UK law requires you to automatically enrol eligible workers into a workplace pension. Flow Payroll handles the assessment, enrolment, and contribution calculation automatically as part of every pay run, and produces the export files your pension provider needs.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.flowpayroll.ai/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
This page covers how auto-enrolment works during a pay run. To configure your pension scheme, contribution rates, postponement defaults, and auto-enrolment mode, see Pension defaults.
How assessment works
Every time you run a pay run, Flow Payroll assesses each worker in the pay period. The assessment categorises each worker as one of:| Category | What it means |
|---|---|
| Eligible jobholder | Must be automatically enrolled |
| Non-eligible jobholder | Not required to be enrolled automatically; can opt in |
| Entitled worker | Has a right to join a pension scheme if they ask |
| Not eligible | Does not meet the criteria for any category |
Enrolment modes
You control how Flow Payroll acts on the assessment result. The mode is set in Pension defaults.| Mode | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Automatic | Eligible workers are enrolled without manual intervention |
| Manual | You review the assessment results and enrol workers yourself |
| No auto-enrolment | Assessment runs but enrolment does not proceed automatically |
Postponement
You can delay enrolment from a worker’s start date or from their eligibility date. Postponement is configured in days, weeks, or months. Two independent postponement windows are available:- Postpone from worker start date — delays enrolment for new starters.
- Postpone from eligibility date — delays enrolment from the point a worker first qualifies.
Contributions
Contribution rates are set on the pension group the employee belongs to. The Pension defaults settings define the default pension group for new employees. Contributions are calculated from qualifying earnings and included in the pay run automatically once an employee is enrolled.Pension export files
After a pay run is completed, the Reporting documents step produces pension export files grouped by provider. Each file can be previewed and downloaded directly from that step. These files are formatted for submission to your pension provider (for example, NEST contribution schedules).Opting out
An employee can opt out of the pension scheme after being enrolled. You can record an opt-out from the employee’s record. You will need to supply the opt-out date. A worker who opts out within one month of enrolment is entitled to a refund of any contributions deducted.Pay run flow
Pay run runs the assessment
Every worker in the pay period is assessed. The result (eligible jobholder, non-eligible, entitled, not eligible) is recorded against that pay run.
Enrolment happens (automatic mode)
Eligible workers who are not already enrolled — and not in a postponement window — are enrolled into the default pension group.
Contributions are calculated
Employee and employer contributions are calculated from qualifying earnings and included in each enrolled worker’s payslip.
Where to go next
Pension defaults
Configure contribution rates, postponement, and auto-enrolment mode.
Running a pay run
See how pension assessment fits into the pay run steps.
Reports
Reporting and insights — coming soon.
Key concepts
Understand how pensions fit into the broader pay cycle.