Retirement saving in the UK 2020 - Member experience from Nest, the National Employment Savings Trust February 2021 - Nest Insight
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Retirement saving
—
Member experience
from Nest, the
in the UK 2020 National Employment
Savings Trust
February 2021
Acknowledgements Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Authored by About Nest Insight’s
Richard Notley and Matthew Blakstad, strategic partner
Nest Insight, London
© Nest Corporation 2021
Invesco is an independent investment
management firm dedicated to delivering
About Nest Insight an investment experience that helps
people get more out of life. Building on its
strong track record in defined
contribution research, and its existing
partnership with the University of
Cambridge Judge Business School,
Nest Insight is a collaborative research
Invesco partnered with Nest Insight to
unit set up by Nest Corporation to help
support its ambitious programme of
understand and address the challenges
research, publications and events. For
facing Nest members and other defined
more information, visit: invesco.co.uk
contribution savers. For more information,
NYSE: IVZ
visit: nestinsight.org.uk
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 3
Contents Retirement saving in the UK 2020 Contents Foreword 6 Executive summary 8 The UK’s auto enrolment system 12 Chapter 1 Introduction 13 Chapter 2 Nest employers, enrolments and members 15 Growth in membership 15 Employer characteristics 19 Member characteristics 23 Manner of enrolment 27 Member opt-out rates 31 Chapter 3 Contributions 35 Contribution rates 35 Members’ contribution amounts 41 4 nestinsight.org.uk Nest Insight
Contents Retirement saving in the UK 2020 Chapter 4 Pension pots 46 Current pot balances 46 Balances by member characteristics 48 Balances by employer characteristics 50 Chapter 5 Pension investments 51 Nest’s asset allocations 51 Default fund design and usage 52 Default fund glide path 52 Nest’s investment approach and rationale 54 Switching behaviour 55 Investment returns 57 Chapter 6 Transferring and retiring 65 Transferring funds out of Nest 65 Transferring funds in to Nest 66 Retirements 67 Chapter 7 Conclusion 70 Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 5
Foreword Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Foreword
Given that the lockdown was only a week
old when our fiscal year came to an end,
we chose to extend our reporting period
by six months for this year’s report. In
these pages you’ll see data from
September 2020 alongside many of the
March 2020 results, enabling us to make
Helen Dean observations about the impact of the
Chief Executive Officer, Nest Corporation early months of lockdown measures on
I’m delighted to introduce the third in our people’s saving behaviours. These data
series of annual data reports covering show that, in spite of the significant
members’ experiences of saving in the disruption created by the pandemic, the
Nest pension scheme. This report covers overall story of saving in Nest is one of
the fiscal year 2019/20. continuity. Most members continued to
save in the same way, with the default
This was an eventful year. It began, on options still overwhelmingly
1 April 2019, with the second phased the most used.
increase in minimum contributions through
auto enrolment, raising members’ We recognise that this continuity owes
contributions into pension pots to a total much to the buffering effect of the UK
of 8% of band earnings. It ended with the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention
announcement of a global pandemic on Scheme (CJRS). The first two phases of this
10 March 2020 and, less than two weeks programme were in place throughout the
later, on 23 March, a nationwide period from March to September 2020
lockdown that saw all but essential and we believe that millions of Nest
services shut and non-essential workers members benefitted from it. Yet although
sent home. Each of these events had a the overall picture remains very stable,
profound effect on the saving behaviours we are now starting to see early signs of
and financial wellbeing of people in the changes in members’ saving. The
UK. In both cases, many observers commentary in this report will draw your
predicted that significant numbers of attention to these. Nest Insight will also
people would stop saving for retirement. put out supplemental reports to explore
Yet to date, the evidence these effects in more detail as early
suggests otherwise. trends become clearer in our data.
6 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightForeword Retirement saving in the UK 2020
It’s too early to tell the full story of how
the Covid-19 crisis will impact the pension
saving behaviours of our members. We in spite of the significant
hope this account will nonetheless be disruption created by the
informative, providing a window into how pandemic, the overall story of
the CJRS helped to support long-term saving in Nest is one of continuity.
saving in the midst of this crisis. We’re also
Most members continued to save
proud that we continue to provide a safe
harbour for our members’ retirement in the same way, with the default
savings, even through turbulent times. options still overwhelmingly the
most used.
Finally, I would like to thank Vanguard for
working with us to produce our first two
yearly reports looking at the experience
of Nest savers as part of their series
entitled ‘How the world saves’. This year
the Nest Insight team, along with other
Nest colleagues, has taken over
production of the report. I want to thank
all of them for the significant effort
involved in putting it together.
The change in title to ‘Retirement saving
in the UK’ reflects the move to producing
these reports in-house. We look forward
to bringing you further updates on the
experiences of Nest’s millions of members
under this new banner.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 7Executive summary Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Executive summary
This report examines the enrolment, Composition of
savings and investment experience Nest employers
of workplace pension savers in the
Over 916,000 employers have chosen
UK based on data from Nest, the
Nest to provide their workplace pension
National Employment Savings Trust. scheme at some point since auto
With over 9.5 million members, Nest enrolment was introduced through to 30
is one of the UK’s largest multi- September 2020. The employers choosing
employer pension plans. Nest are predominantly small firms or
micro enterprises, with 98% of employers
using Nest having fewer than
Legislative foundations 50 employees.
The Pensions Act 2008 requires However, more than half (51%) of Nest’s
employers to automatically enrol eligible membership works for mid-sized or large
employees into a qualifying workplace employers. Although less than 1% of Nest
pension scheme. From 1 October 2012 employers employ 250 or more workers,
through 5 April 2018, minimum over one in three Nest members were
contributions for automatically enrolled enrolled by firms of this size.
employees were 2% of band earnings, These employers span industries. Top
with at least 1% being contributed by the sectors are retail, construction, catering
employer. By April 2019, minimum and accommodation, and health and
contributions had increased to 8%, with at social care. Together over one in four
least 3% being contributed by Nest employers are in one of these
the employer. four sectors.
