Auto enrolment, pension deducted from salary but not paid to company

A question about : Auto enrolment, pension deducted from salary but not paid to company

My employer has enrolled us into a pension scheme via auto enrolment, and have chosen Standard Life to be the provider.

For the past few months they have taken the deductions out of my pay, and they show on the payslip.

I have received little infomation from my employer or SL, besides the amounts I/they are paying in and that a letter will follow if I want to opt out.

It has now been 2 months since and I have no further full information about the scheme, and when I have contacted SL directly, they say the reason why I have not received said information, is that my employer has not joined us to the scheme?

Is this normal practice to deduct the monies for a pension but not pass them onto the provider?

It sounds a little fishy to me, but I was wondering if anyone else had a similar situation, or if it is normal practice, to reduce admin overheads, so that those that want to opt out can do so easily and they can then enrol those that wish to stay after the dust has settled?

Thanks.

Best answers:

• I have the same scenario so took my activation code (from my letter about the scheme) and set up my online account for it. I have had deductions yet there is no funds in the pension. However it said in small writing that it doesn't update until it's at least 3 months old. I am going to wait out the 3 months and if it doesn't update to show any kind of funds being put in before I enquire.
• Same situation here, but I have received absolutely nothing about my enrolment.
  Noticed the deductions on my payslip so contacted my employer asking who their chosen pension company was, as I had not been told anything - my contract states that I will not be enrolled prior to knowing who the company is, how much will be deducted and how often. I was just told to contact Standard Life because they should have sent out the information (no interest in what my contract says). Now Standard Life tell me they can't do anything because I don't have any documentation to refer to!
  So I have been getting money deducted for a workplace pension every week with no idea of what's actually happening to it.
• I am the same however because I had documentation, they were able to look and said that after 3 months that is when it starts to update on my online account.
  However it is law that your employer give you the correct information in regards to your auto enrolment scheme and where they are putting the deducted money.
• It may be that payments will be made in a lump sum rather than every week/month to cut administration costs. Just a thought.
• I can now say I am in exactly the same position as the OP!
  Finally got Standard Life to check my details using my NI number and low and behold - I am not enrolled into any pension plan with their company.
  I did think this was the case, but wanted Standard Life to confirm before I took it further with my employer. I'm now waiting to hear their explanation.
• OP - have you got any further with this? I am still awaiting an explanation from my employer.