Since October 2012, more than 500,000 employers have already addressed their auto-enrolment duties, however, the majority of employers in the UK still have this ahead of them.
The TPR is there to support companies and ensure businesses are adhering to auto-enrolment regulations. They are currently running a nationwide campaign to ensure businesses are meeting their duties correctly.
With this is mind, Rob Thomas, associate and senior client relationship manager at Barnett Waddingham, shares his six Pearls of Wisdom for surviving a TPR visit.
- Relax The TPR is there to work with you not against you;
- Treat it like an audit of the AE process All businesses rely on ‘procedures’ to operate - a visit from TPR is effectively an audit of the employer’s procedures for meeting its AE duties;
- Gather your AE records in one place. To save time, it is prudent for employers to have an AE file in one place that outlines the AE scheme;
- Be open and honest with the Regulator If there is a process you know is not working or are concerned about discuss it with them, ask them questions;
- You are not alone TPR are visiting lots of businesses across the country so they are not picking on you;
- Panic only if you have not done anything to prepare for auto-enrolment and you have passed your staging date then panic.