Enrolling workers

You can only de-enrol a member who’s appearing in the active worker’s list on your Nest account.

Below are some of the reasons why you may have got this error while de-enrolling a member:

• The member may be active but you’ve entered their surname, date of birth, National Insurance Number, alternative unique identifier or gender incorrectly and if you have provided it in the de-enrolment file . Please ensure that the member’s details on your Nest account matches exactly with their details on the de-enrolment file. You can check the details by going to ‘Manage workers’ from your Nest home page. Follow the below steps to correct the details:
  • Click ‘View upload history’ from Manage your workers page
  • Click the arrow below Error details
  • Select the worker that needs to be de-enrolled
  • Correct the details and click ‘Save’
• The member might have opted out if they are within the opt out period. A notification is sent to your Nest secure mailbox when a member opts out. The member can also choose to cease their contributions. If the member has opted out or has ceased their contributions and has moved to the inactive workers list, you cannot de-enrol them. If you still need to de-enrol a worker who has ceased contributions please contact Nest on 0300 0200 393.
• If the member is not appearing in both active and inactive worker’s list, they are not enrolled into Nest. In this case, you cannot de-enrol them.

The file you uploaded has the wrong extension, and needs to end with ‘.csv’. You can create a de-enrolment file using Nest template to ensure it is formatted correctly. Once you’ve created the file using our template, save the file and do not open it before uploading it to your account as this may corrupt the file. Then go back to ‘Manage workers’ on your Nest account and upload the file again.

The National Insurance (NI) number provided for the new worker in the file has already been used for another active worker on this account. You will need to work out which is the incorrect number and correct it before trying again, by doing the following:

1. If the new worker’s NI number is incorrect or used for another worker in the same file

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account. Follow the below steps to correct the NI number:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the NI number and click ‘Save’

2. If the active worker’s NI number is incorrect

You will need to edit the active worker’s NI number from the ‘Manage workers’ area of your account. If you get a message that Nest is completing internal checks on your account when you do this, you’ll need to ask the worker to update their details by logging into their member account.

An Alternative Identifier is a unique reference you may give to each worker. It can be left blank. It is used to help identify the worker on our system. You’ve received this error message because the Alternative Identifier provided has already been used for another active worker in your employer account. You will need to work out which is the incorrect number and correct it before trying again, by doing the following:

1. If the new worker’s Alternative Identifier is incorrect or used for another worker in the same file

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account.

Follow the below steps to correct the Alt ID:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Alt ID and click ‘Save’

2. If the active worker’s Alternative Identifier is incorrect

You will need to edit the active worker’s incorrect Alternative Identifier by searching for them in ‘Manage workers’ with the wrong Alternative Identifier and make the correction.

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account.

Follow the below steps to correct the Alt ID:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Alt ID and click ‘Save’

We only accept letters (A-z) and numbers (0-9). The following examples are all acceptable:

• 12345
• AbC12345
• abcde
• ABCDE

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account.

Follow the below steps to correct the surname:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the surname and click ‘Save’

We only accept:

• letters (A-z)
• hyphen (-)
• single space
• ampersand (&)
• apostrophe (’)

The following examples are all acceptable formats:

• Jones
• Howard-Smith
• Vaughan Williams
• O’Donnelly

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account.

Follow the below steps to correct the date of birth:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the date of birth and click ‘Save’

If the date format is valid, then you may not have provided a date that exists, for example, 30 February, 31 April or 31 June.

You’ve entered the National Insurance (NI) number for one or more of your workers in an incorrect format. NI numbers are alpha numeric and shouldn’t include any special characters or spaces, for example, AA123456B.

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account. Follow the below steps to correct the NI number:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the NI number format and click ‘Save’

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account. Follow the below steps to correct the Town/city:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Town/city and click ‘Save’

You can only enter letters (A-z), numbers (0-9), hyphen (-), ampersand (&), apostrophe (‘), full stop (.), single space and double space.

For example:

• London
• Stratford-upon-Avon
• Great Yarmouth
• Westward Ho! should be provided as Westward Ho

For islands off the UK mainland, for example Jersey, the address could be split across Town/city, County and Country as follows:

• Town/city - St Helier
• County - Jersey
• Country - Channel Islands

Please check if the postcode you’ve entered is in the correct format. Postcodes are alphanumeric and between six and eight characters long.

They’re divided into two parts separated by a single space, for example, SW1W 0NY, PO16 7GZ, GU16 7HF, or L1 8JQ.

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account. Follow the below steps to correct the Postcode:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Postcode and click ‘Save’

We only accept letters (A-z), numbers (0-9), hyphen (-), ampersand (&), apostrophe (‘), full stop (.), single space or double space.

