Auto-enrolment pensions assessment begins
28 Feb 2013
On 1 March, the University will begin to assess its workers for auto-enrolment pensions and will enrol all eligible staff into a pension scheme.
You’ve probably seen the recent TV ads about the introduction of workplace pensions. After the March payroll, HR will be writing to all members of staff to explain what action, if any, they have taken to auto-enrol you into a workplace pension.
Most of you won’t be affected as you are already enrolled in one of the following pension schemes:
- USS - for academic and academic related staff;
- UMSS - for support staff;
- NHSPS - for some staff who have previously worked in the NHS;
- GMPF - for members of staff on technical or manual grades who formerly worked at UMIST.
If you are not already in a pension scheme, one of the following will happen:
- If your contract gives you entitlement to membership and you are an Eligible Jobholder, you will be enrolled into USS or UMSS on 1 March and pension contributions of 6.5% of your earnings will be deducted.
- If you are not entitled to join USS or UMSS, you will be assessed under the auto-enrolment criteria. If you are an Eligible Jobholder, you will be enrolled into NEST, our auto-enrolment pension provider.
- If you are not an Eligible Jobholder on 1 March, you will continue to be assessed and, if you become an Eligible Jobholder at a later date, you will then be auto-enrolled into the appropriate pension scheme.
An Eligible Jobholder is a worker aged between 22 years and state pension age and earning £675 or more in the month of assessment in the current tax year (£786 for 2013/14).
Once you are auto-enrolled, you may opt-out by completing the relevant form on your pension scheme website:
Auto-enrolment regulations prevent an employer from accepting an opt-out form before a worker has been enrolled into a scheme.
For more information on UMSS, USS and auto-enrolment, see the Pensions website on StaffNet: