wokinghamred
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« on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 16:13:06 » |
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Not the most exciting of subjects, but hey .....
Making an example of Swindon Town
The Regulator published a report on one of the cases where it has issued an EPN. The report demonstrates that employers need to ensure that their administrative processes are capable of dealing with auto-enrolment because failing to do so can result very quickly in significant penalties.
Swindon Town Football Company Limited (STFC) reached its auto-enrolment staging date on 1 February 2014. It was then required to automatically enrol eligible jobholders and to complete a Declaration of Compliance (confirming that it had complied with its auto-enrolment duties).
The Regulator issued a CN on 18 August 2014 when it appeared that STFC had taken no action in respect of auto-enrolment. When no action was taken to comply with the CN, the Regulator issued an FPN on 28 October 2014. STFC did not pay the FPN or comply with the CN and, as a result, an EPN was issued on 20 January 2015 which required STFC to comply within 28 days.
STFC did then make contact with the Regulator and was provided with guidance on its obligations, but had not complied with the CN within the 28 day deadline. The EPN accrued for a period of 12 days from 18 February 2015 at a rate of £2,500 per day. It was stopped on 26 February 2015 when STFC provided its Declaration of Compliance and confirmed that it would pay all unpaid pension contributions within two weeks.
However, no contributions had been made by 12 June 2015 when the Regulator issued an Unpaid Contributions Notice. Contributions then remained unpaid and a second EPN was issued on 17 December 2015 requiring payments to be brought up to date by 28 January 2016. These payments were made in January 2016 so no penalty accrued under the second EPN.
The total amount owed to the Regulator by STFC was £22,900 which has now been paid.
Comment
The reasons for STFC’s initial failure to comply with its auto-enrolment duties were not clear from the Regulator’s report. However, it is easy to see how the circumstances described could apply to many small employers if they are not fully prepared for auto-enrolment.
It is not inconceivable that employers who do not have the necessary accounting or payroll resources in place could fail to deal with these matters in view of all of the other issues competing for their limited resources.
The evidence from the Regulator’s recent publications is that whilst it is keen to educate employers as to their duties, all employers should be aware that the threat of relatively high penalties looms on the horizon for those who do not address these issues.
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Red Frog
Not a Dave
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« Reply #1 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 16:40:10 » |
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Now that would have made for an interesting Power-hour question. "One for Steve Anderson" perhaps?
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Tout ce que je sais de plus sûr à propos de la moralité et des obligations des hommes, c'est au football que je le dois. - Albert Camus
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horlock07
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« Reply #2 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 16:44:11 » |
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Is this what has been discussed on here previously or have we fallen foul again?
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Red Frog
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« Reply #3 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 16:45:36 » |
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Same thing, but more detail on our crapness.
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Tout ce que je sais de plus sûr à propos de la moralité et des obligations des hommes, c'est au football que je le dois. - Albert Camus
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horlock07
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« Reply #4 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 16:46:31 » |
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Oh well there goes another summer signing.
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Ardiles
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Stirlingshire Reds
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« Reply #5 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 16:51:12 » |
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It's fucking embarrassing. Smaller firms than STFC will have been all over this. It was well-publicised change and everyone knew should have known it was coming.
Not the first time a body has tried to make an example of Swindon Town, either. Hopefully we'll come storming back again with promotion to the Premier League in 3 years time.
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Red Frog
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« Reply #6 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 17:19:20 » |
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Doesn't that text give you the impression that even once the fine had been imposed, we might have had some luck in trying to negotiate it down? Not that I'm belittling Steve Anderson's efforts, mind.
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Tout ce que je sais de plus sûr à propos de la moralité et des obligations des hommes, c'est au football que je le dois. - Albert Camus
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ronnie21
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« Reply #7 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 18:03:47 » |
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Now that would have made for an interesting Power-hour question. "One for Steve Anderson" perhaps?
It was brought up, Power acknowledged it and said the fine had been paid and it was all put to bed now! |
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Samdy Gray
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« Reply #8 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 18:26:28 » |
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It was brought up, Power acknowledged it and said the fine had been paid and it was all put to bed now!
...until they have to complete a new declaration of compliance in 3 years. |
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ronnie21
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« Reply #9 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 19:14:09 » |
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...until they have to complete a new declaration of compliance in 3 years.
Perhaps you had better warn them now then!! |
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Simon Pieman
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« Reply #10 on: Thursday, May 12, 2016, 20:08:36 » |
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Doesn't say anything different to what we knew before
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FreddySTFC!
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« Reply #11 on: Saturday, May 21, 2016, 12:48:27 » |
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I have a culture, I don't stop my culture!!
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