Answers · UK 2025/26
What is auto-enrolment for pensions in the UK?
Auto-enrolment means UK employers must automatically enrol eligible employees (age 22+, earning over £10,000/year) into a workplace pension. Minimum contributions are 5% employee + 3% employer = 8% of qualifying earnings (£6,240–£50,270 in 2025/26).
Full answer
UK Pensions Act 2008 (effective 2012) introduced auto-enrolment. Employers must enrol every "eligible jobholder" into a qualifying workplace pension scheme: age 22 to State Pension Age, working in the UK, earning more than £10,000/year. Minimum total contribution since 2019: 8% of qualifying earnings (£6,240–£50,270 in 2025/26) — 5% from employee (including 1% tax relief), 3% from employer. Employees age 16–21 or 22–SPA earning £6,240–£10,000 can choose to opt in and receive employer contributions. Employees can opt out within 1 month and get a full refund of their own contributions; after that they can stop but contributions remain in the pension. Employers must re-enrol opted-out staff every 3 years. From October 2026 the government plans to lower the age threshold to 18 and remove the lower earnings threshold (contributing on £1 of earnings). The Pensions Regulator (TPR) oversees compliance — fines start at £400 for non-compliance.
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This answer is informational only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are for the 2025/26 UK tax year. See our methodology and sources.