The Pensions Regulator (TPR) was warned that businesses cannot avoid their workplace pension responsibilities by changing their company name.
TPR claims that some employers are committing offences by creating new businesses, transferring their workforce and liquidating the ‘old’ business. In other cases, employers are claiming that they have no employees; however, TPR can see from its data that they are paying wages.
The Pensions Regulator is working in conjunction with the Insolvency Service to tackle the issue.
In regards to rebranding, TPR have stated that there is ‘nothing wrong with genuine rebranding’, but rebranding has no impact on the employer’s automatic enrolment duties. TPR informs that a business carrying out a rebrand is ‘still the same entity’, and they will ‘take action if employees are denied the pensions they are entitled to’.
Quote from Nigel Holland:
“Do not try to avoid your auto enrolment duties, it will cause problems for your business in the future.”