WIREDGOV

Key points

• In 2013, the proportion of employees who belonged to a workplace pension increased to 50%, the first increase since 2006.
• 85% of public sector employees and 36% of private sector employees had a workplace pension scheme in 2013.
• In the private sector, 51% of employees within large employers (5000+ employees) were members of a workplace pension in 2013 compared to 36% in 2012.
• In the public sector, 75% of full time employees earning £100-200 per week were members of a workplace pension in 2013 compared to 59% in 2012.
• In 2013, 23% of employees with defined contribution pension schemes received employer contributions of greater than zero and under 4% of pensionable earnings, compared to 11% in 2012. The proportion of employees with defined contribution schemes receiving employer contributions of over 12% was 20% in 2013 compared to 33% in 2012.
• The introduction of automatic enrolment represents a major change in the UK workplace pension system. Automatic enrolment began in October 2012 for employers with over 120,000 employees, with gradual roll-out to all employers by 2018. Automatic enrolment aims to extend workplace pension membership, in particular for those who are moderate to low earners.