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 (6 April) following the announcement.
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 thresholds for the 2021-2022 tax year, which you can find below.
Earnings thresholds for 2021-22
| Pay reference period | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 - 2022 | 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 previous tax years
| Pay reference period | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 - 2021 | 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 - 2020 | 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 - 2019 | 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 - 2018 | 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 - 2017 | 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 - 2016 | 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 - 2015 | 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 - 2014 | 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 - 2013 | 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 |
3. Record-keeping