The Pensions Regulator is prosecuting a business owner for failing to give up-to-date pension information regarding the various companies he runs.
TPR says there are allegations that staff working for Vincent Bootes have not had their workplace pension contributions paid by his companies. Bootes has a number of companies registered at both an address in Liphook, Hampshire, and Cobham, Surrey.
TPR is prosecuting Bootes for failing to comply with two notices issued under Section 72 of the Pensions Act 2004. He has been summonsed to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 13 November 2019 to face two charges of neglecting or refusing to provide information and documents, without a reasonable excuse.
Earlier this year the TPR announced it was launching a new crackdown on employers flouting their AE duties.
TPR said it was using data to pinpoint specific employers who are failing to enrol staff into a pension scheme, or making incorrect pension contribitions.
Those suspected of breaking the law have been targeted with short notice inspections.
Launching the crackdown TPR’s director of automatic enrolment, Darren Ryder, says: “TPR is increasingly led by our data and intelligence streams which enable us to detect potential non-compliance and take swift action against individual employers.
“This allows us to target our resources in a very focused way as part of our role to protect pension savers.”
Ryder adds that the regulator knows the “vast majority” of employers are fulfilling their AE requirements. But he adds: “There are a small minority who persistently ignore their responsibilities. They can expect a knock at the door from us and enforcement action.”