ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <title>Welplan eNewsletter</title> <style type="text/css"> body { background: #DADADB; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .left_shadow { width: 9px; height: 100%; } .right_shadow { width: 9px; height: 100%; } h1 { color: #009CDD; font-size: 20px; } h2 { color: #009CDD; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px; padding-right: 30px; text-align: right } p { color: #1F1D21; font-size: 11px; } a { text-decoration: none; color: #009CDD; } a:hover { text-decoration: underline; color: #009CDD; } hr { border: 1px solid #DADADB; width: 100%; } img { border: 0; } </style> </head> <body> <table width="668" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td height="20" colspan="3" valign="top"><div align="center"> <!-- <p>Problems seeing this email? Please <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/index.htm">click here</a></p> --> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/top.jpg" width="668" height="20" border="0" usemap="#Map2" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="9" rowspan="3" valign="top" class="left_shadow"> </td> <td height="129" valign="top"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/header_aug.gif" width="650" height="129" /></td> <td width="9" rowspan="3" valign="top" class="right_shadow"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <!-- start_content --> <table width="650" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="20">&nbsp;</td> <td height="30" colspan="2" valign="middle"><h2>Freephone: 0800 195 8080&nbsp; <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk" title="www.welplan.co.uk">www.welplan.co.uk</a></h2></td> <td valign="top" width="20">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td width="360" valign="top"><h1>Pension Reform</h1> <p>From October 2012 there will begin a fundamental reform of workplace pensions, requiring all employers to automatically enrol their employees into a qualifying pension scheme and pay contributions.</p> <p>In this latest edition, we look at the provisions of the Pensions Act 2008 and its implications for employers, what action they should be considering and the solution that Welplan can offer.</p> <p>Subsequent editions will keep you up to date with the reforms as they develop, together with our usual mix of topical items and updates.</p></td> <td width="250" align="right" valign="top"><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/index.htm"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/pension_reform.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a></td> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <!-- New Story. The Welplan Solution---------------- --> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td valign="top"><h1><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/The Welplan Solution.html" title="The Welplan Solution"><strong>The Welplan Solution</strong></a></h1> <p><strong>Welplan Pensions</strong> is a <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#qualifying_scheme">qualifying pension scheme</a> that has been providing pensions for the building services industry since 1988. It takes care of auto-enrolment and re-enrolment, providing a company-wide pension scheme for operatives and all other employees, with advice and support through a dedicated helpline. It offers a wide range of investment options and a choice of paper and web-based administration systems. It is simple, reliable, effective and available now.</p> <p><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/The Welplan Solution.html" title="The Welplan Solution"><strong>&gt;&gt; MORE</strong>&hellip;</a></p></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/The Welplan Solution.html"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/palm_welplan_logo.jpg" alt="The Welplan Solution" width="150" height="150" /></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <!-- End of new story --> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td valign="top"><h1><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Auto-enrolment compulsory from 2012.html" title="Auto-enrolment"><strong>Auto-enrolment</strong></a></h1> <p>From October 2012 all employers will be required by law to enrol all <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#eligible_jobholder">eligible jobholders</a> into a workplace pension scheme and make <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#contributions">contributions</a>. For the first time, automatic enrolment has been set as the default, with the option for employees to opt-out. This means that businesses must have systems in place to automatically enrol all their <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#eligible_jobholder">eligible jobholders</a>. </p> <p><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Auto-enrolment compulsory from 2012.html" title="Auto-enrolment"><strong>&gt;&gt; MORE</strong>&hellip;</a></p></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Auto-enrolment compulsory from 2012.html"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/auto_enrolment.jpg" alt="Auto-enrolment" width="150" height="150" /></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td valign="top"><h1><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Staging Dates for auto-enrolment.html" title="Staging dates"><strong>Staging Dates</strong></a></h1> <p>Businesses will need to comply with the new regulations by a specific date, which is linked to their number of employees. These staging dates are spread between October 2012 and 2016. <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#pensions_regulator">The Pensions Regulator</a> will notify businesses of their staging date, but waiting to receive the notification before taking action may not leave enough time to find the right scheme.