NEST — a defined contribution workplace pension scheme — was set up by the UK government to facilitate auto enrolment. As a ‘qualifying’ scheme, NEST can be used by any and all UK employers to make pension contributions. Employers can auto enrol employees in NEST rather than setting up their own pension scheme.
Members can transfer other Defined Contribution pensions they may have into their Nest scheme, should they wish, and are also free to transfer out to another pension scheme, providing they have stopped making contributions into the NEST account.
Although Auto Enrolment is compulsory, membership of NEST isn’t. NEST is, by design, a very simple scheme offering few bells and whistles. Employers with more sophisticated requirements are free to consider establishing other types of workplace/occupational pension schemes.
Key considerations for employers:
1. Which type of scheme are you offering your staff?
Look at the advantages and disadvantages of other employer pension schemes when compared with the NEST scheme. Once you have analysed this, you can then decide which is more suitable for your organisation. A combination of two schemes may be the most appropriate approach initially, with staff eligibility for different schemes contributing to the solution. For example, senior and employed staff being enrolled into an occupational scheme and contract staff being enrolled in NEST.
2. Work on your budgets
Employers have to contribute 3% of every employee’s ‘qualifying earnings’ to their occupational pension scheme, which will have a considerable impact on the costs of the business. If you offer a higher contribution rate, plan for the cost and long-term implications of enrolling all staff on this basis. Look at whether you are making contributions on the full salary amount or band earnings. The key is to budget for these newly introduced measures, so that larger pension contributions do not make a sudden impact on costs. Employers may consider reviewing their total remuneration package in order to absorb these extra costs.
3. Review your current systems to make sure they can cope with the additional administration.
Can your payroll and HR systems cope with any extra administration? This is particularly relevant for any organisations that run both an occupational pension scheme and enrol some staff into the NEST system.
4. Effectively communicate these changes to your staff
Consider how you are communicating these changes to your staff. It is important to try and engage employees with their pension and get them to ‘buy-in’ to your company scheme. A pension scheme is viewed by many employees as an essential part of their benefits package, and when offered as part of the overall remuneration, can add tremendous perceived value to an organisation and the way it views its employees.
Organisations that provide pension schemes above the standard laid out by the government are likely to be a more attractive proposition for new and existing employees and demonstrate a commitment to their workforce.
Employers which offer schemes with contribution rates above the statutory minimum may be interested in applying for a pension quality mark to differentiate their scheme from others. (www.pensionqualitymark.org.uk)
Please contact us for further information and advice.
NEST IS REGULATED BY THE PENSIONS REGULATOR.
MEET OUR Director/Wealth Manager
Aman Mashiana
Aman Mashiana is a strategic wealth management professional with more than 15 years’ experience building and leading advisory practices, managing substantial client portfolios, and delivering sustainable revenue growth in competitive financial markets.
The best solutions often start with the right questions!
FAQ'S
Not at all. We believe great financial planning should be accessible. Whether you are just starting to build your assets, navigating a major life transition, or managing multi-generational wealth, we tailor our advice completely to your current situation and future goals.
Our initial conversation is entirely exploratory and comes at no cost to you. It’s simply a chance to get to know each other. We’ll discuss your current financial picture, what you hope to achieve, and how we might be able to help. You won't need to sign anything or make any big decisions on day one.
We want to make managing your wealth as convenient as possible. We are happy to meet face-to-face at our office, or we can host a secure virtual meeting via video call (such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom) if that fits better into your busy schedule.
We believe in absolute fee transparency, meaning we agree on all costs upfront before any work begins. Depending on the complexity of your needs, our fees may be structured as a transparent percentage of the assets we manage, a flat fixed fee for a specific project, or an hourly rate. There are never any hidden costs or surprise bills.
Absolutely. It's incredibly common to lose track of old workplace pensions over time. We can help you trace your scattered accounts, review their current performance and fees, and—if it makes financial sense—consolidate them into a single, high-performing, and easy-to-manage retirement plan.
We don't believe in cookie-cutter portfolios. We take the time to deeply understand your time horizon, your specific life goals, and your personal comfort level with market volatility. From there, we build a diversified portfolio designed to grow your wealth steadily while keeping your risk well within your comfort zone.
Yes. Making money on investments is only half the battle; keeping it tax-efficient is just as important. We actively structure your wealth to minimize Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and Inheritance Tax, ensuring more of your hard-earned money stays with you and your loved ones.
Tax planning, estate planning & Inheritance Tax planning are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Not at all. We believe great financial planning should be accessible. Whether you are just starting to build your assets, navigating a major life transition, or managing multi-generational wealth, we tailor our advice completely to your current situation and future goals.
Our initial conversation is entirely exploratory and comes at no cost to you. It’s simply a chance to get to know each other. We’ll discuss your current financial picture, what you hope to achieve, and how we might be able to help. You won't need to sign anything or make any big decisions on day one.
We want to make managing your wealth as convenient as possible. We are happy to meet face-to-face at our office, or we can host a secure virtual meeting via video call (such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom) if that fits better into your busy schedule.
We believe in absolute fee transparency, meaning we agree on all costs upfront before any work begins. Depending on the complexity of your needs, our fees may be structured as a transparent percentage of the assets we manage, a flat fixed fee for a specific project, or an hourly rate. There are never any hidden costs or surprise bills.
Absolutely. It's incredibly common to lose track of old workplace pensions over time. We can help you trace your scattered accounts, review their current performance and fees, and—if it makes financial sense—consolidate them into a single, high-performing, and easy-to-manage retirement plan.
We don't believe in cookie-cutter portfolios. We take the time to deeply understand your time horizon, your specific life goals, and your personal comfort level with market volatility. From there, we build a diversified portfolio designed to grow your wealth steadily while keeping your risk well within your comfort zone.
Yes. Making money on investments is only half the battle; keeping it tax-efficient is just as important. We actively structure your wealth to minimize Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and Inheritance Tax, ensuring more of your hard-earned money stays with you and your loved ones.
Tax planning, estate planning & Inheritance Tax planning are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
