Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support is available to help people who fund their own care to enrol qualifying carers into a workplace pension.

Support and guidance to understand and comply with the automatic enrolment duties is provided by the Pensions Regulator (TPR). TPR recognises the particular challenges automatic enrolment raises for people who employ workers for their own care and support and has been working to ensure their communications and help meet the needs of this unique group of employers. TPR has available specific information and guidance for those that employ personal assistants and carers.

Their contact centre staff have been trained to deal with the specific issues that might arise when an employer identifies themselves as an employer of a personal assistant or carer. TPR is reaching out to this group of employers through third party organisations to not only help them get automatic enrolment right, but to make it as simple as possible and is also working with local authorities and central government to make sure that the message is consistent and clear.

Further information is available at:

http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/docs/The_essential_guide_for_people_who_employ_their_own_care_and_support.pdf