21 March 2017

Warnings issued to employers who fail to meet their pensions obligations deadlines have risen by 143 percent.

The increase refers to the 870 Escalating Penalty Notices issued in the last quarter of 2016. This brings the total number issued since auto-enrolment began to 1,477.

In the same period, the number of Fixed Penalty Notices – where companies are fined £400 for failing to comply with a statutory notice or specific employer duties – rose by 42 percent. Compliance notices, issued if an employer has contravened an auto-enrolment duty, have increased by a quarter.

In its report, The Pensions Regulator said it expected to see a rise in the use of its regulatory powers with the rollout of automatic enrolment for small and micro employers.

“Small employers can become non-compliant because they are more likely to leave things to the last minute. But in most cases the nudge of a compliance notice is enough to get them back on track.”