Smart Meter campaign

WORK SMARTER AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE WITH A SMART METER

Are you seeking smart solutions for your business? A smart meter could be just the ticket for you. Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters which can be an invaluable asset for firms in Legal services, Accounting and bookkeeping, Marketing consultancy, Architecture, IT services, and more. Businesses across Great Britain are already reaping the rewards by gaining better control of their energy bills. Are you ready to join them? What can smart meters do for your business? 1. Provide accurate bills enabling better cashflow 2. Make your bills simpler saving time for other tasks 3. Help you to do your bit for the environment

SAY GOODBYE TO ESTIMATED BILLS AND HELLO TO YOUR NEW SMART METER

Estimated bills can be inaccurate and inefficient which means that you might be overpaying for the services you are using. Stay in control, save money, and save time by only paying for the energy your business uses.

Save time for other tasks

Your company is innovative, trusted, responsible, and engaged so you need business solutions which are the same. The key to greater productivity is to work smarter, not harder. With a smart meter, you can continue to do what you do best, while your smart meter provides accurate bills, without needing to provide manual meter readings. This saves precious time and energy to focus on your business priorities.

BY USING A SMART METER, YOUR BUSINESS CAN POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO A CLEANER AND GREENER WORLD.

From the moment your smart meter is installed, you are helping create a smart energy system which could ultimately help reduce our carbon emissions as a nation. Businesses across Great Britain are working to positively contribute to a cleaner and greener world. Using a smart meter is a step in the right direction to help you cut down on energy waste and make your business more sustainable. Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible and installations can be arranged at a convenient time to ensure minimal interruption to your business and your clients. Click here to find out more about what a smart meter can do for your business please visit: https://bit.ly/3gUVb9Y Contact your energy supplier or broker today and see if you are eligible.

Keep supporting your clients with Automatic Enrolment

UPDATE FROM THE PENSIONS REGULATOR: NAVIGATING THE ROAD AHEAD

As we steadily emerge from a tumultuous 18 months caused by the pandemic, we’re now taking stock of our new normal and the challenges ahead. The Pensions Regulator (TPR), like all organisations, continue to contend with the ever-present uncertainty. However, TPR remain focused on ensuring savers are at the heart of what they do. TPR want to ensure that automatic enrolment remains a success. Since it started in 2012, AE has transformed retirement savings. More than 10 million people are now saving for the first time and have the opportunity to save for the retirement they want. While we have all grappled with the immediate and evolving change over the past year and a half, it’s crucial we do not lose sight of the hard-won success of AE so that all savers remain protected now and in the future.

SAME STORM, DIFFERENT BOATS

It has been said of the pandemic that while we’re all in the same storm, we are all in different boats. And this is no less true for businesses. TPR recognise that businesses have been impacted in a myriad of different ways and face unique challenges. Many businesses will be changing how they operate in response to the pandemic. This could be to meet changing customer demand or in response to cashflow challenges. This could mean firms having to downsize if demand has fallen, expand or reallocate resources and staff if some parts of the business have seen increased demand. Whatever the situation a business finds itself in, TPR’s message to employers is simple: Do not neglect your workplace pensions duties as you adjust to the new normal. Employers must continue to assess staff, carry out reenrolment duties and put new staff into a pension. The Pensions Regulator also urges start-up businesses now opening their doors, to make sure they enrol eligible staff into a pension and complete their declaration of compliance on time. TPR recognises that some sectors are at greater risk of non-compliance than others. Most often, these are businesses that historically employ part time or seasonal staff with fluctuating earnings. These include food and accommodation, farming and wholesale and retail businesses. TPR are now looking at the unique challenges within these sectors so that they can best support them and ensure they have access to the information they need to avoid non-compliance.

MORE CHALLENGES AHEAD

With the withdrawal of the government’s COVID-19 support for businesses, employers must continue to meet their Automatic Enrolment duties as normal. TPR have been consistently clear since the start of the pandemic that while the workplace has changed, workplace pensions duties have not. Automatic enrolment duties remain the same and must be fulfilled alongside all the other requirements for running a business. TPR wants to support businesses, but will take enforcement action where needed to ensure staff receive the pensions they are due. Struggling employers should not put their head in the sand and risk enforcement action being taken against them. In the first instance, they should speak to their pension provider – many will work with employers to set up a payment plan so that staff receive the correct contributions. Inevitably and sadly, for some businesses the consequences of the pandemic will be too great, leading them to become insolvent. In these instances, TPR’s focus will be to work with insolvency practitioners and the Insolvency and Redundancy Payment Services so that staff do not miss out on their pensions. Throughout the pandemic, TPR have monitored employer behaviour and despite the changing environment, compliance with the law has remained high. Employers have continued to do the right thing for their staff and have continued to make pensions contributions. What is also clear is that despite financial pressures faced by individuals, staff have continued to save for their future retirement and opt-out levels have remained low. Workers continue to expect a pension as part of their jobs. It’s important that employers carry out their re-enrolment responsibilities. Re-enrolment gives staff who originally opted out a fresh opportunity to start saving. It must be carried out every three years and employers should check their processes are up to date to ensure relevant staff are re-assessed and put into a pension if they are eligible. We have all over-come great obstacles since March 2019 and there will be yet more testing times to come. While we can expect more change, TPR’s commitment to workplace savers remains constant. TPR will continue to support employers to do the right thing so that staff receive the pensions they are due.