WINSFORD’s MP has called for business in Eddisbury to get ready for the workplace pension reforms that have started to roll out to small and micro employers.

Since 2012, some 5.8 million workers have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by 78,000 employers.

But this process began with larger businesses, and it is only now that smaller firms right down to employers with only one employee are beginning to enrol their staff.

It is estimated that around 9 million workers will either be newly saving or saving more into a workplace pension by 2020 thanks to the changes.

Antoinette Sandbach, MP for Eddisbury, said: “This is about changing a culture and the way that we as society approach saving into workplace pensions.

“Workers will now be automatically enrolled by their employer, this is good news for workers but I’m keen to promote this to businesses and make sure that everyone in Eddisbury is aware of the changes and prepared.

“This affects all employers whether they have one employee or hundreds.”

Automatic Enrolment will fundamentally change the way society approaches saving into workplace pensions.

Instead of opting in people will be automatically enrolled by their employer provided they are earn more than £10,000, are over the age of 22 and have not reached state pension age.

Baroness Altmann, Minister for Pensions, said: “In the past three years well over five million people have successfully automatically enrolled into a workplace pension – but the hard work starts here.

“We have made great strides forward in establishing pension saving at work as the cultural norm once again, but we need this momentum to continue.

“Employers in all areas including Eddisbury will be required to automatically enrol their staff.”