</p> <p><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Staging Dates for auto-enrolment.html" title="Staging dates"><strong>&gt;&gt; MORE</strong>&hellip;</a></p></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Staging Dates for auto-enrolment.html"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/staging_dates.jpg" alt="Staging dates" width="150" height="150" /></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td valign="top"><h1><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Contributions.html" title="Minimum Contributions"><strong> Contributions</strong></a></h1> <p>The Pensions Act 2008 states that from the business&rsquo; <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#staging_date">staging date</a>, employers will be required to contribute to a company pension scheme a minimum 1% of the eligible jobholder's <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#qualifying_earnings">qualifying earnings</a>, rising to 3% by 2017. <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#eligible_jobholder">Eligible jobholders</a> are all <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#jobholder">jobholders</a> aged between 22 and <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#state_retirement_age">state retirement age</a> earning more than the minimum earnings threshold (&pound;7,475pa for 2011/12).</p> <p><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Contributions.html" title="Minimum Contributions"><strong>&gt;&gt; MORE</strong>&hellip;</a></p></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Contributions.html"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/minimum_contributions.jpg" alt="Minimum Contributions" width="150" height="150" /></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td valign="top"> <h1><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Welplan Pensions - the solution for employers.html"><strong>Welplan Pensions - the Next Steps</strong></a></h1> <p>The Government has set up the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) scheme, particularly to help small employers and low to moderate earners comply with the reforms. However, a <a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm#qualifying_scheme">qualifying scheme</a>, either run in-house or by another provider such as Welplan, may better suit your business needs. </p> <p><strong>Welplan Pensions</strong> is a qualifying pension scheme that has been providing pensions for the building services industry since 1988. It takes care of auto-enrolment and re-enrolment, providing a company-wide pension scheme for operatives and all other employees, with advice and support through a dedicated helpline. It offers a wide range of investment options and a choice of paper and web-based administration systems. It is simple, reliable, effective and available now. </p> <p><a title="NEST and qualifying schemes" href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Welplan Pensions - the solution for employers.html"><strong>&gt;&gt; MORE</strong>& </a></p><!-- <p><u><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/NEST and Welplan Pensions comparison table.html">To see a comparison table between Nest and Welplan Pensions, click here</a></u></p> --></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/Welplan Pensions - the solution for employers.html"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/NEST_and_qualifying_schemes.jpg" alt="NEST and qualifying schemes" width="150" height="150" /></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td valign="top"><h1><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm" title="Glossary">Glossary of Pension Reform terms</a></h1> <p>Welplan's glossary of terms.</p> <p><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm" title="Glossary"><strong>&gt;&gt; MOR</strong>E&hellip;</a></p></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><a href="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/webpages/pensions reform glossary.htm"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/glossary.jpg" alt="Glossary" width="150" height="150" /></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top"><p align="center">If you no longer wish to receive emails from us you can <a href="mailto:e-newsletter@welplan.co.uk?subject=Unsubscribe&body=Send this message to unsubscribe">unsubscribe here</a>.</p></td> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top"><p align="center">If you wish to receive emails from us you can <a href="mailto:e-newsletter@welplan.co.uk?subject=Subscription&body=Please add recipient(s) addresses here.">subscribe here</a>.</p></td> <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <!-- /start_content --> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/footer.gif" width="650" height="60" border="0" usemap="#Map" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top"><img src="http://www.welplan.co.uk/enews/july2011/images/bottom.jpg" width="668" height="19" /></td> </tr> </table> <map name="Map" id="Map"> <area shape="rect" coords="229,29,346,42" href="mailto:contact@welplan.co.uk" title="Email contact@welplan.co.uk" /> <area shape="rect" coords="354,29,453,42" href="http://www.welplan.co.uk" title="www.welplan.co.uk" /> </map> <map name="Map2" id="Map2"> <area shape="rect" coords="540,1,640,16" href="http://www.welplan.co.uk" title="www.welplan.co.uk" /> </map> </body> </html>