Government delays auto-enrolment for small employers

Auto-enrolment will be delayed for small employers until 2015.

The government has announced that the timetable will be adjusted so that small organisations, with less than 50 employees, will begin automatically enrolling staff in May 2015, instead of the current timing of April 2014.

Auto-enrolment will commence for the largest organisations in autumn 2012 as planned.

Steve Webb, pensions minister, said: “We recognise that small businesses are operating in tough economic times so we are softening the timetable for implementation to give them some additional breathing space.

“This is a sensible step that ensures long-term pension issues are addressed while meeting the short and medium-term needs of small business.”

Read more articles on auto-enrolment and the pension reforms