1 in 3
Workers in the UK has a pension
pot with Nest
8 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightExecutive summary Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Composition of Dominance of auto enrolment
Nest membership Over nine in ten active members (91%)
Nest’s membership skews modestly were automatically enrolled in Nest.
towards younger workers on low to Although only 9% of members have
moderate incomes. Nearly half of all actively chosen to participate in pension
members are aged under 35 and more saving with Nest, they still represent more
than half have annual earnings of less than a quarter of a million people, many
than £20,000. This, along with the of whom have very low incomes and
diversity of the industry sectors where previously might not have saved for
Nest members work, suggests that the retirement at all. People who have chosen
original objective of auto enrolment has to enrol in Nest are slightly more likely to
largely been attained, namely, to ensure earn less than £10,000, be women and be
that all workers, including those who are under age 25.
younger and earning modest incomes,
have access to a workplace pension.
Opt-out rates
Opt-out rates under auto enrolment
Key phrases remained low in 2019/20, at under 8%. As
noted in our 2020 supplemental report,
Pension pot: retirement savings this indicates that the most recent
accumulated in a UK defined increases to minimum contribution rates
contribution (DC) workplace pension had only a very minor impact on
scheme like Nest opt-out rates.1
Auto enrolment: all eligible jobholders There was a slight rise in the overall opt-
in the UK are automatically enrolled by out rate from April to September 2020,
their employer into a workplace during the early months of the Covid-19
pension scheme as a default for crisis, which were marked by significant
retirement saving changes in the labour market. We will
continue to analyse opt-out rates and
Active members: employed workers
related behaviours as impacts of the
who have been enrolled in Nest by
pandemic on the UK workforce
their employer, or who are self-
continue to unfold.
employed and have enrolled
themselves in Nest
Inactive members: Nest members who
have not retired, died or opted out but
have either left their employment or
have chosen to stop contributing
Fiscal year: wherever years are
mentioned, they refer to Nest’s fiscal 1 Vanguard and Nest Insight, ‘How the UK saves: effects of the
second savings rate increase (2020)’, nestinsight.org.uk/
year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March wp-content/uploads/2020/06/How-the-UK-Saves-the-
effects-of-the-second-savings-rate-increase.pdf
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 9Executive summary Retirement saving in the UK 2020
The median pot balance for women is
Contributions 83% of the median balance for men. This
As at 31 September 2020, around four in is a slightly smaller difference than in
five employers had enrolled workers at previous years but still a sign of systemic
the statutory minimum 8% total differences in the earnings and working
contribution rate. Small and micro-sized patterns between the genders.
firms tend to stick at these minimum rates,
Pot balances increase significantly with
whereas larger firms are more likely to
age, with those 45 and older having pot
contribute more than the minimum.
balances around 2.5 times those of
Members who were saving with Nest for workers under age 25.
the full 12-month period from 1 April 2019
Predictably, balances also rise with
to 31 March 2020 had a median total
income and length of time as a member
annual contribution of £1,231 and a mean
in the Nest scheme.
(average) contribution of £1,448. This
represented a significant increase over
the previous year and was a result of the Investment approach
phased increase in statutory minimum
Assets invested through Nest totalled £9.5
contributions in April 2019.
billion as at 31 March 2020. These assets
Looking at figures on a monthly basis, were allocated 49% to equities, 23% to
Nest members’ median and mean investment-grade bonds, 13% to growth
contribution levels did not change credit, 9% to property, 3% to short-term
significantly between April 2020 and reserves and 3% to commodities.
September 2020. However, in these
Slightly more than 99% of members are
months there was less of a difference
invested in Nest’s default investment
between the mean contribution amount
strategy, a range of target-date funds,
for members who made contributions in
the Nest Retirement Date Funds, which
every month compared to those who only
are designed to change members’ asset
made contributions for part of the period.
allocations as they progress through
working life to retirement. Switching
Account balances activity is low. Just over 1% of members
changed their investment options in the
At the end of September 2020, the
fiscal year. More than two thirds of these
median pension pot balance in Nest was
were automatic switches between funds
£606 and the mean was £1,475. As might
within the default strategy, for example,
be expected, balances are higher among
members moving into a post retirement
members who are still actively
fund upon reaching their retirement age.
contributing into their accounts, with a
median of £1,614 and a mean of £2,440.
10 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightExecutive summary Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Investment returns Transfers and retirements
In spite of a downturn in equity markets in The overwhelming majority of Nest
March 2020, five-year annualised returns members are still accumulating retirement
for Nest Retirement Date Funds were only savings. For the approximately 140,000
marginally behind their benchmarks, with members who have withdrawn assets
all alternative fund choices ahead or in from their Nest pot, the majority have
line with benchmarks or historical market taken small lump sums.
returns. As at 30 September 2020, all Nest
funds were performing above their Since April 2017 Nest has enabled
benchmarks – some significantly so. members to transfer pension savings to
and from other UK-based registered
schemes. Around 50,000 members have
transferred balances into Nest, with a
mean value of £5,300. Around 60,000
members have transferred out, with mean
values ranging from below £2,000 for
7.8%
those aged under 45 to over £7,000 for
those aged 70 and over.
Overall opt-out rate through
31 March 2020
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 11The UK’s auto enrolment system Retirement saving in the UK 2020 The UK’s auto enrolment system The UK introduced workplace pensions Workers can receive tax relief from the scheme auto enrolment in October 2012. government on their contributions, so that Under the legislation, employees and a gross contribution of 5% made by the employers make mandatory minimum employee currently involves a net contributions each pay period into a contribution of 4% for most. pension based on the employee’s eligible earnings. Workers must be automatically Employees can opt out of auto enrolment enrolled if they earn £10,000 or more a within one month of being enrolled. They year with an employer, though they can can also stop contributions at any time. also ask to be enrolled by their employer However, they can’t usually access the if they earn less. Larger employers were money in their pension pot until they brought into the programme first, with reach age 55. employers of all sizes participating by To learn more, see Essentials of the UK February 2018. retirement system The level of minimum mandatory contributions into defined contribution (DC) pension schemes was increased in phases, starting with 2% of band earnings with at least 1% contributed by employers, rising in April 2018 to 5% with at least 2% contributed by employers and rising again in April 2019 to 8% with at least 3% contributed by employers. 12 nestinsight.org.uk Nest Insight
Introduction Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Chapter 1
Introduction
This is the latest of Nest Insight’s It goes without saying that March 2020
yearly reports evaluating the was not a normal month for workers,
employers or the investment world. The
progress of the UK’s auto enrolment
fiscal year came to an end just one week
system. It uses data from the Nest after the UK government announced a
workplace pension scheme to nationwide lockdown in response to the
explore the experience of rapid escalation in the spread of the
employers and workers using Nest. novel coronavirus and Covid-19 cases.
