Eligible Jobholders for Auto-Enrolment
Who is an eligible jobholder for pension auto-enrolment? Understand the criteria for automatic pension enrolment.
Last updated: 30 January 2025
Eligible jobholders must be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension.
Definition
Three Criteria
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 22 to State Pension age |
| Earnings | Over £10,000/year |
| Location | Work/ordinarily work in UK |
All Must Be Met
| If Missing | Result |
|---|---|
| Any criterion | Not eligible jobholder |
| Different category | May apply |
| Different duties | Apply |
Age Requirement
The Range
| Age | Status |
|---|---|
| Under 22 | Not eligible |
| 22 to SPA | Eligible (if other criteria met) |
| Over SPA | Not eligible |
State Pension Age
| Currently | Age |
|---|---|
| Women (most) | 66 |
| Men | 66 |
| Rising to | 67 by 2028 |
| Eventually | 68 |
When Age Changes
| Event | Action |
|---|---|
| Turn 22 | Assess for enrolment |
| Reach SPA | Different category |
| During employment | Monitor |
Earnings Threshold
Current Threshold
| Threshold | Amount (2024-25) |
|---|---|
| Annual | £10,000 |
| Monthly | £833 |
| Weekly | £192 |
How Assessed
| Period | Method |
|---|---|
| Each pay period | Calculate |
| Annualise | If needed |
| Actual earnings | What paid |
What Counts
| Include | In Earnings |
|---|---|
| Salary | Yes |
| Wages | Yes |
| Overtime | Yes |
| Bonuses | Yes |
| Commission | Yes |
| Statutory pay | Yes |
What Doesn't Count
| Exclude | From Calculation |
|---|---|
| Benefits in kind | Not cash |
| Pension contributions | Employer's |
| Redundancy pay | Not regular |
Working in the UK
Ordinarily Works
| Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Usually in UK | Normal work location |
| Based in UK | Even if travels |
| UK contract | Employment here |
Temporary Overseas
| If Working Abroad | Position |
|---|---|
| Temporarily | Still UK worker |
| Ordinarily UK | Remains eligible |
| For how long | Case by case |
Permanently Overseas
| If Abroad | Position |
|---|---|
| Permanently | Not UK worker |
| Different rules | May apply |
| Check carefully | Jurisdiction |
Assessing Workers
When to Assess
| Trigger | Action |
|---|---|
| New starter | Assess immediately |
| Turn 22 | Reassess |
| Earnings change | Reassess |
| Pay reference period | Each period |
Assessment Process
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Check age |
| 2 | Check earnings |
| 3 | Check UK working |
| 4 | Categorise |
If Eligible
Employer Duties
| Duty | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Auto-enrol | Into scheme |
| Contribute | Minimum 3% |
| Communicate | Enrolment letter |
| Timely | Within deadlines |
Enrolment Date
| Must Enrol | By |
|---|---|
| Postponement | Or start date |
| Within period | Set deadlines |
| Contributions | From enrolment |
Variable Earnings
Fluctuating Pay
| If Earnings | Vary |
|---|---|
| Each period | Assess each |
| May become eligible | When earnings high |
| May stop being | When earnings low |
Example
| Month | Earnings | Status |
|---|---|---|
| January | £800 | Not eligible |
| February | £850 | Eligible |
| March | £700 | Not eligible |
| April | £900 | Eligible |
What Happens
| When Status Changes | Action |
|---|---|
| Becomes eligible | Enrol |
| Already enrolled | Continue |
| Below threshold | Contributions continue |
Multiple Jobs
Each Employment Separate
| Rule | Application |
|---|---|
| Assess per job | Separately |
| Different employers | Independent |
| Not combined | For assessment |
Example
| Job | Earnings | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Job A | £8,000/year | Not eligible |
| Job B | £12,000/year | Eligible |
| Total | £20,000 | Irrelevant |
Directors
With Employment Contract
| Director Status | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Has contract | Normal rules apply |
| Paid salary | Check earnings |
| Meets criteria | Must enrol |
Without Contract
| Director Status | Position |
|---|---|
| No contract | Not a worker |
| Dividends only | Not earnings |
| No auto-enrolment | Required |
Agency Workers
Who Is Employer
| For Agency Workers | Employer Is |
|---|---|
| Usually | The agency |
| They assess | Their workers |
| Pay threshold | With agency |
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Part-Time Over Threshold
| Details | Position |
|---|---|
| Age 25 | Meets age |
| Part-time £12,000 | Meets earnings |
| Works in UK | Meets location |
| Result | Eligible jobholder |
Scenario 2: Full-Time Under 22
| Details | Position |
|---|---|
| Age 20 | Below 22 |
| Earns £25,000 | Meets earnings |
| Works in UK | Meets location |
| Result | Non-eligible jobholder |
Scenario 3: Variable Earnings
| Details | Position |
|---|---|
| Age 30 | Meets age |
| Some months over £833 | Variable |
| Works in UK | Meets location |
| Result | Eligible when over threshold |
Summary
The Criteria
| Element | Required |
|---|---|
| Age | 22 to State Pension age |
| Earnings | Over £10,000/year |
| Location | Working in UK |
| All three | Must be met |
If Eligible
| Duty | Action |
|---|---|
| Must enrol | Automatically |
| Employer contributes | At least 3% |
| Promptly | Within deadlines |
| Communicate | To worker |
Related answers
Auto-Enrolment Overview
What is workplace pension auto-enrolment? Understand the UK's automatic enrolment system and employer duties for pension contributions.
Non-Eligible Jobholders
What is a non-eligible jobholder? Understand workers who can opt in to pension auto-enrolment and their rights.
Workforce Assessment for Auto-Enrolment
How do you assess workers for pension auto-enrolment? Understand the process of categorising your workforce.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is an eligible jobholder?
- An eligible jobholder is someone aged 22 to State Pension age, earning over £10,000 per year (2024-25), and working or ordinarily working in the UK. These workers must be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme.
- What if someone doesn't meet all the criteria?
- Workers who don't meet all criteria are either 'non-eligible jobholders' (can opt in with employer contributions) or 'entitled workers' (can join but employer doesn't have to contribute). Different rules apply to each category.
- Does the £10,000 threshold apply to each job separately?
- Yes. If someone has multiple jobs, each employment is assessed separately. They might be an eligible jobholder for one employer and not for another, depending on earnings with each employer.