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Employment contracts and pay

Re-enrolment: your three-year duties

How to manage the three-year re-enrolment cycle for auto-enrolment. Covers calculating your re-enrolment date, assessing opted-out workers, the re-enrolment process, and re-declaring compliance with The Pensions Regulator.

UK-wide
Guide summary

How to manage the three-year re-enrolment cycle for auto-enrolment. Covers calculating your re-enrolment date, assessing opted-out workers, the re-enrolment process, and re-declaring compliance with The Pensions Regulator. What is re-enrolment? Every three years, you must re-assess workers who previously opted out of your pension scheme and auto-enrol those who now meet the eligibility criteria.

  • Deadline: Within 5 months of duties start date
  • How to declare: Online via The Pensions Regulator website
  • Penalty for missing deadline: £400 fixed penalty notice
  • Information required: PAYE reference, pension scheme details, number of staff assessed, duties start date
  • Re-declaration: Required every 3 years alongside re-enrolment
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UK-wide

What is re-enrolment?

Every three years, you must re-assess workers who previously opted out of your pension scheme and auto-enrol those who now meet the eligibility criteria. This is a legal requirement even if you believe all opted-out workers will opt out again.

Re-enrolment ensures workers have regular opportunities to save for retirement. Circumstances change — someone who opted out three years ago may now want to join.

Calculate your re-enrolment date

Your re-enrolment date is exactly three years from your duties start date (the date you first employed someone). If your duties started on 1 June 2023, your first re-enrolment date is 1 June 2026.

You can choose to bring your re-enrolment date forward by up to three months, or delay it by up to three months. This flexibility lets you align re-enrolment with your payroll cycle.

Set a reminder: Put a calendar reminder at least six months before your re-enrolment date. This gives you time to prepare and communicate with staff.

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Who to re-enrol

You must re-assess and re-enrol workers who:

  • Opted out of the scheme within the one-month opt-out window
  • Left the scheme voluntarily (ceased membership) after the opt-out window
  • Were enrolled by you but contributions have stopped

You do not need to re-enrol workers who are still active members of the scheme. Only assess those who left or opted out.

Re-declaration of compliance

After completing re-enrolment, you must submit a re-declaration of compliance to The Pensions Regulator. The process is the same as the original declaration — complete it online within five months of your re-enrolment date.

You must re-declare even if no one was re-enrolled (for example, if all previously opted-out workers are now below the earnings threshold or above State Pension age).

Complete your declaration of compliance

How to complete the declaration of compliance with The Pensions Regulator, confirming you have met your auto-enrolment duties. Covers what information you need, the 5-month deadline, and penalties for late declarations.

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