The Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order 2015 (revoked)

Statutory Instruments

2015 No. 468

Pensions

The Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order 2015

Made

2nd March 2015

Coming into force

6th April 2015

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has considered whether any of the amounts in sections 3(1)(c), 5(1)(c) and 13(1)(a) and (b) of the Pensions Act 2008 M1 should be increased or decreased, as required by section 14(1) of that Act.

A draft of this Order was laid before Parliament in accordance with section 143(4) and (5)(c) of that Act M2 and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 14(2), 15A(1) and 144(4) of that Act M3 .

Marginal Citations

M1 2008 c. 30. Section 3(1) was substituted by section 5(1) of the Pensions Act 2011 (c. 19) (“the 2011 Act”) and amended by S.I. 2014/623. Section 5(1) was substituted by section 5(3) of the 2011 Act and amended by S.I. 2014/623. Section 13(1) was amended by S.I. 2014/623. Section 14 was substituted by section 8(1) of the 2011 Act.

M2 Section 143(5)(c) was amended by section 8(3) of the 2011 Act.

M3 Section 15A was inserted by section 9 of the 2011 Act.

Citation, commencement and interpretation U.K.

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order 2015 and comes into force on 6th April 2015.

(2) In this Order “the Act” means the Pensions Act 2008.

Increase of amounts U.K.

2.  In section 13(1) of the Act (qualifying earnings)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for “£5,772” substitute “ £5,824 ”; and

(b) in paragraph (b), for “£41,865” substitute “ £42,385 ”.

Rounding of figures U.K.

3.  For the purposes of sections 3(6B), 5(7B) and 13(2) of the Act M4 , in the case of a pay reference period of a length described in the first row of the table, the rounded figure in respect of the provision of the Act mentioned in the first column of the table is that which appears below the pay reference period which corresponds to that provision.

Table

	1 week	2 weeks	4 weeks	1 month	3 months	6 months
Sections 3(6B) and 5(7B)	£192	£384	£768	£833	£2,499	£4,998
Section 13(2) (referring to section 13(1)(a))	£112	£224	£448	£486	£1,456	£2,912
Section 13(2) (referring to section 13(1)(b))	£815	£1,631	£3,261	£3,532	£10,597	£21,193

Marginal Citations

M4 Section 3(6B) was inserted by section 5(2) of the 2011 Act. Section 5(7B) was inserted by section 5(4) of the 2011 Act.

Revocation U.K.

4.  Article 3 of the Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order 2014 M5 is revoked.

Marginal Citations

M5 S.I. 2014/623

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

Steve Webb

Minister of State,

Department for Work and Pensions

2nd March 2015

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes provision under sections 14 and 15A of the Pensions Act 2008 (c. 30) (“the Act”).

Article 2 increases the amounts in section 13(1)(a) and (b) of the Act (qualifying earnings) which provides that a person's qualifying earnings are earnings of more than the amount specified in subsection (1)(a) of that section and not more than the amount specified in subsection (1)(b) of that section.

Article 3 specifies rounded figures for the purposes of sections 3(6B), 5(7B) and 13(2) of the Act. The amounts specified in sections 3(1)(c), 5(1)(c) and 13(1) (as increased by article 2) of the Act are in relation to a pay reference period of 12 months. Sections 3(6B), 5(7B) and 13(2) provide that, where a pay reference period is less or more than 12 months, the amounts specified in sections 3(1)(c), 5(1)(c) and 13(1) apply as if they were proportionately less or more. This article prescribes rounded figures in respect of pay reference periods of less than 12 months.

Article 4 revokes article 3 of the Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/623).

An analysis of the impact of this legislation has been made. The analysis is published with the Government's response to the public consultation on the automatic enrolment earnings thresholds review and revision for 2015/2016 on https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/workplace-pensions-automatic-enrolment-review-of-earnings-threshold.