The month also ended in a severe and
rapid downturn in many investment
It continues on from the two major markets around the globe. The markets
reports on Nest’s membership, published went on to recover somewhat, but there
under the title ‘How the UK saves’, which has been increased volatility, with some
were done in partnership with Vanguard investments performing extremely well
Asset Management for the 2017/18 and and others suffering. In addition, many
2018/19 fiscal years. As with those workers in the UK were furloughed from
previous reports, we’ll provide evidence their jobs as part of the government’s
from a full fiscal year in the life of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).
scheme – in this case, from 1 April 2019 to We have therefore made the decision to
31 March 2020. include six months of additional data,
from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020,
as part of the report on the 2019/20 fiscal
year. These data offer a view of Nest
members’ experiences and saving
behaviours during the early months
of the crisis.
Some tables and figures in this report
reflect cumulative activity since the
beginning of auto enrolment in October
2012. Others show annual activity for
fiscal years spanning 1 April to 31 March.
The specific time period of statistics is
noted in the text and displayed in figures.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 13Introduction Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Phase two
About the Coronavirus Job
Retention Scheme — From 1 August 2020, CJRS continued
to pay 80% of wage costs up to
During the pandemic, the UK £2,500 per month for each employee
government has taken a number of on full or partial furlough, but the
measures designed to keep as many employer paid their NI and auto
employers trading, and as many enrolment pension contributions for
employees in work, as possible. Most these employees, both for hours
pertinent to this report is the worked and hours furloughed.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
(CJRS) announced on 20 March 2020. — From 1 September 2020, CJRS began
to taper reimbursements, paying 70%
The CJRS was rolled out in two main of monthly wage costs up to £2,187.50,
phases in the period from March to while the employer paid at least 10%,
September 2020: up to £312.50. The employer
continued to pay their NI and pension
Phase one contributions.
— Looking back to 1 March 2020, — From 1 October 2020, CJRS continued
employers could claim for 80% of to taper reimbursements, paying 60%
wage costs up to £2,500 per month of wages costs up to £1,875, while the
for each employee put on furlough. A employer paid at least 20%, up to
furloughed worker was anyone who £625. The employer continued to pay
remained employed but was not their NI and pension contributions.
provided with work. Employers could
pay the remaining 20% of wage costs CJRS was scheduled to wind down on
for furloughed workers but were not 31 October but was extended from
required to do so. The government 1 November 2020 through to 31 March
paid the employer’s National 2021. This coincided with the
Insurance (NI) contributions and 3% announcement of a nationwide
minimum auto enrolment pension lockdown in England lasting four weeks
contributions on qualifying earnings and the continuation of restrictive
for furloughed employees. measures across parts of the UK.
— From 1 July 2020, ‘flexible furlough’ was Under the extended CJRS, employers
launched. Employers could bring can once again claim 80% of wage
furloughed employers back to work costs up to £2,500 for furloughed
part-time and still claim for the wage employees. Any employees made
costs of hours not worked. redundant (laid off) after 23 September
2020 could be rehired and furloughed
with their wages eligible for claim.
14 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Chapter 2
Nest employers, enrolments
and members
Nest was created so that every In contrast, member enrolments continue
employer in the UK, large or small, to grow significantly year on year. This is
due to the higher than average turnover
would have access to a workplace
of jobs in parts of the economy served by
pension scheme that could be used the Nest scheme.
to fulfil their new duties under auto
enrolment. As at 31 March 2020 From Nest’s inception through to the end
of the 2019/20 fiscal year, a total of
about one in three workers in the
871,000 employers had used the Nest
UK has a pension pot with Nest. scheme at some time to fulfil their auto
enrolment duties, a 15% increase in the
total universe of employers compared to
Growth in membership the end of the previous year. Across these
employers there have been 12.9 million
Auto enrolment of eligible employees in
separate occasions of a worker being
workplace pension schemes was done in
enrolled in the scheme, a 22% increase in
stages, beginning in October 2012 and
total enrolments over the previous year.
continuing through February 2018. Every
employer in the UK was assigned a date It should be noted that this number is
by which they had to enrol their considerably higher than the number of
employees based on the size of their individual workers who we know have
payroll (PAYE) scheme. The first employers been enrolled in Nest. This is because
required to take part were the largest, many workers are enrolled more than
with progressively smaller-sized once, often by multiple employers. As at
employers enrolling their workers. From the end of 2019/20, the Nest scheme had
February 2018 all newly eligible active relationships with 791,000
jobholders must be enrolled and all newly employers and 4.4 million members.
formed businesses with employees must
enrol their eligible workers.
While Nest has experienced rapid growth
in employer numbers each year since
October 2012, the rate of growth slowed
considerably in 2019/20, now that the
staging of all existing employers into auto
enrolment has been completed.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 15Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Active employers are those who have The start of 2020/21 coincided with
signed up to use the Nest scheme and lockdown restrictions put in place to
have an active employer account. A small combat the spread of the coronavirus in
proportion of employers have departed the UK. During the first six months of
the scheme, either because they have 2020/21, which are covered in this report,
chosen to move to a different provider or the impacts of lockdown and, later, the
have ceased trading. social distancing, venue closures and
other measures affecting economic
Active members include: activity, were dampened by measures put
— workers enrolled in Nest by their in place by the government, notably the
employer who are currently in Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)
active employment and a range of financial support
packages for businesses. It’s already
— self-employed workers who have clear that these significantly reduced the
enrolled themselves in Nest number of workers who might have lost
employment and the number of
businesses that might have failed.
