding to the pressures and the potential impact on employees’ mental, physical and financial wellbeing.

We suggest employers make health and wellbeing an every-day focus, but it’s great that Blue Monday helps to shine a spotlight on this, so it takes centre stage.

Recognition of the positive link between health and wellbeing in the workplace and long-term employee wellbeing is growing, and employers are benefiting from increased productivity as a result.

Three steps to take to tackle mental health and wellbeing in the workplace

1. Openly talk about mental health and feelings

Days like Brew Monday provide an informal and unintrusive way to address mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. If you are open about how you feel at work, especially if you are a leader, it might encourage others to do the same.

Remember your mental health can fluctuate as circumstances change. As you move through different stages in your life, it’s worth checking in at every milestone whether these be a birthday, moving house, or becoming a parent.

Is Blue Monday important for employers

2. Provide professional support for employees

Employee Assistant Programmes are an economical way to offer professional, confidential third-party support to your employees in various areas, such as financial worries, home troubles or mental health concerns.

3. Lead by example

Make sure you take breaks away from your desk, go for a walk at lunchtime, and finish work on time. If you see someone regularly putting in extra hours, approach this as an underlying signal for support or something that needs to change.

Although statistically, Blue Monday doesn’t actually exist, it is clear your employees can feel blue any day of the week.  As their employer, you have a responsibility to support them effectively through all of life’s challenges.

More support with mental health and wellbeing in the workplace

To find out more about Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) email hello@growthpartnersplc.co.uk or leave us a message here You can also call the team for a chat on 0116 340 3116

Sources:

  • COVID-19 pandemic hits mental health, especially of the young and of women, and widens inequalities  – IFS.org.uk
  • Non work-related activities research and report – Hitachi Capital.co.uk
  • Busting the Blue Monday myth with #BlueAnyDay – Mind.org.uk
  • Seasonal spring peaks of suicide in victims with and without prior history of hospitalisation for mood disorders –pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
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Cost of living crisis – is there a way out for you and your employees?

Cost of living crisis – is there a way out for you and your employees? 1920 1280 Growth Partners

Whether it’s soaring inflation, rising interest rates or changes announced in the Chancellor’s 2022 Autumn Budget, the cost of living crisis is impacting us all and hitting people differently.

Employees on a low income are impacted more as a bigger proportion of their income is eaten up by inflation. Those approaching or thinking about retirement will now need their pension pot to go further, raising questions about whether they can afford to retire or if retirement is sustainable. For others, the cost of servicing debt – be it credit card payments or mortgages – is leaving them with less money each month, forcing individuals to make trade-offs between necessities and savings. 

Furthermore, numerous scholarly articles have proven financial worries can impact employee productivity, mental health, lack of focus at work and absenteeism.

Without the help, and at least some level of guidance from their employers, employees may be likely to believe there are only two possible ways out of this crisis:

  1. Increase in pay in line with inflation –  this is one option to help employees cope, but this is not always possible, and even if it is, companies are unlikely to be able to keep up with rampant inflation. 
  2. Cut back on spending – without a pay increase, employees are likely to resort to cutting back spending and savings including pension contributions, which may impact their retirement lifestyle significantly.

How to support your employees to navigate the cost of living crisis

In some (limited) circumstances, increasing staff pay or cutting spending may well be the only way out of this crisis, but in most other circumstances there are other ways employers can support their workforce to navigate through the cost of living crisis and improve their employees’ financial wellbeing. 

We outline below some of the ways to help your staff improve the way they manage their money:

  • Employee benefits and discount scheme
    Discount schemes help employees save money on the things they want and need to buy. These can really make a difference now that people are seeing increased pressure on their finances. Making purchases via the employee discount scheme can help ease the financial squeeze because of soaring inflation. A recent survey by Opinium found that 36% of UK adults say they are already cutting back on what they spend.
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) 
    This can help employees cope with the pressure that everyday life brings, and prevent personal problems impacting their work performance, health and wellbeing. An EAP can offer employees a wide range of support, including online resources, counselling, and referral services if they are struggling.
  • Pension guidance and awareness
    When times are tough financially, it may be tempting to reduce or stop pension contributions without understanding the long-term implications. In fact, according to research carried out by Barnett Waddingham, 7% of people plan to reduce their workplace pension contributions to keep up with the increased cost of living. This translates to 1.05 million people. Pension is not only one of the biggest perks in the workplace, but also an important, and for many, the only source of income in retirement. Therefore, it’s more important than ever that the benefits of pensions are well communicated to help employees avoid making decisions that they will likely regret later in life.
  • Financial education
    Financial education and guidance in the workplace can make a huge difference, giving employees the opportunity to learn about budgeting, money-saving tips, debt management, retirement planning etc. This can help employees make their money stretch further. Financial guidance can also encompass signposting to external services, for example, budgeting tools are available online such as Money Helper’s budget planner.
  • Salary sacrifice schemes
    Offering employees the option to exchange part of their pre-tax salary for ‘non-cash’ benefits such as childcare vouchers, company car, cycle to work scheme or additional pension contributions, is another way to help employees ease the squeeze on their finances without adding any extra costs to the employer. In fact, like the employees, employers also save money through the scheme by paying lower National Insurance contributions on the reduced employee wages – savings which can also be allocated to other areas of the business. Offering a salary sacrifice scheme is an excellent tool for employers to attract talent to the organisation.

The cost-of-living crisis is expected to be an unwelcome guest in the UK for some time so, supporting employees to build their financial resilience and improve their financial and emotional wellbeing is especially important right now. 

For more information about how we can help you and support your employees navigate through the cost of living crisis, visit our SMART Employment page and read more about supporting your employees’ financial wellbeing, emotional wellbeing and physical wellbeing.

Amrik Birdi, Pension Consultant at Growth Partners

blankAmrik has a wealth of knowledge in pensions having joined Growth Partners from KPMG where he was responsible for advising companies and trustees on independent DC provider procurement exercises, DC investment strategy review, DC pensions strategy review, automatic enrolment compliance, and meeting ongoing governance requirements. Amrik spent three years before this as a Pensions Guidance Specialist at Pensions Wise helping members understand their pension and retirement options, empowering them to take control of their retirement journey. With a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and Certificate in DC Governance, combined with a Degree in Economics, Amrik is a fully qualified pensions consultant and able to offer strategic support to our clients on their options for workplace pension schemes and auto-enrolment.

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