auto-enrolment - What does it involve, and should I worry

[Archangel]

If you are the sole director/employee of yourCo, or you do not run a PAYE scheme, then you're exempt from auto enrolment. It's also true if all employees are over retirement age but that's a little bit more complicated to report, IIRC. Your accountant should have told you this.

You don't need to worry about staging dates, writing yourself a letter or any of that bollox. Just fill in a form and ignore. Simples.

YourCo can make its own pension arrangements for you, if it so wishes.

If you do have staff, then you have to enrol and then you will need to write to all of your employees and offer them the chance to be in a pension scheme. They can opt out but you are breaking the law if you coerce them into opting out.

It's really not that tough with a tiny wee bit of research.

FAQs
Form to register exemption

The situation with staff is a little different to the above. If the staff fall within the correct age and income bands then you must enrol them. They can then opt out, but via the pension company, not via your company. You must then re-enrol them every 3 years and the cycle begins again. It's a royal pita

[ladymuck]

If you are the sole director/employee of yourCo, or you do not run a PAYE scheme, then you're exempt from auto enrolment. It's also true if all employees are over retirement age but that's a little bit more complicated to report, IIRC. Your accountant should have told you this.

You don't need to worry about staging dates, writing yourself a letter or any of that bollox. Just fill in a form and ignore. Simples.

YourCo can make its own pension arrangements for you, if it so wishes.

If you do have staff, then you have to enrol and then you will need to write to all of your employees and offer them the chance to be in a pension scheme. They can opt out but you are breaking the law if you coerce them into opting out.

It's really not that tough with a tiny wee bit of research.

FAQs
Form to register exemption

[RSoles]

I presume "Nest" is some twee HMR&C expression we're meant to associate with "nest eggs" (the things pinched from unsuspecting hens within hours of them being laid!)

Yep,
New Employers' Stupidity Tax

[OwlHoot]

.. it involved writing a series of letters to my mum asking her if she wanted to enrol to Nest. ..

Not criticizing you at all, and I appreciate the reply, but what does that even mean?

As someone mentioned pensions, I presume "Nest" is some twee HMR&C expression we're meant to associate with "nest eggs" (the things pinched from unsuspecting hens within hours of them being laid!)

Like the hen keepers, it sounds like HMR&C have devised this for another crafty tax grab!

[Platypus]

It's a ball ache. I did it for my Dad's company. After studying the various flowcharts and phoning the (useless) helpline, it involved writing a series of letters to my mum asking her if she wanted to enrol to Nest. My advice: write yourself a letter stating your entitlement and offering to join NEST, then write a reply to yourself saying no thanks.

EDIT: but you have to go through the process, and evidence it.

[VectraMan]

There's a website somewhere that will tell you your official start date. Mine was October 2017, so I didn't worry about it, but I assume I have to do something by then even if it's sign a form to say it doesn't apply to me.

[AtW]

Auto-enrollment is a very sneaky way to increase NICs

[d000hg]

Are you talking about workplace pensions - I got a letter I haven't opened yet - or something else?

[NickFitz]

<nluk>Have you tried a search?</nluk>

[ladymuck]

Auto enrolment is to do with pensions. IR35 is to do with working practices with your client. The two are entirely unrelated.

[northernladuk]

With that level of IR35 understanding I'd tulip myself if I were you.

[OwlHoot]

Just received an email from my accountant enquiring if I wish to be auto-enrolled. Apparently for single-person companies it is optional.

So I am wondering what it is one would be enrolled in, and whether or not this is a Good Idea.

Might opting in help with IR35, for example, in that opting out could put a target on one's back?