The Pensions Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2012

Statutory Instruments

2012 No. 682 (C. 16)

Pensions

The Pensions Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2012

Made

3rd March 2012

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 38(4) of the Pensions Act 2011(1).

Citation

1.  This Order may be cited as the Pensions Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2012.

Commencement of provisions

2.  The following provisions of the Pensions Act 2011 come into force, in so far as they are not already in force, on 6th March 2012—

(a) section 9 (rounded figures for earnings trigger and qualifying earnings band),

(b) section 12 (certification that alternative to quality requirement is satisfied), and

(c) section 13 (certification for non-UK schemes).

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Steve Webb

Minister of State,

Department for Work and Pensions

3rd March 2012

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force sections 9, 12 and 13 of the Pensions Act 2011 (c. 19) in so far as they are not already in force, on 6th March 2012.

Article 2 commences three provisions of the Pensions Act 2011.

Section 9 inserts section 15A into the Pensions Act 2008 (c. 30) (“the Act”). The Act requires employers to enrol workers, described in the Act as jobholders, into a pension scheme which meets the requirements set out in the Act. Section 15A of the Act provides that where the automatic enrolment earnings trigger and the qualifying earnings band have been reviewed, an order specifying revised amounts for the automatic enrolment earnings trigger and the qualifying earnings band may specify rounded figures.

Section 12 amends section 28 of the Act. Section 28 of the Act allows employers to certify that the pension scheme they use meets the quality requirements imposed by Part 1 of the Act. The amendment to section 28 of the Act allows employers to certify that the pension scheme they use satisfies alternative requirements that are prescribed.

Section 13 makes further amendments to section 28 of the Act so that employers may certify in relation to money purchase schemes and hybrid schemes that have their main administration in an EEA state other than the United Kingdom and personal pension schemes that have their main administration outside the United Kingdom.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this Order as it has no impact on the private sector or civil society organisations.

NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT ORDERS

(This note is not part of the Order)

The following provisions of the Act have been brought into force by commencement order made before the date of this Order.

Provision	Date of Commencement	S.I. No.
Section 2 (partially)	6th April 2012	2011/3034
Section 8	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Section 19	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Section 20	1st January 2012	2011/3034
Section 21	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Section 22 (partially)	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Section 23 and 24	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Section 26	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Section 34	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Section 35	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Schedule 2 (partially)	6th April 2012	2011/3034
Schedule 4 (partially)	3rd January 2012	2011/3034
Schedule 5	3rd January 2012	2011/3034

(1)

2011 c. 19.