871k
Employers had used Nest through
31 March 2020
16 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Figure 1. Employers using Nest, year by year
1,000k
916k
871k
800k 760k
632k
600k
400k
331k
200k
86k
5k 15k
0
2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21*
Number of employers (in thousands)
Active Departed
* 2020/21 figures are for 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020.
From 1 April 2020 through 30 September This is a small increase, given that 70%
2020, the number of employers using the more employers left Nest in 2019/20
Nest scheme and the number of new compared to the previous year.
enrolments increased in comparison to
31 March 2020 (Figure 1). However, the New enrolments have noticeably slowed
rate of this growth was muted by the in the first six months of 2020/21, with only
economic effects of the pandemic: the a 7% growth in total enrolments since
total number of employers using Nest 1 April 2020. This suggests that although
increased by 5% between April and employers may be holding up, they have
September 2020. At the same time, the not been taking on new employees at the
proportion of employers leaving Nest for rates seen in the recent past. As at
any reason, including ceasing to trade, 30 September 2020, overall job numbers
did not increase as much as might have have been stable, however, which may be
been expected. Around 12% more due to job-protection interventions such
employers departed Nest in the first six as the CJRS.
months of 2020/21 compared to 2019/20.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 17Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Figure 2. Enrolments made into Nest, year by year
14m 13.8m
12.9m
12m
10.6m
10m
8.3m
8m
6m 5.6m
4m 3.6m
2.3m
2m 1.1m
0
2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21*
Member enrolments (in millions)
Active Left Opted out Exited
* 2020/21 figures are for 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020.
Since the start of auto enrolment, many In any given year, around four in ten Nest
individuals will have changed members leave their employer or choose
employment and may have been enrolled to cease making contributions to their
in more than one pension scheme as a Nest pension pot. Over time, the
result. Some will have been enrolled back cumulative effect is that the ratio of active
into the same scheme more than once. to inactive members has become smaller.
Of all members who had been enrolled at
Nest operates a ‘one pot for life’ scheme, any point through 31 March 2020, 47%
which means when it knows that a person were active and 51% were inactive, having
already has a pension with the scheme, it left their employer or ceased contributing.
combines the accounts into one. When we The remaining 2% had either died, retired
remove multiple counts for individuals or transferred out of Nest and so are no
enrolled in Nest more than once, we find longer considered to be Nest members.
that Nest had 9.2 million members at the
end of 2019/20. Since 1 April 2020, the rate of increase in
Nest’s membership has slowed, as it has for
enrolments. There were only 4% more
members at 30 September 2020 compared
9.2m
to 31 March 2020 (Figure 2). The balance of
active to inactive membership has shifted
slightly, with 45% active and 53% inactive.
The rate of change in this ratio is in line
Total Nest members at with the trend seen in recent years.
31 March 2020
18 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Figure 3. Size of employers using Nest, year by year
100% 1%
3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2%
14% 10%
36%
80%
45%
60%
98% 98% 98% 98%
43% 88% 96%
40%
20% 41%
21%
0%
2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21*
250 or more
50 to 249
Less than 50
* 2020/21 figures are for 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020.
Employer characteristics
Key phrases
The phased approach to rolling out auto
enrolment across the UK can be seen in Large employers:
the changing proportion of larger firms 250 or more employees
using Nest. In 2013/14 around 80% of Mid-sized employers:
employers using Nest as their workplace 50 to 249 employees
pension scheme were mid-sized or large
organisations. By 2019/20 these employers Small and micro employers:
accounted for only 2% (Figure 3). 1 to 49 employees
This breakdown of firm sizes is based
upon the employer’s own reporting of
their size at the point of registering with
Nest. Over time, employers may grow and
hire more staff, or be taken over and
merged with different-sized enterprises.
They may also scale back their
operations and reduce the size of
their payroll.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 19Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Figure 4. Workers enrolled in Nest by their employer’s size, year by year
100%
80%
47% 45% 45%
51%
60%
73%
60% 81%
98%
16% 15%
16%
40% 16%
16%
20% 37% 39% 40%
19% 34%
18% 24%
2% 1% 9%
0%
2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21*
250 or more
50 to 249
Less than 50
* 2020/21 figures are for 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020.
Now that all newly formed businesses The number of Nest members has grown
must enrol all workers from the point more steadily than the number of
when workers become eligible for auto employers using Nest. Between 2015/16
enrolment, we expect virtually all new and 2019/20, the number of registered
employers registering with Nest to be employers grew by more than 10 times,
small or micro-sized firms. We therefore whereas member numbers grew by just
expect the proportion of small and micro over three times. The difference is, of
employers using Nest to trend course, a function of employer size. Figure
towards 100%. 5 shows that despite making up less than
1% of all employers, those with 250 or
more employees account for well over
one third of active Nest members. Again,
this analysis is based on employer size as
self-reported to Nest by employers.
4.4m
Active Nest members
at 31 March 2020
20 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Figure 5. Distribution of Nest’s membership by employer size
Firm size Employers Members
Less than 250 99.6% 64%
250 or more 0.5% 36%
63.6%
1 to 4
12%
34.4%
5 to 49
37%
1.6%
50 to 249
15%
0.2%
250 to 499
4%
0.1%
500 to 999
5%
0.1%
1,000 to 4,999
9%
0.1%
5,000 or more
18%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Percentage of employers Percentage of active members
This distribution of Nest’s membership by The sector composition of Nest’s
employer size illustrates the importance employers will be important to track as
of auto enrolment in expanding pension the effects of the Covid-19 crisis continue
provision to workers in the UK as well as into 2021 and beyond. Two of the top
the role of Nest in being available for three industries for employers registered
every UK employer, large or small, so that with Nest – retail (8%) and catering and
they can fulfil their auto enrolment duties accommodation (6%) – are known to be
to employees. suffering higher numbers of employer
failures and job losses compared to
Employers using Nest are operating other industries.
across a wide range of industries, as
shown in Table 1 (next page). 2 The top
three industry classifications account for
over one fifth of Nest employers.
