OREANDA-NEWS. Aon plc (NYSE:AON), has said that the six month delay to auto-enrolment increases announced in yesterday’s Autumn Statement is a positive move but cautions against smaller employers interpreting it as an opportunity for delay in their implementation timetable.

Clare Abrahams, head of Auto-enrolment at Aon Employee Benefits, said:
“People expect significant financial changes to occur in April rather than October, so this change brings the auto-enrolment process into line with that, which I think will be beneficial. If it means contribution increases coinciding with salary increases or bonuses, for example, then that may help to support lower opt-out rates and will be a worthwhile change.

“However, my only concern would be if this is misinterpreted as a delay to auto-enrolment for smaller employers.  There was much speculation before the Statement that duties for smaller employers might be delayed and that will have caught the eye of many organisations that are currently struggling with planning for the process. We cannot emphasise enough that this is not the case and not the time for smaller employers to step on the brakes in any way.  Many employers are already leaving things too late or burying their heads in the sand so anything which discourages them from pressing on with the job in hand would not be helpful.”
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is a leading global provider of risk management, insurance brokerage and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services. Through its more than 69,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to empower results for clients in over 120 countries via innovative risk and people solutions.