The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published compliance and enforcement details that show it has had to use its formal powers to ensure employers comply with their auto-enrolment duties a total of 23 times.
The powers listed include its ability to carry out inspections and to issue statutory notices, including fixed penalty and escalating fines.
The Pensions Regulator expects to see a corresponding increase in the number of occasions that it uses its statutory powers and issue fines.
These figures will be reported in subsequent quarterly bulletins.
The July bulletin contains details of a case where an employer was required to backdate pension contributions after failing to meet its duty to automatically enrol aligible staff. The case highlights the importance of an employer checking its staging date.
Charles Counsell (pictured), executive director of automatic enrolment at TPR, said: “Employers and the pensions industry are understandably interested to know how and when we use our powers.
“To date, the vast majority of employers are complying with their new workplace pension duties without [TPR] needing to use our enforcement powers.
“I believe this is a testament to the success of our proportionate, risk-based approach to compliance and enforcement.
“We target our resources where they will maximise compliance and work with employers to help them comply with their duties.
“We have provided the tools and assistance that large and medium employers need to ensure millions of workers didn’t miss out on the pension contributions they are entitled to.
“On a small number of occasions, when our intervention has not resulted in the required outcome, we have used our powers to help to ensure employers comply with their duties.”