Employers reminded of AE duties as penalties rise

The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) quarterly compliance and enforcement bulletin has highlighted that there has been an increase in unpaid contribution and compliance notices compared with last quarter.

The quarterly compliance and enforcement bulletin shows a 191.4% increase in unpaid contribution notices (UCN) – from 352 to 1,026 – and a 17% increase in compliance notices (CN) – from 13,185 to 15,420 – compared with the previous quarter.

Mel Charles, Director of AE at TPR, said: “Employers may have seen their business change because of COVID-19, but their pension duties have not. While we issued easements at the start of the pandemic, we closely monitored compliance and took action where necessary. We continued to target employers who committed serious breaches and where staff contributions were at immediate risk.

“As predicted, we are seeing a return to normal levels of enforcement activity in line with our expectations, but we will monitor this closely. Indications are that the majority of employers are paying their contributions in full and on time and we have not seen any unusual increase in reports of late payments by pension schemes. However, employers must remember their pension duties continue and failure to fulfil them may lead to legal action.”

The bulletin also shows how TPR secured its first confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 in September when a fraudster who swindled a charity’s pension scheme out of more than £250,000 was told he must pay back the money he stole or face further jail time.

In a separate hearing in October, which will be reflected in next quarter’s bulletin, TPR secured a second confiscation order under POCA for a fraudster who defrauded a scheme of £292,000.

Source Three Sixty Services - Susan Dalton, 20 November 2020