Manage your employees
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UK Statutory Instrument
2010
United Kingdom
Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) Regulations 2010
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
24 compliance obligations, 11 practical guides across 3 topics · 8 journeys
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Employer 21
- Employee 1
- Any Person 1
Plus 1 non-business duty on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Grow your retail business
- 1 step
Start a retail business - compliance essentials
- 1 step
Run a retail business
- 2 steps
Set up auto-enrolment for your workplace pension
- 3 steps
Auto-enrolment compliance quick check
- 4 steps
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
3 guidesMentioned in related content
8 guides- Auto-enrolment compliance checklist
- Auto-enrolment penalties and TPR enforcement
- Employment law for hospitality businesses
- Mandatory hiring requirements
- Re-enrolment: your three-year duties
- Salary sacrifice pension arrangements
- Specialist retail licences and registrations
- Worker categories for auto-enrolment
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Employers also bound by 694 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 236 duties
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 1998 120 duties
- TULRCA 1992 1992 72 duties
- Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (current NI employment law) 1996 52 duties
- Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 2003 50 duties
Employees also bound by 182 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (current NI employment law) 1996 13 duties
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 12 duties
- Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014 2014 10 duties
- The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 10 duties
- Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002 2002 9 duties
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Citation, commencement and interpretation
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Citation, commencement ... and interpretation
Enrolment information
Jobholder information
Pay reference periods for the purposes of sections 1(1)(c), 3(1)(c) and 5(1)(c) of the Act
Pay reference periods for the purposes of section 20(1)(b) and (c) and section 26(4)(b) and (5)(b) of the Act
Part 1A — Exemption and Exceptions
Effect of exercise of discretion
- Treatment of voluntary pension enrolments as statutory duties Employer
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Company directors
Exemption of European employers
Former members
Limited liability partnerships
Notice of termination of employment
Tax protection
Winding-up lump sum
Part 2 — Automatic enrolment, opt out and refunds
Arrangements to achieve active membership
- Automatically enrol eligible workers into a pension scheme Employer
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), for the purposes of the...
- Provide pension enrolment information within six weeks Employer
An employer must, on or after the automatic enrolment date,...
- Duct employee pension contributions from pay Employer
Where an employer is given a valid opt out notice,...
- Notify the pension scheme when an employee opts out Employer
Refunds
- Refund pension contributions if a staff member opts out Employer
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Opting Out
Part 3 — Automatic re-enrolment
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Automatic re-enrolment dates
Arrangements to achieve active membership
Jobholders excluded from automatic re-enrolment
Opting out
Refunds
Part 4 — Jobholders opting in to pension saving
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 5 — Workers joining pension saving
Information to be given to workers
- Provide pension enrollment information to staff who opt in or earn less Employer
Form and content of joining notices
- Submit signed joining notice to opt into workplace pension Employee
Arrangements to achieve active membership
- Enrol a worker into a pension scheme after receiving a joining notice Employer
Part 6 — Postponement of automatic enrolment or disapplication of automatic enrolment
Prescribed requirements for the purposes of section 4(1), (2) and (3) of the Act
- Provide written notice when postponing automatic pension enrolment Employer
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 7 — Automatic enrolment following the transitional period for defined benefit and hybrid schemes
Notice to be given under section 30(3) of the Act
- Notify staff when delaying automatic pension enrolment Employer
Arrangements to achieve active membership
- Enroll staff into defined benefit or hybrid pension schemes after delay Employer
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 7A — Certification that a quality or alternative requirement is satisfied
Giving of a certificate, retention and disclosure
- Certify pension scheme contributions, keep records, and provide copies Employer
Form of certificate
- Ensure pension scheme certificates contain all required information Any Person
Renewal of Certificate
- Assess and record compliance before renewing a pension certificate Employer
Alternative requirements for a money purchase scheme
- Meet minimum contribution standards for money purchase pension schemes Employer
Alternative requirements for a personal pension scheme
- Ensure personal pension schemes meet alternative contribution requirements Employer
Scheme not to be treated as satisfying the relevant quality requirement in certain circumstances
- Comply with TPR notices to pay pension contribution shortfalls and amend certificates Employer
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Alternative quality requirements for a collective money purchase scheme
Alternative requirements for a hybrid scheme
Contributions under alternative requirements during transitional periods
Definitions
Effect of a certificate under section 28 of the Act
Pension schemes based in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom
Part 7B
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
(1) A defined benefit scheme that has its main administration...
Alternative quality requirements for UK defined benefits schemes
Part 8 — Existing members of qualifying schemes
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Information
Continuity of scheme membership
Part 9 — Automatic enrolment schemes
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 10 — Exclusion as a qualifying scheme
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 11 — Test Scheme
Test scheme: requirements to revalue accrued benefits and increase pensions in payment
- Ensure test scheme meets revaluation and pension increase standards Employer
Requirements for meeting the test scheme standard
- Certify that your pension scheme meets the test scheme standard Employer
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Appropriate age
Lump sum test scheme requirements
Part 12 — Hybrid schemes
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 13 — Non-UK Pension Schemes
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Description of an occupational pension scheme with its main administration outside the United Kingdom
Quality requirements: non-UK occupational pension schemes
A pension scheme to which section 26 (quality requirement: UK...
Prescribed requirements for non-UK qualifying schemes
Meaning of “provider”
Part 14 — Due dates
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 15 — Special occupations
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 16 — Review
Review
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must review and report on pension vessel regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Schedules
A statement that where the jobholder opts out the jobholder...
- Re-enrol jobholders who opt back in within 12 months Employer
A statement that a jobholder who opts out or who...
- Tell jobholders they may be automatically re-enrolled after opting out Employer
A statement that the employer has deferred automatic enrolment until...
- Include a statement if you defer automatic enrolment Employer
Browse 23 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Information
A statement that the jobholder has been, or will be,...
Where the opt out notice may be obtained.
A statement that opting out means that the jobholder will...
A statement that after a valid opt out notice is...
A statement that, after the opt out period, the jobholder...
A statement that the jobholder may, by giving written notice...
A statement that the worker may, where they are working...
A statement that by giving written notice to the employer,...
A statement where the worker is a jobholder and an...
The jobholder’s automatic enrolment date, automatic re-enrolment date or enrolment...
A statement that the employer will automatically enrol the worker...
A statement that the employer intends to defer automatic enrolment...
Confirmation that the jobholder is an active member of a...
A statement that a written notice from the worker must...
Where to obtain further information about pensions and saving for...
The name, address, telephone number and electronic contact details of...
(1) The value of any contributions payable to the scheme...
A statement that any contributions payable to the scheme by...
Confirmation as to whether tax relief is or will be...
A statement that if the jobholder, on a date, ceases...
A statement that the jobholder has the right to opt...
A statement indicating the start and end dates of the...
Other sections — not classified into a Part
These sections sit outside the numbered Parts — usually provisions added or moved by later amendments.
Browse 1 other section
Information for workers
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Keep the right employment records (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
The Pensions Regulator
Regulates workplace pensions, defined benefit schemes, and master trusts. All employers must auto-enrol eligible workers into a workplace pension. Enforces employer duties …
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Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.