The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has warned that employers who ignore their automatic enrolment duties could find themselves with a county court judgment (CCJ). Data from TPR shows the number of fines associated with implementing workplace pensions has risen in parallel with the high number of employers now reaching their deadline to comply. The regulator said between October and December 2016, nearly 3,000 fixed penalty notices were issued. In the same period, 870 escalating penalty notices were issued.

TPR said a small number of employers have now been issued with CCJs after failing to pay these fines. It said this can happen when employers persistently ignore penalty notices sent to them by TPR. Employers failing to pay within 30 days of receiving a CCJ have the details entered on their credit record, affecting their ability to borrow money in future. Charles Counsell, automatic enrolment executive director at TPR, said: “Burying your head in the sand and ignoring your legal duties means your staff are missing out on pensions they are entitled to and your credit rating and reputation could be hit.”....Read more here