Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Employer definition

What does Employer mean? In construction practice, the employer is the party who commissions and pays for the works under a building contract. Also called the client (and, on some projects, the developer), the employer may, but need not, own the site. Across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, usage is broadly consistent. Under JCT and SBCC forms the Employer is the named counterparty to the contractor; NEC uses “Client” for the same role; FIDIC and the Irish Public Works Contracts use “Employer”. The term is contractual rather than statutory: construction safety legislation in the UK and Ireland defines...

UK workplace pensions auto-enrolment (archived): employer compliance toolkit—duties, staging dates, eligibility, qualifying schemes, contributions, communications, records, opt-outs and penalties

Published by a LexisNexis Pensions expert

Practice notes

This archived toolkit sets out the key matters around pensions auto-enrolment and draws attention to the practical measures employers needed to take to meet their auto-enrolment responsibilities for employees in the UK. The pensions regulator also issued useful guidance to help employers get ready for auto-enrolment.

Overview

The auto-enrolment legislation took effect on 1 October 2012 and creates a legal duty on employers to enrol their workers automatically into a pension scheme that meets at least the minimum standards, unless workers opt out. Employers that fail to follow the auto-enrolment rules risk fines of up to £50,000 and, for wilful and persistent breaches, imprisonment for up to two years.

Checklist—preparing for auto-enrolment

Employers would have needed to complete the following preparatory actions for auto-enrolment:

Speak to their benefits adviser (if they have one) or consider appointing a new adviser to support them in meeting their auto-enrolment duties.
Confirm how many people were on their payroll—the date from which their auto-enrolment duties commenced (their ‘staging date’) was set by the size of their payroll...

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Wyn Derbyshire

gunnercooke LLP

Wyn is a partner at gunnercooke LLP and specialises in pensions, trust and employment law in all industry sectors, dealing with the transactional, advisory and documentation aspects.He also has wide experience of the pensions implications of heavyweight corporate transactions and flotations, the issues arising from the establishment and merger of pension schemes, and sex equalisation and other discrimination issues in respect of benefits provided by pension schemes. In addition, he provides advice to pension scheme trustees generally.Recent transactions include advising Amcor on pension matters relating to the acquisition of Alcan business and the acquisition of Northern Foods PLC by Boparan Holdings.He is a co-author (with Stephen Hardy and Stephen Maffey) of TUPE: Law and Practice, published by Spiramus Press (now in its 4th edition), and co-author (with Stephen Hardy and David Wicks) of Money & Work, published by Spiramus Press in August 2007. He has also...

Web page updated on 22/05/2026

Popular documents

Using the Judicial College Guidelines to assess general damages in personal injury claims

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

Tomlin orders in England and Wales: CPR guidance on drafting, confidentiality, approval, variation, enforcement, limitation, CCA issues, court-specific requirements, sample wording and precedents

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Precedent: Deed of Surrender of Lease with Optional Premium, Settlement and Release, Landlord, Mortgagee and Guarantor Consents, Reimbursement and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

Precedent Statutory Declaration: Standard Wording under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...