2 Industry classification is self-reported by employers when
registering with Nest. Employers can select ‘Other’ in addition to
a menu of category options. The field is not required as part of
registration, and some employers do not provide a response.
These employers are coded as ‘Not reported’.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 21Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 1. Employers using Nest, by industry
Industry (self-reported) Percentage of employers
as at 31 March 2020
Retail, hire and repair 8%
Construction 7%
Catering and accommodation 6%
Health and social care 6%
Professional, scientific and technical 4%
Manufacturing 3%
Charity 3%
Personal services 3%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%
Financial and insurance 2%
Arts, sports and recreation 2%
Transportation and storage 2%
Administration and support services 2%
Information and communication 2%
Education 2%
Real estate 2%
Wholesale 1%
Employment (includes temporary agency work) 1%
Mining, energy and utilities 0%
Public administration 0%
International councils and bodies 0%
Other 24%
Not reported 17%
22 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Nest’s membership is skewed towards
Member characteristics younger generations with around 44% of
As shown in Table 2 (next page), Nest’s members under age 35, compared with
membership as at 31 March 2020 was 37% of employees in the UK labour
close to being half active and half market.4 This higher proportion of
inactive members, with slightly more younger workers is to be expected as,
inactive members. Male members slightly prior to auto enrolment, this population
outnumbered female members, with this was far less likely to be saving into a
difference more marked in the population workplace pension than older
of inactive members. This may suggest generations.
that men are more likely to be in more
On average, members’ accounts have
transient employment and therefore more
been active for around three years.
likely to stop contributing to their Nest pot
because they have left the employer who Table 2 shows how Nest’s active and
enrolled them in Nest. inactive member populations differ. Active
members tend to be slightly older,
A typical Nest member is just under
perhaps because younger workers are
40 years old with a median gross annual
more likely to be in more transient
income of around £19,000. Nest was set
employment. Active members are also
up to ensure there was a pension scheme
more likely to have slightly higher
in the UK market that was open to all
earnings. This is almost certainly because
employers, including those with a high
workers in more transient employment
proportion of low and moderate earners.
are generally lower paid.
It’s therefore not surprising that the
median income of Nest members is lower
than the median for all UK employees of
£24,900. 3 However, nearly 30% of Nest
members earn above the national median
income. This suggests that Nest also
serves a significant number of higher-
earning employees.
4 ONS, Labour Force Survey, January–March 2020. Summary
3 Office for National Statistics (ONS), ‘Employee earnings in the statistics are available at ONS, ‘Labour market overview, UK’
UK’ (2019), ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/ (May 2020), ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/
peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/ peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/
annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2019 uklabourmarket/may2020
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 23Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 2. Nest member characteristics
All members Active Inactive
as at 31 March 2020 members* members*
Total membership 100% 48% 52%
Mean (median) Mean (median) Mean (median)
Age 39.2 (37.0) 40.4 (39.0) 38.2 (35.0)
Scheme tenure 3.2 (3.0) 2.7 (2.6) 3.6 (3.4)
Member’s annual earnings, £21,300 £21,600 £20,300
where reported (£18,900) (£19,200) (£18,000)
Gender
Female 47% 49% 45%
Male 53% 51% 55%
Age
Under 25 7% 9% 6%
25 to 34 36% 30% 42%
35 to 44 23% 23% 24%
45 to 54 19% 21% 17%
55 to 64 13% 15% 10%
65 and older 1% 1% 1%
Scheme tenure
Less than 1 year 14% 22% 7%
Less than 2 years 16% 17% 15%
Less than 3 years 21% 22% 21%
Less than 4 years 17% 17% 17%
Less than 5 years 11% 8% 13%
Less than 6 years 11% 7% 14%
6 or more years 11% 7% 14%
24 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
All members Active Inactive
as at 31 March 2020 members* members*
Member’s annual earnings, where reported
Less than £10,000 9% 9% 10%
£10,000 to £14,999 21% 21% 23%
£15,000 to £19,999 24% 24% 26%
£20,000 to £24,999 17% 17% 17%
£25,000 to £34,999 17% 18% 15%
£35,000 or more 11% 11% 8%
* Active members are either actively employed by an employer who has enrolled them in Nest or are
self-employed. Inactive members have either left the employer who enrolled them in Nest, chosen to
stop contributing or been transferred to a different provider by their employer.
Nest members by industry When we compare this to Table 1, we see
that four of the top six industries in
Nest’s members are employed in a wide employer volume are also in the top six
variety of industries, as shown in Table 3 for member numbers. The most notable
(next page). Over one third of members exception is employment, which accounts
are employed in the top three industries for just 1% of Nest employers but 13% of
ranked by percentage of members members. This industry encompasses
working in them – employment (13%), temporary agencies and recruitment
health and social care (11%) and catering firms, which often have large numbers of
and accommodation (10%). workers on their books at any one time.
The employment industry also has the
highest proportion of inactive members to
active members. This is unsurprising as
workers on temporary agency-style
contracts are likely to leave employment
at more frequent intervals than those in
other industries.
