Currently this is 5% of your auto enrolment qualifying earnings (unless your employer uses a different definition of pensionable earnings – the earnings that count towards pension contributions).
The total minimum contribution rate is currently 8% of qualifying earnings. Employers must pay at least 3% of this, so you must pay the remaining 5%. If your employer pays a higher rate than 3%, your minimum rate may be lower than 5%.
Some employers use a different definition of pensionable earnings, such as basic earnings or total earnings.
Basic earnings are all your earnings including basic pay, holiday pay and statutory pay such as sick pay or parental leave pay. They don’t include bonuses, commission, overtime and similar payments.
If your employer uses basic earnings to work out pension contributions the total minimum contribution rate is 9%. Your employer must pay at least 4% of this, so your minimum rate is 5%.
Total earnings are all your earnings including bonuses, commission, overtime and similar payments.
If your employer uses total earnings to work out pension contributions the total minimum contribution rate is 7%. Your employer must pay at least 3% of this, so your minimum rate is 4%.
You don’t have to pay just the minimum. You can build up more retirement savings by increasing your contributions. See Can I increase my contributions? for more about this.