04 Aug 2017

Auto-enrolment spot checks begin in Scotland

Auto-enrolment spot checks begin in Scotland

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has started spot checks in Scotland to make sure employers are complying with their auto-enrolment duties.

Inspection teams will visit dozens of businesses in and around Edinburgh to see if qualifying staff are being given the workplace pensions they are entitled to.

The move is part of a nationwide enforcement campaign which began in London in April.

Short-notice inspections have since been carried out in Greater Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham.

This is the first time these checks have been done in Scotland.

The inspections will help TPR understand whether employers are facing any unnecessary challenges that it can help them with, such as by improving systems.

But they will also highlight employers who have not taken the required steps to become or remain compliant, paving the way for enforcement action.

Darren Ryder, TPR’s director of auto-enrolment, said: “The vast majority of employers become compliant ahead of their deadline. but these visits help us to identify why some have not so we can take action where we need to.

“Every employer has workplace pension duties and we are determined that every worker gets the pension they are entitled to.

“Automatic enrolment is not an option, it’s the law. Where we find employers are not complying with the law, we will use our powers to make them comply.”

More than 640,000 employers across the UK have met their auto-enrolment duties, with eight million-plus workers given workplace pensions as a result.

New data to the end of April 2017 reveals that more than 3,300 employers in Edinburgh have met their auto-enrolment duties and, as a result, 53,000 members of staff in the city have signed up for workplace pensions to date.

More than 2,000 extra employers in Edinburgh have auto-enrolment duties that begin in 2017.

How we can help

Auto-enrolment affects all employers in the UK.

Aberdein Considine has already helped small and medium enterprises of all s prepare for auto-enrolment and we continue to help by providing cost effective solutions.

To find out how we could help your business, click here.

Please correct the errors below before submitting your request:

Get in touch

Our dedicated client contact team prefer to receive enquiries through our contact form. We'll endeavour to get back to you within 24 hours or during the course of the next working day.

Tick this box if you wish to receive news and offers from Aberdein Considine. By doing, you indicate your consent to receiving targeted email marketing messages from us. On each occasion that we contact you in the future, you will be given the option to opt-out from receiving such messages. You may also email marketing@acandco.com at any time to opt-out.

The personal information that you provide to us in this form will only ever be used by Aberdein Considine (as the Data Controller) for the following specifically defined purposes:

  • email you content that you have requested from us
  • with your consent, occasionally email you with targeted information regarding our service offerings
  • continually honour any opt-out request you submit in the future
  • comply with any of our legal and/or regulatory obligations