The Last Word with Matt Cooper Govt To Clamp Down On Firms Attempting To Dodge Pension Autoenrollment
Nov 20, 2025
Charlie Weston, personal finance editor of the Irish Independent, and Dr. Laura Bambrick, head of social policy at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, dive into the urgent need for regulations against companies dodging the new pension auto-enrolment system. They discuss the risks of inferior schemes being forced on employees and the push for minimum standards. The duo highlights the challenges small employers face and clarifies misconceptions about the administrative burden of auto-enrolment, stressing its long-term necessity for securing workers' futures.
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Employers Trying To Subvert Auto-Enrolment
- Companies are trying to game auto-enrolment by offering inferior in-house pensions with token contributions.
- The government is introducing emergency regulations to set minimum contribution standards and prevent this practice.
Check Pension Offers Against New Minimums
- The Minister will set a minimum employer contribution to stop inferior schemes from disadvantaging workers.
- Employers and employees should check that pension offers meet the upcoming regulatory minimums before accepting alternatives.
Regulators Rush Rules Ahead Of Launch
- The law allowed up to five years to set minimum standards, but regulators are fast-tracking rules before auto-enrolment starts.
- Rapid action suggests the practice of pushing employees into weak schemes is sizable enough to merit immediate intervention.