Pensions Regulator to seize assets
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has announced that employers who refuse to pay workplace pension fines could have their assets seized to pay their debts.
TPR can issue fines to employers who fail to meet their automatic enrolment duties and can secure court orders if the debts are not then paid. TPR is to now appoint High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs) to enforce court orders in England and Wales, and the equivalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland, on those employers who have refused or failed to comply. If an employer does not pay their debts, HCEOs could visit the employer’s business premises to seize and remove items to sell, up to the value of the amount owed. This could include the employer’s company vehicles. Unlike bailiffs, HCEOs have the power to force entry to locked commercial premises to seize assets.
TPR has never needed to use HCEOs before. The intention is to only use them on those rare occasions when, without good excuse, an employer has failed or refused to pay a fine imposed by TPR and after which TPR has subsequently obtained a court order for the amount owed.
Separately, TPR will consider whether it should prosecute employers that remain non-compliant with their automatic enrolment duties despite being given a court order demanding they pay the fines they have incurred.
Latest news
- Tax Diary May/June 2024
18/04/2024 - More...
1 May 2024 - Due date for corporation tax due for the year ended 30 July 2023. 19 May 2024 - PAYE and NIC deductions
- Payrolling employee expenses and benefits
18/04/2024 - More...
Employers can register on a voluntary basis (before the start of the tax year) to report and account for tax on certain
- Changes to Scottish Income Tax rates 2024-25
18/04/2024 - More...
A reminder of the changes to Scottish Income Tax rates for the 2024-25 tax year. It was announced as part of the
Search archive
Newsletter
With our newsletter, you automatically receive our latest news per e-mail and get access to the archive including advanced search options!