Greenfinch Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 So I have been so snowed under and have my staging date looming for setting up pensions for my staff and have been putting it off and am now panicking about it. Has this been quite an easy/ stress free task? (Please say yes!) I have put time aside to do it tomorrow. I've had a quick look but don't really know where to start. Has anyone used the government scheme? I have 4 staff over 25. Do they have to join a scheme? I know I need to read up about it but would be grateful for any advice from anyone who has already had to do this. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel10 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Hi. It's not that bad. There are different salary thresholds for staff joining but it's very easy to understand. I tried to get advice from an advisor but there weren't interested as we are too small eight staff. Ask friends family if they know anyone. I have just gone with the government one (nest) I have registered and now need to start writing to staff I think. We will then need to set it up on our payroll system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenfinch Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 Thank you diesel10 I appreciate your quick response. I love this forum, it always feels like we're not on our own ☺ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I'm off on training tomorrow ....how exciting NOT ! But hoping it will help as also feel I have put this on the back burner and hoped it would go away for to long :-/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I have put aside tomorrow to finalize this. I've registered us with NEST, and will write the letters to staff tomorrow. Then set it up on our payroll system. We only have two of us that will automatically be enrolled, the rest will have to decide (hopefully no, otherwise its going to cost us money we dont have spare- in fact probably next years salary increase!) Our staging date is next week but as I understand it we dont have to enrol staff until March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Me too. It's actually top of my list for tomorrow's tasks. Thank you Diesel10. Oh sounds riveting Mouseketeer, do come back and tell us how exciting it was.:) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancaster Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 There is a website that gives a step by step guide with template letters etc for you to use. I think it's via direct gov but if you google search too it brings up lots of straightforward info about who, how, and when. Will have a look when I get to work tomorrow and post but won't be until the afternoon as am covering lates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFCCCC Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Our staging date was last July - I was concerned as I have 60 staff and thought it was going to be a major headache. I went with Peoples pension and I have to say they have been brilliant - the telephone is always answered by a human being (not a machine with a menu and a waiting time) and they are very helpful. The process is very quick and once you have run your initial assessment and the staff have received their joining packs - its entirely up to them to manage their account; you just have to send the payment to pension company once a month (calculated automatically by payroll programme) by Direct debit. Don't stress, just remember it's one of those things where there is no mistake that cannot be put right. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Hi also dreading mine ...only 6 staff but wondered if there is any capability for us as employers to claim back the cost of paying into this compulsory pension scheme...( not a fan of pensions....hubby paid into Standard Life from 1984....until retirement 2015....31 years and barely gets back what he paid in for those years....? might have been better to put under our mattress lol 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancaster Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Hi Greenfinch have a look at the dept for work and pensions who give a simple list of ferqeuntly asked questions and also www.pensionadvisoryservice.org.uk - this one is in very simplistic terms!!! Haven't done our one yet so can't say from experience if it is simple! With wages being as they are (low) there will probably be quite a few who don't meet the criteria for auto enrolment! www.gov.uk/workplace-pension is another good one! Take 2 paracetamol before you start ::1a ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenfinch Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 Thank you everyone I still haven't done it but will be doing tomorrow now after I've done everything else so I'll add my thoughts on how easy it was after the weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) Me too. It's actually top of my list for tomorrow's tasks. Thank you Diesel10. Oh sounds riveting Mouseketeer, do come back and tell us how exciting it was.:) Well it was actually ok, we use the payroll company that run the training and other than having to register with a pension provider (6 months before staging date was advised) and deciding whether we want to use 'relief at source' or 'net pay', they will tell us/ send the letters to give to which staff. It was advised to have a policy and add something to contracts. There could be some hefty fines if anyone is found to be trying to dissuade staff from joining, or asking if they intend to at interviews. Edited January 28, 2016 by Mouseketeer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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