Every payday, a percentage of the employee’s pay is deducted automatically from their salary or wages and invested in the scheme. The employer also contributes to the scheme on the employee’s behalf as does the government in the form of tax relief.
Two types of scheme
In a ‘defined contribution scheme’, the employee’s retirement income is based on the contributions made, whereas in a defined benefit scheme, the employee’s pension income is based on his or her salary and length of service with the employer. Most occupational pension schemes are defined contribution schemes.
What happens if the employer goes out of business?
Most defined contribution schemes are managed by insurance companies not the employer, so employees’ pension pots should not be affected. If the scheme is a trust-based scheme, employees will still get their pensions, although not as much because the scheme’s running costs will be paid out of members’ pension pots rather than by the employer.
Auto Enrolment
Under ‘Automatic enrolment’ rules, any employer (with at least one member of staff) must automatically enrol every employee between the age of 22 and State Pension age and earning in excess of £10,000 a year (2021/22) into a 'Workplace pension scheme'.
Contribution costs
The minimum contribution for employers is 3% of the employee’s earnings, whilst employees are obliged to contribute at least 4% or 5% of their earnings before tax, depending on the scheme criteria.
THE PENSIONS REGULATOR IS THE STATUTORY REGULATOR FOR WORKPLACE PENSIONS.
THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE AUTO ENROLMENT AND OCCUPATIONAL PENSIONS.
A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PENSION IS A LONG TERM INVESTMENT, THE FUND VALUE MAY FLUCTUATE AND CAN GO DOWN. YOUR EVENTUAL INCOME MAY DEPEND UPON THE SIZE OF THE FUND AT RETIREMENT, FUTURE INTEREST RATES AND TAX LEGISLATION.
INFORMATION IS BASED ON OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF TAXATION LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS. ANY LEVELS AND BASES OF, AND RELIEFS FROM TAXATION, ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Occupational Pensions
How occupational pension schemes work
Every payday, a percentage of the employee’s pay is deducted automatically from their salary or wages and invested in the scheme. The employer also contributes to the scheme on the employee’s behalf as does the government in the form of tax relief.
Two types of scheme
In a ‘defined contribution scheme’, the employee’s retirement income is based on the contributions made, whereas in a defined benefit scheme, the employee’s pension income is based on his or her salary and length of service with the employer. Most occupational pension schemes are defined contribution schemes.
What happens if the employer goes out of business?
Most defined contribution schemes are managed by insurance companies not the employer, so employees’ pension pots should not be affected. If the scheme is a trust-based scheme, employees will still get their pensions, although not as much because the scheme’s running costs will be paid out of members’ pension pots rather than by the employer.
Auto Enrolment
Under ‘Automatic enrolment’ rules, any employer (with at least one member of staff) must automatically enrol every employee between the age of 22 and State Pension age and earning in excess of £10,000 a year (2021/22) into a 'Workplace pension scheme'.
Contribution costs
The minimum contribution for employers is 3% of the employee’s earnings, whilst employees are obliged to contribute at least 4% or 5% of their earnings before tax, depending on the scheme criteria.
THE PENSIONS REGULATOR IS THE STATUTORY REGULATOR FOR WORKPLACE PENSIONS.
THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE AUTO ENROLMENT AND OCCUPATIONAL PENSIONS.
A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PENSION IS A LONG TERM INVESTMENT, THE FUND VALUE MAY FLUCTUATE AND CAN GO DOWN. YOUR EVENTUAL INCOME MAY DEPEND UPON THE SIZE OF THE FUND AT RETIREMENT, FUTURE INTEREST RATES AND TAX LEGISLATION.
INFORMATION IS BASED ON OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF TAXATION LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS. ANY LEVELS AND BASES OF, AND RELIEFS FROM TAXATION, ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Registered Address: Same as above
Registration in Scotland under reference: SC236583
City Gate Aberdeen Ltd is an appointed representative of Tenet Network Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Tenet Network Servicest Limited is entered on the Financial Services Register (http://www.fca.org.uk/register) under reference 149826.
The information contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore primarily targeted at consumers based in the UK.
Tenet provide regulatory, technical, training and business development support to help us meet the stringent and comprehensive requirements of our regulator, The Financial Conduct Authority (the body that aims to make sure that financial markets work well so consumers get a fair deal).
Want to know more about Tenet?
If you want to know more about Tenet and the support they provide to us, please visit www.tenetgroup.co.uk/consumer