£19k
Median Nest member’s
annual income
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 25Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020 Table 3. Nest members by industry of their employer Industry All members Active Inactive (self-reported by employer) as at 31 March 2020 members* members* Employment (includes temporary agency work) 13% 7% 18% Health and social care 11% 12% 9% Catering and accommodation 10% 9% 10% Retail, hire and repair 9% 9% 8% Manufacturing 5% 6% 5% Construction 4% 4% 3% Administration and support services 3% 2% 4% Education 3% 3% 2% Charity 2% 3% 2% Transportation and storage 2% 2% 2% Financial and insurance 2% 2% 2% Arts, sports and recreation 2% 2% 2% Professional, scientific and technical 2% 2% 1% Wholesale 1% 2% 1% Agriculture, forestry and fishing 1% 1% 1% Information and communication 1% 1% 1% Personal services 1% 1% 1% Real estate 1% 1% 1% Mining, energy and utilities 0% 0% 0% Public administration 0% 0% 0% International councils and bodies 0% 0% 0% Other 21% 21% 22% Not reported 7% 8% 6% * Active members are either actively employed by an employer who enrolled them in Nest or are self- employed. Inactive members have either left the employer who enrolled them in Nest, chosen to stop contributing or been transferred to a different provider by their employer. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. 26 nestinsight.org.uk Nest Insight
Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Manner of enrolment
Key phrases
Nest was primarily set up to ensure that
every employer could meet their legal Eligible jobholders: workers aged 22
duty to automatically enrol eligible up to State Pension age who earn
workers. However, other types of worker £10,000 or more annually
can be, and are, enrolled in Nest (automatically enrolled)
by employers. Non-eligible jobholders: workers aged
Workers under age 22 and those over under 22 or over State Pension age, or
their State Pension age fall outside of the who earn less than £10,000 annually
legislative mandate to be automatically (not automatically enrolled
enrolled by their employer. So too do but can opt in)
those workers whose earnings are below Entitled workers: non-eligible
the earnings threshold for automatic jobholders who earn less than £6,240
enrolment, currently £10,000 per year. All annually (can opt in but their employer
of these ‘non-eligible jobholders’ can opt is not required to pay contributions)
in to Nest and ask their employer to make
payroll contributions into a pension pot
Nest has also seen a small number of
for them. They may also be eligible to
so-called voluntary enrolments. These
have pension contributions made into
took place during the staging period,
their pot by their employer if they
when employers were being brought into
earn enough.
the auto enrolment system at different
Non-eligible jobholders, who earn less dates based on the size of their payroll. In
than the lower limit for contributions, these cases, the employer needed explicit
currently £6,240 per year, are able to opt consent from workers to enrol them
in to workplace pension saving but their before the employer’s mandated staging
employer does not have to contribute to date. Because these workers had opted
their pot. These non-eligible jobholders in, they were not offered the chance to
are called ‘entitled workers’ because they opt out in the first month after
are entitled to save into their employer’s their enrolment.
workplace pension scheme but are not
Finally, Nest can be used by self-
eligible for employer contributions.
employed people as a workplace pension
scheme. There is a dedicated enrolment
category for these individuals. Under
auto enrolment legislation, they are not
required to contribute a set percentage
of their income or profits. They can make
contributions into their pot on a regular
or ad hoc basis.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 27Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
As shown in Table 4, the overwhelming Manner of enrolment by
majority of active Nest members (91%) employer size
have been automatically enrolled. The
remaining 9% actively chose to be As seen in Table 4, over nine in 10 Nest
enrolled, with just under half of these members have been automatically
opting in through an employer and enrolled in the scheme by their employer.
entitled to employer contributions, To gain a greater understanding of those
meaning they earn at least £6,420 but Nest members who have made an active
less than £10,000 a year with the choice to contribute to a workplace
employer that enrolled them. pension, we looked at how members’
manner of enrolment varied by their
As at 31 March 2020, only 0.3% of Nest’s employer’s size.
active members had enrolled themselves
as a self-employed worker. Figure 6 shows that smaller organisations
are much more likely to have active
Although this is a small percentage of the members who have enrolled in Nest as an
active membership, the proportion of active choice. This may be a sign that
self-employed members increased by some employers seek to reduce the time
almost 50% over the previous 12 months. and effort involved in pensions
While a tiny proportion of Nest members administration by choosing not to
have joined as self-employed workers, in conduct eligibility assessments for staff
a Nest member survey conducted in and instead enrol all workers, regardless
November and December 2020, 6% of of earnings level. It may also be that small
members described themselves as self- and particularly micro employers are
employed. However, this status does not more likely to adopt a paternalistic stance
show up in the scheme’s administrative towards their workers and actively chose
data because these individuals were to invite all staff to enrol in Nest.
enrolled by employers rather than self-
enrolling as self-employed members. Members who enrolled voluntarily, before
their employer’s staging date, were also
far more common among micro
employers. This finding is perhaps
explained by the fact that often the very
smallest employers are directly
administered by the business owner. In
this scenario the employer may have
chosen to enrol at a more convenient
time than their allocated enrolment date.
28 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 4. Nest members by manner of enrolment
Active members
as at 31 March 2020
Automatically enrolled (eligible jobholder) 91%
Opted in – with employer contribution (non-eligible jobholder) 4%
Opted in – without employer contribution (entitled worker) 1%
Voluntarily enrolled before employer staging 1%
Self-employed and enrolled self 0.3%
Other 2%
Total 100%
Figure 6. How active members were enrolled, by employer size
100%
Other
Voluntarily enrolled before
80% employer staging
Opted in without employer
contribution
60%
Opted in with employer
90% 93% 93% 95% 96% 95% contribution
86%
40% Automatically enrolled
20%
0%
1 to 4 5 to 49 50 to 250 to 500 to 1,000 to 5,000 or
249 499 999 4,999 more
16%
Other
14% 2% Voluntarily enrolled before
employer staging
12%
4% Opted in without employer
10% contribution
2%
8% 1% Opted in with employer
2% contribution
6% 3% 3%
1%
2%
4% 1% 1%
8% 0% 2%
1% 1% 1% 2%
0%
2% 5% 1% 0%
3% 3% 3% 0%
2% 2%
0%
1 to 4 5 to 49 50 to 250 to 500 to 1,000 to 5,000 or
249 499 999 4,999 more
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 29Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 5. How active members were enrolled, by member characteristics
Automatically enrolled Active choice
All active members 91% 9%
as at 31 March 2020
Gender
Female 49% 53%
Male 51% 47%
Age
Under 25 8% 18%
25 to 34 31% 23%
35 to 44 23% 21%
45 to 54 21% 21%
55 to 64 15% 15%
65 and over 1% 2%
Member’s annual earnings (where reported)
Less than £10,000 9% 15%
£10,000 to £14,999 21% 21%
£15,000 to £19,999 24% 22%
£20,000 to £24,999 18% 16%
£25,000 to £34,999 18% 16%
£35,000 or more 11% 10%
Manner of enrolment by member
characteristics
Members choosing to opt in to Nest are
slightly more likely to be lower earners
and women than Nest’s automatically
enrolled membership, as shown in
Table 5. This is unsurprising since the
opt-in process is primarily used by those
whose earnings are below the threshold
for mandatory auto enrolment and
women are more likely to be in this group.
