Nest auto enrolment for agency workers

A question about : Nest auto enrolment for agency workers

My friend who works for an agency has been enrolled on nest. She does not seem to understand anything about it but was told if she has any questions to ring NEST. My friend likes to do casual work as she likes to travel, she does agency work, saves some money and then she is off. She asks me whether she should opt out, I do not know the answer but told her I will ask in the forum. What happens when she is not working and is travelling, can she top up her nest with her own money? What is the fee for running the pension fund? Will it be better to opt out? Also she has not received any documents regarding enrolment with nest. She has got not no pension except a deterred one when she left the council, she worked there for only 3 yrs. I have advised her she must think of the future. Pl can somebody help? Thanks

Best answers:

• So glad you asked this question, I am an agency worker now. I got an e mail today telling me about this pension but I can't find any where that tells me how much I would pay, money is already super tight on my salary, I don't really know anything about this scheme and previously had a teacher pension for about 7 years. I had heard about this scheme but at the time was in a contract job so didn't pay any attention.
  So is there somewhere that can tell me how much (as in percentage) I would be paying?
  Thanks
  Buffy x
• I have asked my friend, she has not got any clue. She showed me her payslip, she is paying Ј3.92 a week in nest and takes home Ј450 after tax. In her payslip she is advised to direct questions about the deductions to nest on 0300 020 0090. You can also try to register on their website where you will get all the details regarding your nest pensions. Once you are enrolled you will get a welcome letter and more infor. Hope this helps.
• i'm paying 6 quid a month out, so don't really think it is going to make a massive fortune in 50 years time. I recogn i will have paid out 3600 in 50 years so would probably get a few quid a month on retirement. I do wonder if it is worth it at times
• Is there a point where it is not beneficial to be opted in ( if you don't earn enough?)
  I read that you were automatically enrolled if you earned above x. I work for several agencies and I have been auto- enrolled to NEST with the agency that provides me with the least work. Other agencies seem to be signed up with NOW pensions but I haven't been auto enrolled yet as far as I can tell.
  I anticipate the annual salary and therefore contributions would be negligible on the grand scheme.
  So should I opt out and go down a SIPP route or would that be throwing away money ( contributions from employer and tax relief)?
  Would be grateful for thoughts while I look into this properly. I have a month to opt out. Thanks.
• Ok, so mulling all this over. Perhaps it is sensible to stay opted in to whatever agencies enrol me on and pay extra into a SIPP where I have more control once I've explored it more.
  Then once reach 55, transfer the minuscule pots to the main pension I had contributed to for 12 years ( assuming possible?) and concentrate running a SIPP as the serious pension savings vehicle.
  Good plan?
  ...... Then again using simple figures at extreme low end:
  If I earned say 1k over the year at this particular agency. That's just Ј20 contributions at 1% per year (1% from me plus 1% from employer). Won't charges just make this a complete waste of time despite tax rebate and free money from agency.
  Repeat the principle five fold.
  Isn't it better to cut losses and accept that going multi-agency has a down side in this instance nd I should just concentrate on the SIPP route as long as I can get around the problem highlighted above in post number 9 with opting out status?