How to set up your workplace pension

We want to make it straightforward for you to manage your workplace pension with us. We’ll guide you through setting up your employer website and managing your payroll uploads to help keep your pension compliant.

Getting started

You’ll need to register with NOW: Pensions before you start. This only takes a few minutes, then you’re ready to follow the five simple steps below.

Sign up today

Setting up in five simple steps

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Step 1: Check your payroll

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Step 2: Log in to your employer website

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Step 3: Choose your contribution model (Scheme tier)

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Step 4: Complete your details

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Step 5: Approve your participation agreement

Step 1: Check your payroll

Before you set up your workplace pension you’ll need to check your payroll can produce data files in the correct format to work with NOW: Pensions.

You’ll need to be able to download a CSV file with details of your employees and the pension contributions they have paid. This is your ‘pension data file’ and it drives everything to do with auto enrolment.

Our system works with most payroll software.

Our UK-based telephone support team are on-hand to help with any queries. Please contact us if you need any assistance, or search our employer help centre.

Step 2: Set up your account

We’ll send you three emails with a link, a temporary password and instructions for setting up your account. We recommend you bookmark the web address https://osu.nowpensions.com/login.

Once you’re in the website you’ll need to change the temporary password to one of your choice. You can also set up additional website users from your team.

Step 3: Set up your pension

Choose your contribution model (Scheme tier) and pension earnings basis.

We offer five contribution models designed for the needs of different employers. They range from a simple, low-cost standard plan that meets the minimum requirements, to more generous plans for those who want to offer a workplace pension that’s competitive as well as affordable.

You can choose more than one contribution model if you want to offer different contribution structures to different groups of employees.

You can also create your own bespoke contribution model – please contact our client support team if you’d like to look into this.

Step 4: Complete your details

Fill in details about your business including name, address, registration number, the nature of your business, the number of employees, your Pensions Regulator reference and your Employer Code.

Step 5: Approve your participation agreement

Once you’ve filled in all the details you’ll get a participation agreement (your contract with us) to approve. The approval process includes completion of the relevant Direct Debit mandates and acceptance of the agreement.

When approved, we’ll send you an email within 24 hours to confirm your application has been completed. Your workplace pension scheme will then be ready to accept data.