The following examples are all acceptable:

• King's Cross
• St. Helens
• Wallace-Binder Close
• Wellington & Nelson Street

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account. Follow the below steps to correct the Address line 2:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Address line 2 and click ‘Save’

The start date is the date from when you’re legally required to begin making contributions for the workers. It's important to provide us with the correct start date because it creates an expectation of contributions, and will include this worker in contribution schedules from this date. You can’t enrol a worker on Nest before their start date. You can either correct the start date if it’s incorrect, or wait until the worker reaches their start date before enrolling them.

You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account. Follow the below steps to correct the Start date:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Start date and click ‘Save’

The start date is the date your employer duties first apply to a worker. It can’t be earlier than your employer Duty Date/Staging date. Your staging date is supplied by The Pensions regulator. To view your staging date, click ‘Organisation details’ on your Nest homepage. Then click ‘Edit your organisation’s details’.

Follow the below steps to correct the Start date:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Start date and click ‘Save’

The date you’ve entered is either an invalid date or in the wrong format. The start date should be in the format YYYY-MM-DD. You can view and correct the error message for the worker directly from your Nest account. Follow the below steps to correct the Start date:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Start date and click ‘Save’

You've tried to enrol a member online using the same enrolment type they’ve had previously. You can’t enrol a member using the same enrolment type. For example:

• AE enrolled as AE
• Opt-in enrolled as Opt-in
• WWQE enrolled as WWQE
• Others enrolled as Others

You’ll need to check if the worker you’re trying to enrol is active on ‘Manage workers’ page of your Nest account. If they’re already active with the correct enrolment type, then you don’t have to enrol them again.

If a member had left your business and re-joined, you’ll need to first mark the member as a leaver and later enrol them with the correct enrolment type.

If a worker enrolled as Worker Without Qualifying Earnings (WWQE) becomes eligible for auto enrolment, then you’ll need to enrol the worker again with the enrolment type as ‘Auto enrolled’. Follow the below steps to update it from your Nest account:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Enrolment type and click ‘Save’

As you’ve previously enrolled this member, the start date of the second enrolment can’t be earlier than the date they became inactive. You may need to check the dates of the earlier enrolment from the Inactive workers list on your Nest account and re-enter the start date.

Once you’ve got the correct start date, follow the below steps to update it from your Nest account:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Start date and click ‘Save’

If a member’s age or earnings has changed and they’re now eligible to be auto enrolled, please choose the appropriate enrolment type to enrol the worker.

Each worker has their ‘enrolment type’ selected when they’re first enrolled, from the following options:

• AE – eligible jobholders
• OPTIN – non-eligible jobholders
• WWQE – Workers Without Qualifying Earnings, also known as entitled workers
• OTHERS – others

You’ll need to check if the worker you’re trying to enrol is active on ‘Manage workers’ page of your Nest account. If they’re already active with the correct enrolment type, then you don’t have to enrol them again.

It’s important to enter the correct enrolment type for each worker. If a worker enrolled as Worker Without Qualifying Earnings (WWQE) becomes eligible for auto enrolment, you'll need to select the enrolment type as Auto enrolled. Follow the below steps to update it from your Nest account:

• Click ‘Manage workers’ on your home page
• Click ‘View upload history’
• Click the arrow below Error details
• Select the worker that needs to be enrolled
• Correct the Enrolment type and click 'Save'

Please ensure that you’ve entered the correct employer reference number as it appears on your Nest account. You can find your Nest employer ID in the top right corner of your Nest home page. It should be entered in the following format: EMP012345678. It's case sensitive, so make sure you use the capital letters ‘EMP’.

Follow the below steps to edit the Employer reference number:

• Right click from your mouse on the file you want to upload, click ‘Open with’ and select ‘Notepad’.
• You’ll need to update the Employer reference number in the first row which starts with H.

• Then click ‘File’ and select ‘Save as’, enter a new name for the file and add ‘.csv’ in the end.
• Once the file is saved, go to your Nest account and upload the file again.

Please check the value you've entered under the ‘Process type’ field in the file header. The acceptable values are:

ME - enrolling workers: this is for enrolling workers in the scheme

DE - cancelling an enrolment: this is for cancelling a worker’s enrolment

Follow the below steps to edit the Process type:

• Right click from your mouse on the file you want to upload, click ‘Open with’ and select ‘Notepad’.
• You’ll need to update the Process type in the first row which starts with H.

• Then click ‘File’ and select ‘Save as’, enter a new name for the file and add ‘.csv’ in the end.
• Once the file is saved, go to your Nest account and upload the file again.

This error is caused due to the incorrect format of the file or if one or more of the Header, Detail record or Trailer are not updated in the correct format. We recommend using our Nest CSV templates for creating files in the correct format. You can use our templates for enrolling workers and de-enrolling workers.