Emsworth Corporate

Since auto enrolment was introduced in 2012, it has encouraged millions of people to save for their retirement. By law, every company in the UK now has an obligation to provide their employees with access to a qualifying auto enrolment pension scheme. In addition, employers must regularly issue certain communications to employees and manage the ongoing duties such as opt ins/outs and tri-annual re-enrolment. Failure to meet these strict requirements can result in an initial warning and subsequent fine from The Pensions Regulator.

Auto-enrolment isn’t just about having a pension scheme in place which meets the new legislation. The much steeper task is keeping your employees aware of all the changes, as well as implementing the systems and keeping these updated. At ECP we understand that the new legislation can be daunting, confusing and complex. We can help by providing clarity and guiding you through every stage of the process – from the initial free consultation and a tailor-made proposal through to on-going support.

We can offer HR Consultancy, guidance and support to businesses of any size on a range of related topics. Whether there are concerns with:

• Employment contracts
• Changes to staff terms and conditions
• Staff and employer handbooks, including policy and procedures
• Personnel management of sensitive matters of disciplinary, grievances, capability and performance, flexible working practices and redundancy issues
• Supporting employers with options on how to increase ‘buy in’s’ from the staff team as well as supporting staff through difficult times
• Confidential employer or employee electronic helplines to support both during the transition from home to work
• Up to date Employment legislation with regular information on agreements, court actions and outcomes, all to ensure that businesses have the best information available to make decisions for today and tomorrow.

ECP’s in-house HR specialists can support both employers and employees via phone, email and face to face contact depending on the business’s need. We offer a free initial consultation, with any fees applied being agreed before work commences.

ECP HR service includes bespoke, dedicated service to companies on a day to day level or by way of one-off service provision. Whatever your needs we have the solution for you.

Auto enrolment is not just about pension saving, but is predominantly a payroll issue. As such, for successful ongoing management, both the pension and payroll must work closely in tandem.

In addition to auto enrolment HR services, we are also able to process company payrolls of any size and frequency. Our flexible software fully integrates with our auto-enrolment solution, providing payroll to pension symmetry. This software also provides employee access, issuing payslips and P60’s directly via email, cutting out administration requirements for the employer.

PayRate

Via the PayRate payroll processing software, we can complete the following tasks on your behalf:

• Set up of payroll software and migration from previous payroll provider
• Processing of payroll of any frequency (weekly, monthly etc)
• Obtaining tax codes via direct link with HMRC
• Submission of RTI directly to HMRC
• Administration of new joiners and leavers
• Generation of payslips via email
• Generation of P45’s / P60’s
• P11Ds if required
• Upload of auto enrolment pension contributions

A Group death-in-service policy provides financial reassurance for family and dependents and protects your business in the event of the death of an employee.

Group Death In Service Policy Features

A group death-in-service policy provides a tax-free lump sum and/or a taxable pension that an employee’s beneficiary can use how they wish, such as to pay off a mortgage, fund education or safeguard a certain standard of living. Bereavement counselling and probate advice can be included in the cover.

In addition, group death-in-service cover is an attractive benefit that can give your business an advantage over rivals and help you recruit and retain the best people.

Group Death In Service Benefits for Employers

• Promotes good employer-employee relations
• Helps to recruit and retain high-quality employees
• Contributions can be claimed as a business expense

Group Death In Service Benefits for Employees

• Financial reassurance for family and dependents
• Help and support with bereavement and probate
• Group protection schemes often provide a free cover limit, avoiding the need for medical underwriting.

Group critical illness is an employer established scheme that provides a lump-sum payment to employees suffering from a critical illness defined by the product provider, such as cancer, a stroke or a heart attack.

This type of policy provides financial support to employees and can help them make a full recovery and return to work. It reassures them of their financial position and your interest in their welfare. The lump sum received from a group critical illness policy can help towards the cost of treatment, nursing care and any home and lifestyle changes that are necessitated by an illness. It can also help to meet other financial commitments.

Group Critical Illness Benefits for Employers

• Promotes good employer-employee relations
• Contributions can be claimed as a business expense
• Flexibility of cover to suit different budgets

Group Critical Illness Benefits for Employees

• Financial reassurance if a serious illness is diagnosed
• Cover for the most commonly suffered critical illnesses
• Help and support during rehabilitation
• Group protection schemes often provide a free cover limit, avoiding the need for medical underwriting.

Group Critical Illness Policy Features

A group critical illness policy pays a one-off, tax-free, cash lump sum if a condition defined under the cover is diagnosed and survived for 14 days or more (depending on the terms of the provider).

Policies can be tailored to the needs of an employer and cover can be provided at different levels. Also, many higher-risk occupations can be included in policies, allowing you to extend cover to a wider range of employees.

Please note that group critical illness is a P11D benefit in kind. We can assist with the completion of a P11D, if required.

For further information on any of the services listed above, please follow the relevant link or contact the ECP corporate team directly on 01243 432 430.

This type of policy provides a guaranteed income for employees who are absent from work for a long period owing to illness or injury. It can also safeguard retirement plans by maintaining pension and National Insurance contributions. In addition, it can help employees return to work by providing access to rehabilitation specialists.

