Joining through my employer

Thanks to auto enrolment, every employer across the country is helping their staff save for the future. Find out what this means for you.

Auto enrolment

If you earn above the required threshold and you’re in the right age group, your employer will have to automatically enrol you into a workplace pension scheme. This means they’ll also make contributions into your pension pot. If you’re not automatically enrolled, then speak to your employer as you may still be entitled to opt in.

Am I eligible for a workplace pension?

Your employer will write to you about your workplace pension and whether you’ll be automatically enrolled. If you're not automatically enrolled, you may still be able to opt in. To be eligible you must fit into one of the three categories of workers shown below:

Opting out

If you’ve been automatically enrolled but don’t want to be a member, you can opt out during your one month opt-out period. You must be enrolled before you can opt out.

Opt out now

The re-enrolment process

If you’re automatically enrolled and you opt out or pause contributions into your pot, you may still be re-enrolled in the future. 

This depends on the re-enrolment dates your employer needs to follow, and whether you’re still eligible. The government asks your employer to do this every three years to give you more chances to think about whether it’s the right time to start saving for retirement. You won't be re-assessed for auto enrolment if you opted out or stopped contributions within 12 months of your re-enrolment date. You can check with your employer when their next re-enrolment date is.

Remember that small steps can make a big difference. The earlier you start, the more money will go into your pot and the more time your savings will have to grow. 

See how much you could get

Contractual enrolment

Your employer could also use contractual enrolment. They'll need your consent first, typically when you sign your contract of employment. Your consent allows them to deduct contributions from your salary, no matter how much you are earning. If you are contractually enrolled, you won't be able to opt out of the scheme but you can stop your contributions. If you choose to stop your contributions your employer may automatically enrol you at a later date.