All companies have said to offer pension

October 27, 2010, 10: 33 GMT updated no company is too low to provide pensions to workers the Government agreed that all companies United Kingdom, regardless of size, should offer a company pension scheme or register their staff in the new national employment Savings Trust (nest).

Nest is due to start next year with all companies join September 2016.

The Government says it means that between 4 million and 8 million workers begin save in a pension scheme for the first time.

To be eligible for enrolment, staff must earn at least £ 7,475 per year.

However, their contributions will be based on their income above the threshold of the pay national insurance - currently £ 5 715.

Workers whose incomes fall between these two levels should adhere to nest and receive contributions from the employer as well.

Welcome

Rules revised is entering the recommendations of an independent review into the way in which workers must be automatically enrolled in the schema.

The conclusions of the review were greeted by pensions Minister Steve Webb.

He said: "The National employment Savings Trust (nest) will be the new cheap pension scheme which will be the vehicle to save millions".

"For the first time, employers will be 2012 eligible workers pension contributions, put an end to decades of decline in membership in workplace pension schemes", he added.

Pensions for all?

The principle of automatic registration of employees in pension plans established under the pensions Act (2008), which sets out reforms aimed at making saving for retirement standard among employees.

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proposed changes are still complicated for micro enterprises to implement "

end quote Mike Cherry Federation of small businesses the essential characteristic is that all employers should provide adequate pension for their eligible employees."

In General, this means that the staff who are 22 years old or more and save over £ 7,475 per year - personal income tax allowance.

If such a scheme is not provided, staff must then be automatically entered in the nest of this.

Employers and employees will also be a minimum level of contributions, ends up by amounting to 8% per year.

The Federation of small businesses (FSB) said she was disappointed.

"The proposed amendments are still complicated for micro enterprises to put in place," said Mike Cherry of BSF.

"The cost and time spent on administrative tasks will harm business micro - those of 10 employees or less."

Temporary agents

Employers will be through three months to register their personnel either in their own diet - with contributions from the employer minimum mandatory - or to include them in the nest.

This element was welcomed by Chambers of commerce UK (CBC).

"Thanks to the exemption for 12 weeks, companies with a high turnover rate or a large number of seasonal workers will not have to spend a lot of time and money enrolling employees employees pensions that they do not wish to continue, said Mr. Adam Marshall of the CBC."

Review said if a staff member chooses to register before the three month period flows, business is forced to make contributions and then as well.

The aim is to ensure that people often change their employment can accumulate retirement pension pot.

However work said revised plan nest with a higher threshold of qualification and the three-month waiting period would disadvantage the low paid workers in particular.

"Those who lose out are likely to be those that the regime has been designed to reach - namely women and part-time workers and temporary and agency workers," said spokesman work Rachel Reeves.

Progressively

Nest is due to start next year, with automatic registration in October 2012, starting with the largest employers to reach the first and smallest Assembly by September 2016.

Contributions of employees and employers will also gradually.

Until October 2016, the minimum overall level of contributions will be only 2% and 1% from employers.

From October 2016 for September 2017, total contributions will be 5% to 2% from employers.

And October 2017, the total minimum contribution level is 8%, with employers who contribute at least 3%.

Pension consultants Aon Hewitt has warned that the ongoing savings nest would probably only a modest pension.

"Our recent research shows us that the minimum contribution levels will send only a very small pension in monetary terms,", said John Foster of Aon Hewitt.

"Our projections indicate that one winner of £ 20,000, which begins at 30 years old pension can expect an annual pension of £ 1,973 income".

However, the actuaries Hymans Robertson are more optimistic.

"Based on average earnings UK £ 25,000 per year and the rate of 8%, we employed could accumulate a pension of £ 7,000 based on 30 years of contribution or £ 2,000 based over 15 years," said Lee Hollingworth company.

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