The recent news that the Government has extended the period that new employees have to auto-enrol in a pension scheme from four to six weeks is certainly welcome for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The announcement by the Department for Work and Pensions aims to make the implementation of the new rules easier for smaller organisations. In addition to giving more time for SMEs to register employees, the deadline for employers to provide information to individuals on their joining rights is also extended.
Auto-enrolment will mean that all 海角视频 employers must automatically place their entire workforce into a qualifying pension arrangement. All employers must contribute to that pension arrangement and monitor and keep records of their workforce’s membership of the scheme.
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The laws came into effect for the 海角视频’s largest businesses last year and from 2014, businesses with between 249 and 160 staff need to be ready.
At Irwin Mitchell, we think this is an interesting move and a clear sign that the Government has recognised the huge burden that SMEs face over the coming years as their staging dates approach. Although smaller firms think they are ready for the new rules, our own research has highlighted that the majority have not considered the key issues.
Providing this breathing space will be welcome, but this alone will not solve the issue. What is also clear is the need for a cost-effective automated solution for auto-enrolment.
Many SMEs do not have the back office support to cope with this additional piece of red tape and we certainly support a call for a system which makes things easier and enables 海角视频 entrepreneurs to get on with growing their businesses.
This latest announcement by the Government follows a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) which claims that 海角视频 businesses are facing £15.4 billion in set-up costs for auto-enrolment. According to the ‘Finding Your Way Out Of The Auto Enrolment Maze’ report, each small business faces a set-up cost of £8,900 to get ready for the new legislation.
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This rises to £12,600 for small-medium businesses of 100 employees and £15,600 for companies employing 250 people. It also states that the time spent getting ready for auto enrolment could take each business up to 103 man days, with the recurring administration burden taking over three days each month for some firms.
* Fergal Dowling is head of employment at Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office