Auto-enrolment affects all employees who:
- Aren’t already in a workplace pension scheme that meets certain conditions (called a qualifying scheme)
- Are at least 22 years old
- Are below State Pension age
- Earn more than £10,000 in the current tax year
- Work or ordinarily work in the UK
Your State Pension age depends on your date of birth and can be up to age 68. You can check your State Pension age at www.gov.uk/state-pension-age
If you meet all of the criteria, your employer has a duty to enrol you automatically into their pension scheme. However, if you don't qualify for auto-enrolment, you can still choose to be enrolled into the scheme by telling your employer you want to opt in, as long as you:
- are between age 16 and 21, or the State Pension age and age 75, and earn more than £10,000 in the current tax year, or
- are between age 22 and the State Pension age but earn between £6,240 and £10,000 in the current tax year.
If you opt in, you'll benefit from your employer also contributing to your pension.
If you don’t qualify for auto-enrolment or enrolment through opting in, you can still tell your employer you want to join a scheme, but they don’t have to pay towards your pension.
Your pension under your employer’s scheme doesn’t replace your State Pension. Under current legislation, you’ll still be entitled to your State Pension.
This information is based on our understanding of current taxation law and HMRC practice, which may change.