This page provides details of Escalating Penalty Notices for automatic enrolment breaches, as well as fines issued for scheme return, climate change reporting and value for members assessment breaches.
Section 89 of the Pensions Act 2004 gives us the power to publish information on cases where we have used or considered using our powers.
Our decision to publish information, including details of our enforcement cases, ensures we are transparent about the use of our powers, and plays an important role in informing and educating those we regulate about our decisions and actions, and can therefore serve as a deterrent to non-compliance.
Tables (a) and (b) name certain categories of employers who have received an Escalating Penalty Notice (EPN) for breaches relating to automatic enrolment under the Pensions Act 2008.
We are publishing a new list of named employers who have either paid an EPN but remain non-compliant, or who have been subject to a court order to enforce payment of an unpaid EPN.
Specifically, we now name those who have paid EPNs in excess of £14,000 but remain non-compliant, as well as those who have failed to pay an EPN in excess of £24,500 and have been made subject to a court order as a result.
Table (c) names pension schemes which have failed to complete a scheme return on time. Trustees have a legal obligation to give us information about their pension scheme by completing a scheme return when required and can be fined under Section 10 of the Pensions Act 1995 for failure to do so.
In table (d) we name those schemes whose trustees have received a fine for failure to publish their climate change report on time. Under The Occupational Pension Schemes (Climate Change Governance and Reporting) Regulations 2021, trustees of certain schemes have a legal requirement to publish a climate change report within 7 months of their scheme year end. The report must be on a publicly available website and accessible free of charge.
Regulation 25(1)(b) and regulation 25(1A) of The Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Administration) Regulations 1996 require trust-based pension schemes with defined contribution benefits to annually complete a detailed Value for members assessment. Should they conclude that their scheme does not offer good value they must either make improvements or wind-up/transfer the money purchase benefits. Table (e) lists schemes who have been fined for failing to complete the assessment.
Employer non-compliant, subject to further action (EPN paid)
Table (a) - 1 January to 30 June 2024
| Employer name | District | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Global Minds Limited | Telford | £24,669.75 |
| Juno Bath Ltd | Bath | £14,169.75 |
| Wood Restaurants Ltd | Manchester | £14,052.00 |
| Klearwater Adult Services Limited | London | £14,047.00 |
| Grimestoppers Limited | Coventry | £14,000.00 |
| K B Tyres (N E) Limited | Durham | £14,000.00 |
| Open World 2 Limited | Romford | £14,000.00 |
| Clockwork Day Nursery Audenshaw Ltd | Oldham | £14,000.00 |
| B K Sharma & K Rai | Ilford | £14,000.00 |
| Baboo (Wholesale Meats) Ltd | Ilford | £14,000.00 |
Please note that the values shown as paid are the values for the Escalating Penalty Notice only and may not be the value of the payment made. The payment value will include the Fixed Penalty Notice value if that remained unpaid as well as the associated court fees.
Unpaid EPNs subject to a Court Order
Table (b) - 1 January to 30 June 2024
| Employer name | District | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsay Scaffolding Contracts Ltd | Edinburgh | £52,500.00 |
| Equator Personnel Ltd | Reading | £52,500.00 |
| Phoenix Volt Limited | Glasgow | £52,500.00 |
| Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust | Willesden | £52,500.00 |
| PHL Mayfair Limited | Manchester | £52,500.00 |
| The Kooples UK Limited | London | £52,500.00 |
| Pacific Care Services Limited | Sheffield | £52,500.00 |
| Birra 1 Ltd | Glasgow | £43,000.00 |
| Mindset Recruitment Ltd | Nottingham | £29,900.00 |
| Onqor Ltd | Canterbury | £28,400.00 |
| Unity J Care Services Ltd | Leeds | £28,400.00 |
| Evolve Branding Limited | Wakefield | £28,000.00 |
| General Express Services (Contracts) Limited | Dartford | £28,000.00 |
| GK Independent Cleaners Group Ltd | Reading | £28,000.00 |
| AMSD Retail Ltd | Wakefield | £28,000.00 |
| Aphis Security Limited | Oxford | £25,200.00 |
| SEMA Foods Ltd | Edmonton | £24,500.00 |
| Gill Design Studio Ltd | Leicester | £24,500.00 |
| Consult Group Limited | Lewes | £24,500.00 |
| Justwontdie Ltd | Peterborough | £24,500.00 |
| Ridley Management Services Limited | London | £24,100.00 |
Scheme return fines – failing to submit to us on time
Table (c) - 1 January to 30 June 2024
No scheme return fines issued during this period.
Climate Change Governance and Reporting fines – failure to correctly publish a Climate Change report on time
Table (d) - 1 January to 30 June 2024
| Scheme name | Amount |
|---|---|
| GKN Group Pension Scheme (No. 1) | £8,000.00 |
| The Prudential Staff Pension Scheme | £5,000.00 |
Value for Members fines – failure to complete a detailed Value for Members assessment
Table (e) - 1 January to 30 June 2024
| Scheme name | Amount |
|---|---|
| Coyne Butterworth Hardwicke Limited Discretionary Pension Scheme | £10,000.00 |
| Charles Green & Son Ltd 1992 Retirement Benefits Scheme | £2,000.00 |
| Pyrotek Engineering Materials Ltd Pension Scheme | £2,000.00 |
| Shrewsbury School (2001) Retirement Benefits Scheme | £2,000.00 |
| Smith & Austin Staff Retirement Benefit Scheme | £2,000.00 |
| The Royal Lancaster Hotel Retirement Benefits Plan | £2,000.00 |
| Solopark Ltd Pension Scheme | £1,250.00 |