Automatic Enrolment

Automatic Enrolment

What is it?

‘Workplace pensions’ law has changed. The government has introduced a new law to make it easier for people to save for their retirement.  It requires all employers to enrol their workers into a qualifying workplace scheme if they are not already in one.  At present, many workers fail to take up valuable pension benefits because they do not make an application to join their employer's scheme.  Automatic enrolment is meant to overcome this.

More details available under

http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/future-pension-reforms/automatic-enrolment

http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/automatic-enrolment.aspx

Below given a quick summary about Auto Enrolment for Employee, Employer and Oracle-PeopleSoft Customer.

For Employees

If employee joins a money purchase (defined contribution) scheme, employee will have their own pension pot which will be open upon retirement.  Contributions from employee, employer and government will be paid into employee’s pot.  Employee can retain the same pot even if they move jobs.

Scheme, pension pot, qualify, defined contribution - What is it?

A qualifying scheme can be:

·         A defined contribution scheme with a minimum contribution

Or

·         A defined benefit or hybrid scheme which meets certain conditions.

Sample calculation for employees with TIER 1 scheme:

Each month*,

Employer puts in pension pot	£30
+ Employee put in pension pot	£40
+ the government puts in pension pot	£10 (tax relief)
Total available in pension pot	£80

 * Scheme will be set by the employer. Please contact the employer for the qualifying scheme.

Does this affect me (employee)?

Yes, employees will be automatically enrolled to the scheme, if employee,

·         Is not already in a qualifying workplace pension scheme;

·         Is at least 22 years old;

·         Is below state pension age;

·         Earn more than £8,105 a year; and

·         Work or ordinarily work in the UK (under their contract)

Even if employee doesn’t qualify automatically, employee has the right to join the scheme. Options are available for employee to optout and/or rejoin the scheme.

Note for employee: DONOT misinterpret this post/document as an enforcement to challenge the organization. Please speak to your organization for more details.

For Employers

Is it applicable for my organization?

Yes. Although automatic enrolment comes in from 1 October 2012, individual employers' duties will be introduced gradually over the following five years, and will be based on the employer's size.

List of staging dates by PAYE scheme size or reference

PAYE scheme size or reference	Staging date
120,000 or more	1 October 2012
50,000-119,999	1 November 2012
30,000-49,999	1 January 2013
20,000-29,999	1 February 2013
10,000-19,999	1 March 2013
6,000-9,999	1 April 2013
4,100-5,999	1 May 2013
…	…

Complete and latest list will be available at,

http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/staging-date-timeline.aspx

Who (my employees) will be affected?

Qualified employees who meets the eligibility criteria,

Also, employees have the right to join the scheme even if they do not qualify automatically.

What should I do now?

So the employers should enrol to the pension regulator or pension provider to meet their new workplace pension duties.

If you (employer) are using PeopleSoft as the UK HR/Payroll solution, then you need to ensure that your system is capable of handling Automatic Enrolment.

What Oracle has offered for Auto Enrolment?

 For Oracle-PeopleSoft customers, Oracle is fully committed to the delivery of Auto Enrolment Packages for version 9.0 and 9.1.  Oracle-PeopleSoft Release for ‘UK Pension Changes- Auto Enrolment’ is available under,

https://support.oracle.com/epmos/faces/DocContentDisplay?id=1468720.1

For customers on other PeopleSoft version, Oracle would be the best source of information about the auto enrolment package.

What we (Kovaion Consulting) can offer for Auto Enrolment?

We (Kovaion Consulting) can certainly assist the PeopleSoft customers on the implementation and support of Auto Enrolment.

Design

ü  It includes, deployment of Auto Enrolment related bundle/POC delivered by Oracle. Based on the PeopleSoft release, the deliverables from Oracle will vary.

ü  Map the tailor made current system to fit Auto Enrolment process.

ü  Identify potential gap and do the fit gap analysis.

Develop

ü  Develop necessary technical components

Test

ü  End to End process testing.

ü  Performance testing – This is very critical for mission critical application like payroll.

Rollout

ü  Production Deployment

Support

ü  Warranty support includes 30 days of production support cover

ü  Additional long term support shall also be provided

  

Since the implementation effort depends on the pension provider, it would be difficult to provide the implementation efforts. But certainly feel free to get in touch with us to evaluate the options. 

Quick read through on Oracle-PeopleSoft Deliverable

Under the reforms, employers will take on a number of new pension duties:

•        Provide a qualifying pension scheme

•       Automatically enroll Eligible Jobholders, who are not already members of a qualifying pension scheme

•        Inform eligible jobholders that they have been automatically enrolled and that they have the right to opt out

•        Respond to opt-out requests appropriately

•        Deduct member contributions and make employer contributions,

•        Periodically re-enroll any eligible jobholders who have opted-out

•        Keep records in relation to each qualifying pension scheme and each jobholder

•        Report regularly to the Pension Regulator

Disclaimer: This document/post is for reference only. The points discussed are purely based on our understanding. Please check the links and regulatory websites for updated information.