BT to auto-enrol thousands into pension schemes

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BT to auto-enrol thousands into BTRSS or NEST pension schemes

On 1 November, BT will be among the next tranche of employers to auto-enrol those of its employees who are not active members of any pension scheme.

Auto-enrolment affects everyone in the UK who is not an active, participating member of an occupational pension scheme, is over 22, under their state retirement age and earning above a certain amount (currently around £8,000 pa).  They will be ‘auto-enrolled,’ or in other words will automatically become a member of a ‘qualifying’ pension scheme.  

In the immediate run-up to 1 November, BT will be writing to all those affected. This will include those who:

  • have not joined or have left the BT Retirement Savings Scheme (BTRSS)
  • have taken their BT pension and who continue to work for the company
  • for whatever reason have either left or never joined the BT Pension Scheme.

Letters will also be going to everyone who is currently an active member of the BTPS or the BTRSS to explain that they will not be auto-enrolled, as they’re already in a ‘qualifying’ scheme – in other words, a scheme that meets the standards laid down by UK legislation for auto-enrolment. Those who are eligible to join the BTRSS will be auto-enrolled into that scheme. Those who have taken their BTPS pension and continue to work for BT will be auto-enrolled into NEST – the National Employees’ Savings Trust, which is the government’s own defined contribution scheme.

Prospect will be writing to all members at the same time as BT writes to its employees, simply to explain that the auto-enrolment process has been fully discussed with the union and is a process we broadly support.