What is Auto Enrolment?
The Pension Act 2008 contains a number of measures aimed at encouraging greater private pension saving. From 2012 all eligible workers, who are not already in a workplace scheme, will be automatically enrolled into a qualifying workplace pension scheme.
Employers will have a duty to automatically enrol eligible workers’ between the ages of 22 and State Pension Age into a qualifying workplace pension scheme. Automatic enrolment means instead of choosing whether to join a workplace pension scheme provided by their employer, all eligible workers will have to actively decide to cease membership, if for any reason they feel this is not a suitable form of personal saving for their situation.
The duties currently carried out by the Pensions Regulator have been extended to include overall responsibility for ensuring that employers comply with these new duties.
What does this mean for the HSC Pension Scheme?
The HSC Pensions Scheme is a qualifying pension scheme and all HSC employees must be automatically enrolled into it.
However, not all staff are eligible to join the HSC Pension Scheme. Employers will need to take action to identify these workers and automatically enrol them into alternative pension arrangements.
The following form is to identify the reason employees are not contributing to the HSC Pension Scheme and is in addition to the auto enrolment letter templates supplied by the Pension Regulator.
Auto Enrolment Eligibility QuestionnarireWhere can I find out more information?
More detailed information is available for Employers on the NHS Employers website. This includes the 7 key steps to prepare for automatic enrolment and FAQs.
Opting out of the Scheme after auto enrolment
SD502 – Must be completed, signed and returned to the Employer by the member
Guidance for completion of Form SD502
FAQs