Your employer must automatically enrol you in a workplace pension. Describe your situation and get instant guidance on your pension rights.
↓ Try the Checker NowAll eligible workers earning over £10,000 per year must be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension. The minimum total contribution is 8% of qualifying earnings (£6,240–£50,270): 3% employer, 5% employee including tax relief.
Employers cannot opt workers out or offer incentives to opt out. Workers can choose to opt out themselves within one month. Employers must re-enrol eligible workers approximately every 3 years.
Key areas covered: auto-enrolment, workplace pension, employer contributions, qualifying earnings, opt out, The Pensions Regulator. Checked against official sources.
Employers offering incentives, or otherwise encouraging staff to opt out of auto-enrolment, are acting unlawfully — this protection exists specifically because pension contributions represent real, valuable long-term benefit that shouldn't be undermined by short-term employer cost pressures.
Compare your payslip deductions against your actual pension provider statement — a deduction showing on your payslip doesn't guarantee it was genuinely paid into your pension, and discrepancies here are worth raising directly with your employer or, if unresolved, the Pensions Regulator.
This checker gives you a plain English read on your specific situation, answered only from its own guide for your part of the UK, checked against official sources. No login needed, and your answer is generated instantly based on what you tell us.
Our guidance covers many common situations, but complex or high-stakes cases need professional advice. For employment issues, contact ACAS in England, Wales and Scotland (0300 123 1100) or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland (03300 555 300). For free general advice, contact Citizens Advice (England 0800 144 8848, Wales 0800 702 2020), Citizens Advice Scotland (0800 028 1456) or Advice NI (0800 915 4604). For urgent housing problems in England, Shelter can help on 0808 800 4444.
What you need to know
The checker below answers from our verified guide. These are its key points.
Full guide: Can I Opt Out of My Workplace Pension? Last verified: 25 September 2026.
This guidance is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify current figures and legislation on GOV.UK or seek professional advice for your specific situation.
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Describe your employment situation and we'll check your rights
Tip: Focus on one issue at a time for the clearest answer. If you have multiple issues, run them separately for a full picture on each one.
Include your age, roughly what you earn and how often you are paid, when you were enrolled and when you got the letter about it, and what your employer or pension scheme has told you.
Free · Guidance only, not legal advice
Am I entitled to redundancy pay?
Employees with at least 2 years of continuous employment are entitled to statutory redundancy pay. The amount depends on age, length of service and weekly pay. For redundancies from 6 April 2026, a week of pay is capped at £751 in England, Wales and Scotland (maximum £22,530) and at £783 in Northern Ireland (maximum £23,490).
What is unfair dismissal?
Unfair dismissal is when an employer dismisses an employee without a fair reason or without acting fairly in how they do it. In England, Wales and Scotland you currently need at least 2 years of continuous employment to claim ordinary unfair dismissal, or at least 6 months where the employment ends on or after 1 January 2027. In Northern Ireland you need at least 1 year.
When is statutory sick pay paid?
From 6 April 2026, statutory sick pay (SSP) is paid from the first full day of sickness absence, in Northern Ireland as well as in England, Wales and Scotland. It is £123.25 a week, or 80% of your average weekly earnings (normal weekly earnings in Northern Ireland) if that is lower. In England, Wales and Scotland it is paid for up to 28 weeks.
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✉️ Generate My Letter Free →The checker answers only from this guide (one guide for the whole UK; lines that differ by nation are marked), plus what you tell it. If your question is not covered there, it says so instead of guessing. Each guide was checked against primary sources on 25 September 2026.
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Directed and published by Matt Thompson, founder of UK Work Rights. Guidance checked against GOV.UK, ACAS and legislation.gov.uk. This is general rights guidance, not legal advice.
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