Group income protection policies can be structured according to employer type and budget. Cover can also be provided at different levels: a basic level of protection can be given to all employees and selected benefits can be offered to help recruit and retain senior staff.

Benefits can be provided in a number of ways to suit individual employer circumstances and can be protected against inflation. In addition, flexible free-cover limits are often available and temporary cover is usually obtainable to protect employees through the underwriting period

Group income protection benefits for employers

• Promotes good employer-employee relations
• Tax relief is available on contributions
• Covers an employer’s pension scheme contributions
• Covers an employer’s National Insurance contributions
• Helps to manage the financial impact of absenteeism
• Helps to get employees back to work as soon as possible

Group income protection benefits for employees

• Peace of mind provided by financial reassurance
• Advice and assistance services
• Covers pension contributions
• Disability cover without further medical evidence
• No benefit-in-kind tax penalties
• Help and support during rehabilitation

For further information on any of the services listed above, please follow the relevant link or contact the ECP corporate team directly on 01243 432 430.

Group private medical insurance (PMI) is an employer provided policy that gives employees access to private healthcare. This highly valued benefit helps you to protect your most valued asset, your staff, and to reduce sickness-related absenteeism and its related costs.

Group PMI employer benefits

• Helps to minimise disruption to the workplace
• Reduces the cost of sickness-related absenteeism
• Helps you to recruit and retain the best people
• PMI can usually be claimed as a business expense

Group PMI employee benefits

• High-quality treatment that can be accessed quickly
• Flexibility with regards to where and when treatment takes place
• Cover can be extended to include family
• Please note that group private medical insurance is also a P11D benefit in kind.

For further information on any of the services listed above, please follow the relevant link or contact the ECP corporate team directly on 01243 432 430.

A relevant life policy is a tax-efficient alternative to group death-in-service cover. This stand-alone, single-life policy offers cost savings and tax advantages for businesses of all sizes. By taking out relevant life policies for directors and employees, businesses can benefit from specific tax relief, while small business owners can make tax savings by replacing personal life insurance plans. In both cases, ECP can put in place the most appropriate relevant life cover using a trust arrangement.

Relevant life policy benefits

• The premiums are not classed as a benefit-in-kind or a P11D benefit, which means they are not included in income tax assessments
• Benefits will not form part of an annual pension or lifetime allowance. There is no potential to trigger a breach of the pension lifetime allowance, which attracts a 55% tax charge.
• Premiums are treated as an allowable business expense and are eligible for corporation tax relief. The full amount of any benefit passes to chosen beneficiaries without any tax charge. There is no tax liability.

Relevant life policy maximum cover

• Generally, most insurers will allow up to £10,000,000, but this varies depending on circumstances and the insurer.
• Most insurers will accept cover in cases where the policy is for no more than 20 times the salary of anyone under the age of 40 and 15 times the salary of anyone over the age of 40.
• Most insurers will accept salary, regular dividends and benefits-in-kind when calculating remuneration.

Relevant life policy rules

• The benefit, if claimed, must be paid in a single lump sum before the age of 75.
• Any benefit must be paid into a discretionary trust.
• Beneficiaries are normally restricted to family members and dependants.

Employer Financed Retirement Benefit Schemes (EFRBS) are legal trusts that are commonly used by companies as a flexible, tax-efficient way to provide retirement benefits for directors, shareholders and higher-paid employees.

What are the advantages?

• EFRBS are a tax-efficient way of accessing gross profits to accumulate wealth for later life.
• There is no limit to the amount that your company can contribute to EFRBS.
• They can be used to build a pension fund quickly or continue pension contributions after the lifetime limit has been reached.

Investments within EFRBS

• Directors who are scheme trustees have virtually unlimited investment powers.
• EFRBS can make loans to sponsoring companies and trustees can buy assets belonging to scheme members, including shares and property.
• EFRBS can be used by your company to make acquisitions, such as property and other businesses.

Taking benefits from EFRBS

• Corporate tax relief is not available on contributions when they are made; however, it is allowed on the original contributions once benefits are taken.
• EFRBS members do not need to retire to take benefits.
• When taken, benefits are subject to income tax (EFRBS incur no tax liability up to this point).
• Assets within EFRBS are not included in members’ estates for inheritance tax purposes.

A Small Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS) is an occupational pension scheme set up under trust with fewer than 12 members. This type of scheme is intended for employers who wish to generate the maximum pension benefits for directors and key employees in a given year. Via a SSAS investors are provided with a wide range of investment opportunities, such as purchasing commercial property. A SSAS can also loan up to 50% of its value, increasing buying power.

ECP works with a team of administrators who are well versed in HMRC legislation and can offer advice and guidance to protect member trustees from violating tax regulations.

ECP offers a wide range of trustee services, whether that is facilitating the set up of EFRBS, FURBS, EBTs and SSASs, or dealing with the beneficiaries of Personal Trusts. ECP acts in the interests of the beneficiaries and ensures that the proper care and attention is given to clients’ wishes.