Alex Rowson, Technical Director at QTAC and Chair of the BASDA HR & Payroll SIG shares his insight
A Payroll Software Providers Forum has been established with the DWP and The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and BASDA has a number of seats at this important table to ensure both visibility of issues (current and projected) and to working collaboratively in the resolution of these, so minimising impacts upon our members and their customers.
The recent amendments to the Automatic Enrolment regulation laid before Parliament on 11th October have been achieved through a protracted process starting with my direct contact with the Pensions Minister in July 2012, leading to a meeting in August 2012 with representatives of other payroll bodies, which instigated the DWP setting up of a Payroll Software Developers forum which has met regularly since October 2012.
It has been through this forum and other meetings with DWP Auto Enrolment Policy representatives that these changes has been brought into force. Further meetings of this group will now focus on the challenges of the roll-out of Workplace Pension reform with micro, small and medium employers.
This is a huge development, support and training overhead for our members serving the payroll industry and we are all gearing up for the massive Auto Enrolment ‘spikes’ that are going to hit employers (and therefore our industry) over the next four years. The work we undertake with the Pension Providers through the DWP and TPR will be key in reducing that burden for us over the forthcoming years.
How can you get involved? Join the BASDA HR & Payroll SIG – contact info@basda.org