Johnson Fleming launches dedicated auto-enrolment services for SMEs

With almost 600,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK reaching their auto-enrolment staging date between April 2015 and January 2017, workplace pensions and employee benefits specialist Johnson Fleming has launched two UK-first solutions aimed entirely at supporting these employers.

Following a rise in the number of compliance notices issued, and recent regulator research indicating that one in five small employers and half of all micro business owners are not even aware of when they must become compliant, these solutions have been designed to ease the burden, risk and cost associated with auto-enrolment.

Depending on the level of support required, a business can opt for a managed auto-enrolment service or a supported auto-enrolment service. The managed package will devolve all responsibility of compliance to the experts at Johnson Fleming, resulting in a reduced workload while ensuring risk exposure is minimised.

Alternatively, for businesses that manage auto-enrolment internally, the supported option enables firms to access the same software as the managed service. This allows them to action all the processes required in a single integrated system and deliver a fully compliant auto-enrolment solution, in house.

Iain Chadwick

Iain Chadwick, consultancy director at Johnson Fleming, says: “The evolution of the pensions landscape is seemingly unending, meaning more and more businesses are being left daunted by the sheer magnitude of legislative changes and compliance requirements.

“Our two new auto-enrolment solutions have been specifically designed to help SMEs successfully, efficiently and cost-effectively comply with all of the auto-enrolment rules, helping them to avoid fines from The Pensions Regulator.

“And because we understand that every employer is different, we’ve ensured these packages offer flexibility to enable businesses to take back control at a time of increasing scrutiny and change.”

Featuring a broad range of tools, from validation and testing of employee data and assessment and categorisation of a workforce to creation and delivery of statutory communications and ongoing transactional audits, the managed option delivers a fully compliant auto-enrolment solution.

SMEs using the supported system will be prompted and able to action all of their monthly auto-enrolment duties including opt-in and opt-out management, record keeping and auditing.

For more information, click here or call 01527 571 211.