http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2000/69/contents/made

The Occupational Pension Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

Occupational pensions

Pensions

Government Printer for Northern Ireland

2017-09-13

PENSIONS

These Regulations amend two sets of regulations related to the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (“the Order”) pursuant to Article 11(1) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (“the 1999 Order”) which substitutes paragraph (8) of Article 49 of the Order with paragraphs (8) to (13). Like the earlier Article 49(8), these paragraphs are concerned with the regulation of payments by employers to occupational pension schemes. However, whereas previously an employer was liable to a criminal penalty if he breached the requirement that deductions from an employee’s earnings in respect of contributions to an occupational pension scheme be paid to the trustees or managers within a prescribed period, the substituted provisions give the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) the power to impose a civil sanction for breach of that requirement. A person found guilty of the fraudulent evasion of the obligation to make timely payment, will though, remain liable to a criminal penalty.