Independent review of pension auto-enrolment announced

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, and Pensions Minister, Steve Webb, have outlined the steps they plan to take to reform Britain’s pension system.  This includes an independent review of auto-enrolment.

Following the confirmation that the State Pension will be linked once again to earnings, Iain Duncan Smith outlined how the Coalition Government planned to 'reinvigorate' retirement.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith said:

“Britain used to have a pensions system to be proud of, but due to years of neglect and inaction we are left with fewer people saving into a pension every year and the value of the State Pension has been eroded, leaving millions in poverty. We must live up to our responsibility to reinvigorate the pension landscape.

“People are living longer and healthier lives than ever, and the last thing we want is to lose their talent and enthusiasm from the workplace due to an arbitrary age limit.

“We also need to recognise that to meet the challenge of providing an affordable, stable pensions system in a society with ever-increasing life expectancy, people will need to work longer.

“And we will reward their longer working life by making sure that when they do retire, their pension is worth getting. We are taking radical action to restore the earnings link with the triple guarantee, ensuring our pensioners get the best possible deal.  

“Everyone needs to take responsibility for achieving the income in retirement they aspire to. We will support them in doing so by giving people the chance to save into a workplace pension and the freedom to work beyond retirement age if they want to."

Pensions Minister, Steve Webb said:

“I’ve worked all my life to get a fairer deal for pensioners.  Up to ten million people are not saving enough and we cannot allow this situation to continue.

“Our plans to reinvigorate pension saving will be underpinned by automatic enrolment into workplace pensions from 2012.  But we need to make sure we get the details right, which is why we’re announcing a thorough and speedy review, to make sure that it pays to save.”

This agenda will be driven by:

• restoring the link between the State Pension and earnings from 2011;
• a call for evidence from the public and interested parties on raising the state pension age to 66;
• consulting on how to quickly phase out the Default Retirement Age; and
• an independent review of how to make auto-enrolment work.

A team of three independent experts will spend three months looking at how to make automatic enrolment work before reporting back to Government in the autumn. 

Team leader, Paul Johnson, said:

“This is an important review for the Government and I am delighted to have been asked to lead it.  We are fortunate that we will be able to build on the phenomenal work of the Pensions Commission, and all the work that has happened since then.  I look forward to working with interested parties during the course of the review.”

Alongside the announcement the Department published its call for evidence about the right point at which the state pension age should rise to 66 for both men and women.