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.