30 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
In our ‘How the UK saves’ series of
Member opt-out rates reports with Vanguard, we looked at how
Under the UK’s auto enrolment system, opt-out rates had changed since the end
eligible jobholders can opt out of their of the employer staging period.7 In Table
employer’s workplace pension provision 6 (next page) we look at opt-out rates
within the first month after their auto through the end of 2019/20, compared to
enrolment. After this opt-out window, they those for the first six months of 2020/21,
can choose to stop making contributions, during the Covid-19 crisis.
but they usually cannot access the
Before the Covid-19 crisis, opt-out rates
savings in this pension pot until they reach
were slightly higher for women than men.
age 55. Here, we look specifically at rates
They were also higher among older
of opting out in the first month.
workers, many of whom explained this
Through the employer staging period, choice at the time by saying one of two
which was completed in February 2018, things – that they had other savings in
opt-out rates were well below initial place for retirement, or that it was too
projections. This can be seen in previous late for them to start saving
research by Nest Corporation and Nest into a pension.
Insight,5 alongside evidence from other
Opt-outs were also much higher among
auto enrolment pension providers and
workers at micro employers.
official sources such as the Department
Speculatively, this might be because
for Work and Pensions (DWP) and The
workers felt a greater degree of empathy
Pensions Regulator (TPR).6 Low opt-out
with the owners of these businesses and
rates were a significant early indication of
are opting out to save costs to the
the success of the UK’s auto
employer. This might be especially true at
enrolment system.
family-run firms, for instance.
During the staging period, opt-out rates
In the first six months of 2020/21, opt-out
varied as each new cohort of employers
rates have increased significantly, to
was brought into the system. Rates were
almost 11%. Virtually all demographic
higher around assigned staging dates,
groups have seen an increase in opt-outs.
when many employers enrolled all of their
Proportionally, opt-out rates have
existing staff at once. When employers
increased the most for those under age
later enrolled new or newly eligible
35 and those employed in mid-sized and
workers on an ongoing basis, opt-out
large firms.
rates were lower.
5 Vanguard and Nest Insight, ‘How the UK saves: the effects of
phasing’ (2018), nestinsight.org.uk/wp-content/
uploads/2019/03/How-the-UK-Saves-the-effects-
of-phasing.pdf
6 Department for Work and Pensions, ‘Automatic enrolment
evaluation report’ (2019), gov.uk/government/publications/ 7 Vanguard and Nest Insight, ‘How the UK saves’, 2019,
automatic-enrolment-evaluation-report-2019/automatic- nestinsight.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/How-the-UK-
enrolment-evaluation-report-2019 saves-2019.pdf
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 31Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 6. Member opt-out rates by member and employer characteristics
Cumulative opt-outs Opt-outs
as at 31 March 2020 1 April 2020 to
30 September 2020
All newly enrolled members 7.8% 10.8%
Gender
Female 8.1% 10.5%
Male 7.5% 10.9%
Age
Under 25 4.2% 6.3%
25 to 34 5.6% 9.0%
35 to 44 7.1% 10.7%
45 to 54 9.8% 12.3%
55 to 64 18.3% 19.4%
65 to 69 23.4% 27.2%
Employer size*
1 to 4 employees 14.0% 13.4%
5 to 49 employees 8.8% 10.5%
50 to 249 employees 6.1% 10.6%
250 to 499 employees 5.4% 9.2%
500 to 999 employees 6.3% 12.1%
1,000 to 4,999 employees 6.1% 10.3%
5,000 or more employees 7.1% 9.5%
32 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightNest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Cumulative opt-outs Opt-outs
as at 31 March 2020 1 April 2020 to
30 September 2020
Industry*
Public administration 21.9% 17.5%
Financial and insurance 15.9% 22.6%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 15.5% 29.7%
Professional, scientific and technical 14.4% 20.3%
Information and communication 13.2% 15.9%
Education 12.1% 13.5%
International councils and bodies 11.7% 12.9%
Charity 10.2% 12.6%
Wholesale 9.9% 12.5%
Construction 9.8% 13.1%
Real estate 9.7% 13.2%
Manufacturing 9.1% 12.3%
Personal services 8.8% 9.1%
Mining, energy and utilities 8.3% 12.0%
Transportation and storage 8.2% 8.5%
Health and social care 8.0% 8.9%
Administration and support services 7.3% 10.2%
Arts, sports and recreation 6.9% 8.3%
Retail, hire and repair 6.7% 8.9%
Employment (includes temporary agency work) 6.4% 8.7%
Other 7.5% 9.4%
Unknown 7.5% 11.4%
* Employer size and industry are self-reported by the employer at the time of registering with Nest.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 33Nest employers, enrolments and members Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 7. Workers’ reasons for opting out
Age
Under 25 to 35 to 45 to 55 to 65 to
Total 25 34 44 54 64 70
No reason given 51% 50% 51% 51% 51% 52% 59%
Reason given (totalling 100%)
I already save in a
28% 9% 18% 29% 38% 33% 28%
pension scheme.
I can’t afford it. 23% 44% 34% 26% 17% 9% 8%
I don’t trust
9% 11% 14% 11% 8% 4% 2%
pensions.
I have other
sources of income 19% 11% 13% 14% 17% 32% 38%
for my retirement.
I plan to rely on
the State Pension 5% 3% 4% 5% 5% 6% 9%
when I retire.
Nest isn’t the right
16% 21% 17% 15% 14% 14% 15%
pension for me.
