Too little salary for auto-enrolment?

A question about : Too little salary for auto-enrolment?

I am mostly self-employed, aged 37, and don't have a current pension scheme, just an old and small NHS one. I've been putting money into ISAs instead, when I've been able to. I don't have a huge yearly income.

I also work in a second job, earning about 8-9k per year. This might change next year depending on government alterations to the service which is funding me. So, I might still be employed at the same level, or have a wages cut, or have no work at all. There's no guarantees and it's not even a zero-hours contract but a 'choose to work' type one (though effectively nearly the same). No work offered to me or cancellations outside of a 48 hour policy = no pay.

My query is that I've been told that 1% of my salary will go into the pension and be matched by my employers. So, that's Ј160 - Ј180 per year. My question is, it is really worth it? It seems such a silly amount.

Does anyone have any views on this? Thanks.

Best answers:

• It is a silly amount, so why don't you pay in more?
  1% is the minimum by law now. This is due to rise up to 8% of which 3% will be paid by the employer.
• You do realise that should you require means tested benefits, while you might regard your ISAs as your pension, the authorities won't?
  You would do well to consider saving within a pension scheme.