Skip to main content

We’re currently upgrading our website. You may notice that some sections look different as we carry out this work. The search facility will also be unavailable during this time.

Earnings thresholds

Every year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reviews the earnings thresholds for automatic enrolment. Where there’s a change, we’ll update this page with the new thresholds after DWP has announced them.

The changes take effect from the start of the next tax year following the changes on 6 April.

Here you can find the earnings thresholds for the current tax year, broken down by pay frequency, plus the historic earnings thresholds starting from when the law was introduced in the 2012 - 2013 tax year.

The DWP have announced the annual thresholds for the 2025 - 2026 tax year.


Earnings thresholds for the current tax year 2025-2026

Pay reference period
2025/26 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,240 £120 £240 £480 £520 £1,560 £3,120
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £50,270 £967 £1,934 £3,867 £4,189 £12,568 £25,135

Earnings thresholds for the previous tax years

Pay reference period
2024/25 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,240 £120 £240 £480 £520 £1,560 £3,120
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £50,270 £967 £1,934 £3,867 £4,189 £12,568 £25,135
Pay reference period
2023/24 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,240 £120 £240 £480 £520 £1,560 £3,120
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £50,270 £967 £1,934 £3,867 £4,189 £12,568 £25,135
Pay reference period
2022/23 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,240 £120 £240 £480 £520 £1,560 £3,120
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £50,270 £967 £1,934 £3,867 £4,189 £12,568 £25,135
Pay reference period
2021/22 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,240 £120 £240 £480 £520 £1,560 £3,120
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £50,270 £967 £1,934 £3,867 £4,189 £12,568 £25,135
Pay reference period
2020/21 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,240 £120 £240 £480 £520 £1,560 £3,120
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £50,000 £962 £1,924 £3,847 £4,167 £12,500 £25,000
Pay reference period
2019/20 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,136 £118 £236 £472 £512 £1,534 £3,068
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £50,000 £962 £1,924 £3,847 £4,167 £12,500 £25,000
Pay reference period
2018/19 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £6,032 £116 £232 £464 £503 £1,508 £3,016
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £46,350 £892 £1,783 £3,566 £3,863 £11,588 £23,175
Pay reference period
2017/18 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £5,876 £113 £226 £452 £490 £1,469 £2,938
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £45,000 £866 £1,731 £3,462 £3,750 £11,250 £22,500
Pay reference period
2016/17 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £5,824 £112 £224 £448 £486 £1,456 £2,912
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £43,000 £827 £1,654 £3,308 £3,583 £10,750 £21,500
Pay reference period
2015/16 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £5,824 £112 £224 £448 £486 £1,456 £2,912
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £42,385 £815 £1,631 £3,261 £3,532 £10,597 £21,193
Pay reference period
2014/15 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £5,772 £111 £222 £444 £481 £1,443 £2,886
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £10,000 £192 £384 £768 £833 £2,499 £4,998
Upper level of qualifying earnings £41,865 £805 £1,611 £3,221 £3,489 £10,467 £20,933
Pay reference period
2013/14 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £5,668 £109 £218 £436 £473 £1,417 £2,834
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £9,440 £182 £364 £727 £787 £2,360 £4,720
Upper level of qualifying earnings £41,450 £797 £1,594 £3,188 £3,454 £10,363 £20,725
Pay reference period
2012/13 Annual 1 week Fortnight 4 weeks 1 month 1 quarter 4 monthly Bi-annual
Lower level of qualifying earnings £5,564 £107 £214 £428 £464 £1,391 £1,855 £2,782
Earnings trigger for automatic enrolment £8,105 £156 £312 £624 £676 £2,027 £2,702 £4,053
Upper level of qualifying earnings £42,475 £817 £1,634 £3,268 £3,540 £10,619 £14,159 £21,238

Are your details up to date?

Check your details to make sure you receive email alerts to help you meet your automatic enrolment duties.

Update details
Is this page useful?

Thanks for your feedback.

Page not useful?

Problems with this page?

Your email address will only be used to reply to your comment. Read our privacy notice.