Rationales for opting out Affordability is the next most popular
reason for opting out. This is also far and
When workers opt out of being enrolled in away the most common answer given for
Nest, they are asked why they have done opting out among those under 35.
so. This question is voluntary, and around
half of those opting out do not provide an Older age groups also tend to say they
answer, as shown in Table 7. have other sources of income for their
retirement. These individuals may already
Among those who do provide a reason, be drawing down on existing retirement
the most popular is that they already provision and have opted out so as not to
save into a pension. The frequency of this accumulate another pension pot.
answer trends upwards with age.
34 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightContributions Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Chapter 3
Contributions
Minimum contributions into workers’ Contribution rates
pension pots were gradually
The UK’s auto enrolment regulations set
increased after auto enrolment was out the minimum contributions to be
introduced in the UK. This report made into workers’ pension pots. To ease
covers the first full fiscal year for employers and workers into pension
which the minimum contribution saving, mandatory rates were initially set
rates have totalled 8%, the highest very low. They were then phased up, over
rate set out under current auto two rate increases at 12-month intervals.
This process of escalating the minimum
enrolment regulations. contributions gradually is referred to
as ‘phasing’.
Phasing in minimum contribution rates
Effective date Total Of which the Balance
minimum employer must – usually
contributions contribute at contributed by
least the worker*
Up until 5 April 2018 2% 1% 1%
From 6 April 2018 to 5 April 2019 5% 2% 3%
From 6 April 2019 8% 3% 5%
* Workers can receive tax relief from the government on their contributions, so that a gross contribution
of 5% typically means making a net contribution of 4%.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 35Contributions Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 8. Employer contribution rates
Percentage of band earnings Percentage of employers
contributed by employer to pension pot contributing at rate
Less than 3% 2.1%
3% 91.9%
More than 3% up to 5% 2.7%
More than 5% 3.3%
Tables 8 and 9 show the proportion of The vast majority of member
contributions paid over 2019/20 by Nest contributions into Nest are made at the
employers and members. With phasing of rate of 5% of earnings, which makes up
minimum contributions now complete, we the balance to the overall minimum of 8%
can see that the vast majority of when an employer is contributing 3%. Of
employer contributions into Nest are particular interest are the members
made at the minimum rate of 3%. saving at less than 5%. This includes 2.6%
of members who are contributing zero
It’s noteworthy that a small proportion of percent into their pot. It’s likely that these
employers appear to be contributing less members are having their entire 8%
than the 3% legislative minimum. This is minimum contribution paid by their
likely because some employers use an employer, since only the total minimum
alternative, legally permitted basis to contribution and the employer minimum
calculate the contributions they make contribution are specifically mandated in
towards their workers’ pension pots. For the UK regulations.
example, some contribute a percentage
of their workers’ total earnings rather
than only contributing 3% of qualifying
band earnings. This can result in a
reported rate that appears to be below
the mandatory minimum but in reality
often involves a greater gross
contribution from the employer.
36 nestinsight.org.uk Nest InsightContributions Retirement saving in the UK 2020 Table 9. Nest members’ contribution rates Percentage of band earnings Percentage of members contributed by worker to pension pot* contributing at rate 0% 2.6% More than 0% and less than 5% 3.0% 5% 89.6% More than 5% up to 8% 4.2% More than 8% 0.6% * Member contribution includes tax relief. In our previous yearly reports we showed how the proportion of Nest employers and members paying at or over the The vast majority of employer legislative minimums changed over the contributions are made at the course of the first period of phasing.8 minimum rate of 3%. Around 86% of employers contributed the minimum rate at the time to members’ pension pots. On the same measure, around 84% of Nest members were receiving minimum contributions from their employer. 8 nestinsight.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/How-the-UK- saves-2019.pdf Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 37
Contributions Retirement saving in the UK 2020 With phasing completed in April 2019, we The member experience has seen less can now assess the degree to which change, with the proportion contributing employers stick with the minimum rates. 5% while their employer contributes 3% As shown in Table 10 the proportion of remaining steady, at around 85%. employers contributing 3% of the total 8% mandatory contribution to the pension pot has fallen to around 76%. It would appear that, as the auto enrolment system continues to mature, employers are being more generous, with almost 13% paying above their required 3% rate. 38 nestinsight.org.uk Nest Insight
Contributions Retirement saving in the UK 2020
Table 10. Relationship between member and employer contribution rates
Percentage of employers
Member contribution rate*
0% More than 0% 5% More than 5% More Total
up to 5% up to 8% than 8%
Less than 3% 0.0% 0.2% 2.2% 0.4% 0.1% 2.9%
Employer contribution rate
3% 0.1% 0.5% 75.7% 6.5% 1.6% 84.4%
More than 3%
0.0% 0.7% 2.4% 4.6% 0.4% 8.0%
up to 5%
More than 5%
0.6% 0.4% 0.5% 0.5% 0.4% 2.4%
up to 8%
More than 8% 0.5% 0.2% 0.9% 0.2% 0.6% 2.3%
Percentage of members
Member contribution rate*
0% More than 0% 5% More than 5% More Total
up to 5% up to 8% than 8%
Less than 3% 0.0% 0.7% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.8%
Employer contribution rate
3% 0.0% 0.4% 85.0% 3.8% 0.3% 89.4%
More than 3%
0.0% 0.9% 2.0% 1.8% 0.1% 4.8%
up to 5%
More than 5%
2.8% 0.9% 0.2% 0.1% 0.1% 4.1%
up to 8%
More than 8% 0.4% 0.0% 0.2% 0.1% 0.1% 0.9%
* Due to the time lag in receiving contributions and the methodology employed to calculate weighted
annualised member contribution rates, data in this table is as at 30 September 2020.
A rounding tolerance of 0.05% has been applied to all contribution bands so, for example, a 3%
contribution rate covers contribution rates in the band from 2.95% to 3.05%.
Note that table 10 shows the proportion of employers contributing at different rates, whereas tables 8
and 9 compare the proportions of all contributions that were paid at these rates. As a result, the total
percentages do not match.
Nest Insight nestinsight.org.uk 39You can also read
