As part of our extensive series of blog updates, research, guides, and webinars around auto-enrolment pension, we bring you the latest news on the timeline of the scheme and tips on how employers can benefit during the crucial pre-launch months.
In this blog
Auto-enrolment pension – latest timeline
Strategic timeline for employers
Why consider outsourced payroll providers?
Conclusion and key takeaways
Auto-enrolment pension – latest timeline
Further to the introduction of legislation a year ago, the Department of Social Protection has announced that the auto-enrolment pension scheme, My Future Fund, will now launch on 1st January, 2026 rather than this September as originally planned. The delay is partly down to a general readiness temperature check, which showed that organisations were not fully prepared for the implementation (see our research and article). It’s also due to needing time to complete the tender process for appointing the fund investment managers.
Strategic opportunity for employers
The new launch date and four-month window provides employers with several benefits and a unique opportunity:
- Extra preparation time: Employers and payroll providers can use these critical months to update their systems, train staff, and budget accordingly.
- Less disruption: Aligning the launch of the scheme with the start of the new tax year, when payroll software users must apply mandatory upgrades to accommodate legislation changes announced in the October Budget, will avoid mid-year changes and allow smoother payroll strategy updates.
- Decreased workload: Being able to consolidate the changes into the annual payroll cycle helps minimise repetitive upgrades, thereby reducing the administrative burden.
- Outsource the auto-enrolment function: Rather than trying to navigate pension auto-enrolment during this transition period, organisations can avail of this window to audit their existing pension provisioning, communicate with employees, and integrate managed services where needed.
Why consider outsourced payroll providers?
Zellis has had its finger on the auto-enrolment pulse since the get-go (see the guide from 2022). With 90% of its clients in Ireland already using its managed services for payroll, employers can also count on Zellis for its proven expertise in auto-enrolment thanks to its new service. Zellis can calculate and execute auto-enrolment pension employer contributions with its pioneering software, which it has successfully tested end-to-end with the department. This showcases its readiness and reliability in helping employers in the shifting auto-enrolment space.
Building on its knowledge bank, Zellis plans to continue creating content around auto-enrolment post-implementation, in anticipation of a six- to twelve-month bedding-in period for the scheme. For example, it’s developing a user guide and videos and will host a webinar in August while employers can book a consultation or sign up for email updates. The Department has also published a useful list of commonly asked questions.
“The decision to push the implementation of pension auto-enrolment to January 2026 was logical in that it coincides with payroll software upgrades for the new tax year. We’re seeing a thirst from employers for information and assistance with preparing for auto-enrolment, so including this in our managed services offering was a logical extension.”
Seán Murray, Director of Product Services Ireland, Zellis
Conclusion: Take the unique opportunity to strategically prepare for auto-enrolment
With the shift from this September to January next year, there’s a critical window for employers to prepare for the auto-enrolment pension scheme. Organisations can use this time wisely to review their systems and consider outsourcing auto-enrolment in the same way as payroll.
Key takeaways
- The auto-enrolment pension scheme will launch on 1st January, 2026, rather than this September as originally planned, due to a general unreadiness on the part of organisations and the time required to complete the tendering for fund investment managers.
- Employers can use this window strategically and take the extra time to prepare, by updating systems, communicating with staff, and considering outsourcing the auto-enrolment function.
- Other benefits from aligning the launch date with the start of the new tax year include reducing both mid-year disruption and the administrative workload in terms of mandatory and repetitive upgrades.
- With a very high percentage of Zellis clients already using its payroll managed services, employers can outsource auto-enrolment and avail of the new software, which is tried and tested with the department.
- In addition to its blog updates, research, and webinars, Zellis will continue creating content around auto-enrolment, such as a user guide, videos, and another webinar on 14th August.
Download our quick guide to auto-enrolment
Get a sense of the who, what, when, and where of the auto-enrolment pension scheme in our useful infographic.
