Just over 11 million savers have been newly enrolled into a workplace pension since auto-enrolment (AE) was introduced in 2012, data from The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has shown, as it announced plans to boost its employer compliance efforts.

In a blog post, TPR interim joint director of AE, Sarah Howitt-Jones, emphasised the regulator's commitment to ensure all savers get the workplace pensions they are due, stressing that TPR will do “everything we can to ensure employers are meeting their pension duties to their staff”.

“Last year alone we engaged directly with more than 600,000 employers to support compliance, and, through enforcement, recovered more than £135m in missing pension contributions (2022-2023),” Howitt-Jones continued.

She also highlighted TPR's recent efforts to boost compliance, including the launch of a new online service for employers and advisers designed make it even simpler and easier to comply with their duties.

The refreshed declaration of compliance site introduces important updates that enhance the user experience, including a new ‘duties task list’ lets users know which sections are complete.

Other updates include improvements for those with accessibility needs and the ability to save or print a declaration summary instantly, as well as making it easier for declarations to be completed on a mobile device.

There are early indications that employers are finding the site easier to use, with more than 88,000 employers and advisers having already used the new tool to declare or redeclare their compliance since it went live on 8 January.

In addition to this, Howitt-Jones pointed out that TPR is using a targeted communications campaign to boost compliance, reminding employers why re-enrolling and redeclaring their staff every three years is so vital a duty.

"Thanks to the fresh opportunity re-enrolment offers, just over 1 million people are now saving for their future again, having previously opted out," she continued.

"We are telling employers there is no excuse for non-compliance. Those whose first re-enrolment deadline is coming up are being targeted with direct communications, as well as social media posts, urging them to re-enrol, as part of the campaign."

She added: “The message is clear: ‘Do it now – it’s your legal duty. If you don’t, we can fine you’.

“As our compliance and enforcement work is data and information-led, we are able to monitor for non-compliance and take action where needed.

“The good news is that the vast majority of employers are meeting their duties. More than 2.3 million employers have enrolled or re-enrolled employees in workplace pensions since the launch of AE in 2012.

“Building on the success of AE, we are looking forward to working with the government as it seeks to further extend the framework, giving many more people the opportunity to save for their future. We’ll work with the pensions industry, as well as the Department for Work and Pensions, to ensure employers have the support they need to plan for change."

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