# The Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 S.R. 2021/66 · made 16 March 2021 This Order, which corresponds to an Order (S.I. 2021/314) made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under sections 14(2) and 15A(1) of the Pensions Act 2008, substitutes the amounts of the automatic enrolment and re-enrolment qualifying earnings band and specifies rounded figures for certain pay reference periods. Made under: Pensions (No. 2) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (Section 14, Section 15A); Pensions Act 2008 PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/automatic-enrolment-earnings-trigger-and-qualifying-earnings-band-order-northern-ireland-2021/pdf/nisr_20210066_en.pdf; NI Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/automatic-enrolment-earnings-trigger-and-qualifying-earnings-band-order-northern-ireland-2021/pdf/nisrem_20210066_en.pdf ## Introductory text Pensions Made 16th March 2021 Coming into operation 6th April 2021 The Department for Communities makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 14 and 15A(1) of the Pensions (No. 2) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has made an Order under sections 14(2) and 15A(1) of the Pensions Act 2008. Accordingly the Department for Communities makes the following Order: ## 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation (1) This Order may be cited as the Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 and shall come into operation on 6th April 2021. (2) In this Order any reference to a numbered section is a reference to the section of the Pensions (No. 2) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 bearing that number. ## 2 Increase of amount In section 13(1)(b) (qualifying earnings) for “£50,000” substitute “£50,270”. ## 3 Rounded figures For the purposes of sections 3(6B), 5(7B) and 13(2), for a pay reference period referred to in an entry in column 1 of the Table— (a) the amount of a jobholder’s earnings which triggers the automatic enrolment or, as the case may be, the automatic re-enrolment of the jobholder pursuant to sections 3 and 5 respectively, is the rounded figure in the corresponding entry in column 2 of the Table; (b) the lower amount of qualifying earnings (see section 13(1)(a)), is the rounded figure in the corresponding entry in column 3 of the Table; (c) the upper amount of qualifying earnings (see section 13(1)(b)), is the rounded figure in the corresponding entry in column 4 of the Table. Table Column 1 Pay reference period Column 2 Automatic enrolment and automatic re-enrolment earnings trigger: rounded figure Column 3 Lower amount of qualifying earnings: rounded figure Column 4 Upper amount of qualifying earnings: rounded figure 1 week £192 £120 £967 2 weeks £384 £240 £1,934 4 weeks £768 £480 £3,867 1 month £833 £520 £4,189 3 months £2,499 £1,560 £12,568 6 months £4,998 £3,120 £25,135 ## 4 Revocations The following provisions are revoked— (a) the Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order (Northern Ireland) 2019; (b) Article 3 of the Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020. ## Signature Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 16th March 2021 (L.S.) Anne McCleary A senior officer of the Department for Communities ## Explanatory note (This note is not part of the Order) This Order, which corresponds to an Order (S.I. 2021/314) made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under sections 14(2) and 15A(1) of the Pensions Act 2008, substitutes the amounts of the automatic enrolment and re-enrolment qualifying earnings band and specifies rounded figures for certain pay reference periods. For the purposes of the Pensions (No. 2) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (“the Act”), a jobholder who earns qualifying earnings of a specified amount is automatically enrolled or, as the case may be, re-enrolled into a pension scheme. The figures which “trigger” automatic enrolment or re-enrolment for pay reference periods other than 12 months can be found in Article 3 of this Order. Once in the scheme, the pension contributions of such a jobholder are calculated by reference to qualifying earnings. Section 13 of the Act provides that a person’s qualifying earnings are earnings of more than the amount specified in subsection (1)(a) of that section but not more than the amount specified in subsection (1)(b) of that section. Article 2 of this Order increases the amount referred to in section 13(1)(b). The amounts specified in sections 3(1)(c), 5(1)(c) and 13(1) of the Act are in relation to a pay reference period of 12 months. Sections 3(6B), 5(7B) and 13(2) of the Act provide respectively that where a pay reference period is less or more than 12 months, the amounts specified in sections 3(1)(c), 5(1)(c) and 13(1) apply as if they were proportionately less or more. Article 3 of this Order provides rounded figures in respect of specified pay reference periods other than 12 months for the purposes of sections 3(6B), 5(7B) and 13(2). Rounding caters for different types of worker and for pay periods other than 12 months used by employers and enables the pay reference period to be tailored to their specific circumstances. Article 4 of this Order makes revocations. --- Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2021/66 (the official version) Page: https://openlegislation.uk/automatic-enrolment-earnings-trigger-and-qualifying-earnings-band-order-northern-ireland-2021 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.