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Auto-enrolment - The basics

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Summary

Information about pension auto-enrolment when using Sage 50 Payroll Ireland.

Description

Watch the video

Join Sarah as she walks you through a quick introduction to auto‑enrolment. The video runs for 10 minutes.

What is auto-enrolment?

Auto-enrolment begins on 1 January 2026, making saving for retirement simple. NAERSA manages the scheme through My Future Fund. 

Employees automatically enrol if they:

  • Are between 23 and 60 years old
  • Don't have a pension scheme
  • Earn more than €20,000 per year

This means that they’ll have extra money in retirement. They won’t have to rely on the state pension alone.

Having a company pension scheme doesn't always exempt an employee from auto-enrolment. The pension scheme must needs to meet Revenue’s exemption standards and appear in payroll submissions to Revenue.

Sage 50 Payroll Ireland reports pension deductions, but NAERSA decides whether an employee qualifies for exemption.

 TIP: Check out the automatic enrolment for pensions hub at gov.ie for information published so far. 

Sage 50 Payroll Ireland software

We’ve been working with NAERSA, Revenue, the Department of Social Protection, and TCS to deliver the latest version of Sage 50 Payroll Ireland.

Learn how Sage 50 Payroll Ireland supports auto-enrolment. See who qualifies, and the steps you need to take to stay compliant with the new NAERSA rules.

Stay informed and connect with others

Remember, the Community Hub is always available for you to stay updated and engage with fellow Sage 50 Payroll users.

Visit us at communityhub.sage.com and join the conversation today.

Bespoke auto-enrolment pension training

We fully support the upcoming auto-enrolment changes in our Payroll solutions, including employee enrolment, contributions, and compliance. To help you prepare, we offer bespoke training covering:

  • Understanding the legislation and getting prepared
  • Guide through implementation with hands-on, product-specific sessions

Want training tailored to your needs? Leave your details and we’ll get in touch.