Organisation told me I had opted out when I had not

doingitanyway

I accepted I had opted out as I could not prove I had not done so. I knew I had not as I have never opted out of a pension in my life.

I recently found a payslip and contacted the organisation. They admitted I had been opted in for some of my employment.

I then contacted the pension organiser who said they had never paid any monies in for me. 

I have just emailed the organisation to ask them what they intend to do now?

Is there any specific action I should be taking?

Thanks.

Marcon

doingitanyway said:

I accepted I had opted out as I could not prove I had not done so. I knew I had not as I have never opted out of a pension in my life.

Then put the onus on the organisation to show you opted out, assuming this has happened since auto-enrolment was introduced. There is a very specific process required to opt out - which includes actually joining the scheme first. You can't opt out and 'avoid' joining at all; that's the whole point of auto enrolment.

doingitanyway said:

I recently found a payslip and contacted the organisation. They admitted I had been opted in for some of my employment.

I then contacted the pension organiser who said they had never paid any monies in for me. 

I have just emailed the organisation to ask them what they intend to do now?

Is there any specific action I should be taking?

Thanks.

How long ago did all this happen?

doingitanyway

Thanks @Marcon

I don't recall joining a pension scheme. I don't think it was offered as I worked part time. 

But when automatic enrolment started I would not have opted out.  

The payslip is from 2017

I was working with them between 2006 and 2019 off and on

Hoenir

doingitanyway said:

But when automatic enrolment started I would not have opted out.  

The payslip is from 2017

Why are you only querying this now ? 

What's the date on the payslip ? 

What period of time were you opted into the scheme ? 

Marcon

doingitanyway said:

Thanks @Marcon

I don't recall joining a pension scheme. I don't think it was offered as I worked part time. 

But when automatic enrolment started I would not have opted out.  

The payslip is from 2017

I was working with them between 2006 and 2019 off and on

How much were you earning (gross figure on your payslip is the relevant one here) and how old were you at the time?

doingitanyway

Marcon said:

doingitanyway said:

Thanks @Marcon

I don't recall joining a pension scheme. I don't think it was offered as I worked part time. 

But when automatic enrolment started I would not have opted out.  

The payslip is from 2017

I was working with them between 2006 and 2019 off and on

How much were you earning (gross figure on your payslip is the relevant one here) and how old were you at the time?

Probably wouldn't want to share that info on an open forum, so I will leave it there, but thank you. I will go back to the organisation and ask to see information showing I opted out at any stage. Thank you again.

Hoenir

doingitanyway said:

Marcon said:

doingitanyway said:

Thanks @Marcon

I don't recall joining a pension scheme. I don't think it was offered as I worked part time. 

But when automatic enrolment started I would not have opted out.  

The payslip is from 2017

I was working with them between 2006 and 2019 off and on

How much were you earning (gross figure on your payslip is the relevant one here) and how old were you at the time?

Probably wouldn't want to share that info on an open forum, so I will leave it there, but thank you. I will go back to the organisation and ask to see information showing I opted out at any stage. Thank you again.

Documentation going back that far no longer need be retained and may well have been destroyed.  

Marcon

doingitanyway said:

Marcon said:

doingitanyway said:

Thanks @Marcon

I don't recall joining a pension scheme. I don't think it was offered as I worked part time. 

But when automatic enrolment started I would not have opted out.  

The payslip is from 2017

I was working with them between 2006 and 2019 off and on

How much were you earning (gross figure on your payslip is the relevant one here) and how old were you at the time?

Probably wouldn't want to share that info on an open forum, so I will leave it there, but thank you. I will go back to the organisation and ask to see information showing I opted out at any stage. Thank you again.

That's fine - better than oversharing. Just be aware that you had to be earning a certain minimum amount (more than £10,000 pa) before auto enrolment applied and as you were part time, you may not have been reaching that level. You also needed to be aged between 22 and state pension age.

The problem as others have pointed out is the delay in raising the matter, but given the content of your opening post it is clear they do still have some records:

doingitanyway said:

I accepted I had opted out as I could not prove I had not done so. I knew I had not as I have never opted out of a pension in my life.

I recently found a payslip and contacted the organisation. They admitted I had been opted in for some of my employment.

doingitanyway

Marcon said:

doingitanyway said:

Marcon said:

doingitanyway said:

Thanks @Marcon

I don't recall joining a pension scheme. I don't think it was offered as I worked part time. 

But when automatic enrolment started I would not have opted out.  

The payslip is from 2017

I was working with them between 2006 and 2019 off and on

How much were you earning (gross figure on your payslip is the relevant one here) and how old were you at the time?

Probably wouldn't want to share that info on an open forum, so I will leave it there, but thank you. I will go back to the organisation and ask to see information showing I opted out at any stage. Thank you again.

That's fine - better than oversharing. Just be aware that you had to be earning a certain minimum amount (more than £10,000 pa) before auto enrolment applied and as you were part time, you may not have been reaching that level. You also needed to be aged between 22 and state pension age.

The problem as others have pointed out is the delay in raising the matter, but given the content of your opening post it is clear they do still have some records:

doingitanyway said:

I accepted I had opted out as I could not prove I had not done so. I knew I had not as I have never opted out of a pension in my life.

I recently found a payslip and contacted the organisation. They admitted I had been opted in for some of my employment.

Thank you Marcon. 

doingitanyway

Thank you @Hoenir

Brie

fyi also - an individual cannot be excluded from a pension scheme simply because they do not work full time.  There was a decision years back that this was discriminatory as the majority of p/t workers were women, predominantly being young moms who returned to work p/t while looking after their children.  So they may not have mentioned it but you couldn't be excluded from joining.  BUT if you then were also too young, on too low a wage you could be.  

Also you state that you worked for them off and on for a number of years.  Presuming that any of those periods was under 2 years you may have joined but then received a refund due to the short service and limited membership in a scheme.  

You might want/need to submit an SAR (subject access request) so that the company would have to provide ALL the documentation they have about you.