An accounts manager who attempted to conceal that restaurants had not given their staff workplace pensions has been ordered to pay £5,000 by The Pensions Regulator (TPR).

Mansoor Nasir submitted false declarations claiming that nine restaurants were complying with TPR workplace pension regulations by giving their employees the correct benefits.

TPR found that Nasir had failed to automatically enrol 103 staff into workplace pensions in his role as payroll adviser in restaurants in Birmingham, Manchester, Yorkshire and the North East.

When he appeared in court on 9 January, Nasir pleaded guilty to nine charges of “knowingly or recklessly providing TPR with information which was false or misleading” between September 2014 and May 2017.

This is in violation of section 80 of the Pensions Act 2004.

When sentencing Nasir, district judge Teresa Szagun said that his actions had been “deliberate”.

She added: “This legislation is to plan for the financial security of a growing and ageing population.

“The mischief has an impact not only for those individuals involved but for society as a whole.”

Nasir, who is based in Bradford, was ordered to pay a £3,320 fine, £1,560 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

Commenting on the ruling, TPR director of automatic enrolment, Darren Ryder said: “Nasir claimed he didn’t know what he needed to do to put the staff into their workplace pensions but instead of asking us for help he put his head in the sand.

“There is guidance on our website and we also have people on hand to offer employers and advisers help on how to comply with their automatic enrolment duties.

“Nasir’s lies to us have now left him with an entirely avoidable bill and a criminal record."

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