What happens if a worker’s enrolment type changes?

As part of your auto enrolment duties, you’ll need to assess your workers each pay period. You may find that some workers will qualify for a different enrolment type if their earnings increase in a particular period so you may need to re-enrol them. Please see What are the different enrolment types? for more information.

If a worker enrolled as worker without qualifying earnings (WWQE) becomes eligible for auto enrolment:

You’ll only need to change the enrolment type of a worker enrolled as WWQE to auto enrolment if you aren’t already making minimum contributions for them. This is because they’re already in a qualifying scheme and receiving contributions.

If the worker isn’t receiving contributions or receiving less than the legal minimum, you’ll need to provide them with the statutory enrolment information and then automatically enrol them.

If a worker enrolled as worker without qualifying earnings (WWQE) becomes a non eligible jobholder (Opt-in):

If a WWQE’s earnings increase and they meet the requirements to become an Opt-in, you may have to send them a statutory communication telling them about their right to opt-in.

You’ll have to send statutory communication about their rights if the worker hasn’t received this information from you earlier and isn’t currently receiving minimum contributions. For more information please see our guides Statutory information at your re-enrolment and Statutory information when enrolling a new worker.

If the worker then chooses to opt into NEST, you’ll need to send a further statutory communication before enrolling them using the enrolment type as Opt-in.