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Your workplace pension rights

Most UK workers have the opportunity to save for their retirement through automatic enrolment.

Will this apply to me?

Automatic enrolment makes it easier to put money aside for your retirement. Your employer will choose a pension scheme and could enrol you automatically. Once you're automatically enrolled, money may be paid into your pension pot by you, your employer and the government. This money will be invested for you with the aim of making the amount grow so you have more money when you retire. If you don't think it’s the right time to save into a pension scheme, you can choose to opt out.

To be automatically enrolled by your employer, you must:
- be aged at least 22 but under State Pension age
- earn more than £10,000* per year from that employer
- be working or normally work in the UK
- not already be an active member of a qualifying scheme with that employer

Even if you do not qualify to be automatically enrolled you can ask your employer to enrol you. They may also have to make contributions for you depending on your age and how much you earn.

*These figures apply to the 2020/21 tax year, and will be reviewed every year by the government.

Where will the contributions to my pension come from?

The government has set minimum contribution levels to give workers a good start to pension saving. Some of the money will come from your employer and the rest will come out of your wages. If you are a tax-payer you'll also get tax relief from the government on your contributions.

Contribution levels are set as a percentage of your qualifying earnings. 'Qualifying earnings' means the money you earn (including bonuses, overtime and benefits) between £6,240 and £50,000*.

The table below shows the minimum contribution levels.

Date	Minimum Contributions (as a percentage of worker's qualifying earnings)
April 2019 onwards	8% (of which at least 3% must come from employer)

You may be able to pay extra contributions into your pot, either regularly or as a one-off, depending on the rules of your pension scheme.
Other people can also pay money into your pension pot if they wish, for example your spouse, partner or family.

How will I know what is happening?

Your employer will tell you in writing if you’re going to be automatically enrolled. They'll also tell you what your options are if you don't want to stay a member of their chosen pension scheme.

Once they've told you what’s happening, they'll enrol you into the pension scheme.

If BCF is your employer's chosen workplace pension scheme, you'll receive a welcome pack from us by post. This will tell you all you need to know about being a member of the BCF Scheme. If you don't want to be a member you can opt out within the first month.

Find out more

When will I be enrolled?

Your employer has a duty to automatically enrol all their eligible workers.

You will normally be enrolled from the first day you start with your employer or, if you don't meet the eligibility criteria shown above, you will be enrolled when you first meet these criteria.

Your employer can postpone automatic enrolment for up to 3 months from when you become eligible. If this is happening your employer will write to you with more details.

If you’re enrolled with BCF, we’ll send you a welcome pack as soon as you join.

Sign In to BCF

Your workplace pension rights

Will this apply to me?

Where will the contributions to my pension come from?

How will I know what is happening?

When will I be enrolled?

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