Pension regulator running spot checks on UK employers

13 May 2022

Employers suspected of failing to meet their workplace pensions duties are being targeted with spot check inspections by the Pensions Regulator (TPR).

The majority of employers visited by TPR are those which have failed to make the correct pensions contributions for their staff. The compliance drive marks a return by TPR to larger scale in-person inspections targeting different areas across the UK following the lifting of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions earlier this year.

While TPR has continued with urgent ad-hoc inspections on employers suspected of serious breaches, its routine compliance drives were paused in response to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

TPR's Head of Compliance and Enforcement, Joe Turner, said: 'Despite the challenges of the past two years, the majority of employers have continued to meet their responsibilities, including paying contributions in full on time and recognising that automatic enrolment is business as usual.

'But where we are aware that an employer is failing to do the right thing, we will take action to protect savers, including on-site inspections. This means we could be knocking on an employer's door in any part of the UK.'