By law, there are two different types of records that you must keep:
- Records about workers: for example, name, National Insurance number, opt-in notice and joining notice.
- Records about the pension scheme: for example, employer pension scheme reference and scheme name and address.
For example, you need to keep up-to-date and accurate records of the following things:
- The names and addresses of all the workers you’ve enrolled.
- Records of when you paid contributions into now:pensions.
- Records of workers stopping and re-starting paying in to their pension savings.
- Your pension scheme reference or registration numbers.
- Information you’ve sent to us, as your workplace pension provider.
The Pensions Regulator provides detailed guidance regarding the records you must keep.
It’s important to keep these records in an easily-accessible format so you can prove to The Pensions Regulator, if they ask, that you’ve met your auto enrolment duties. If you outsource your payroll management to an external provider such as a payroll bureau, they must keep these records up to date and accurate for you. But you’re still legally responsible for ensuring these records are kept.
You must keep your pension scheme reference or registration numbers, as well as any data you send to us, for six years. You must keep your opt-out notices for four years.