Growth in the number of non-enrolled workers has outpaced growth in the number of auto-enrolled (AE) employees for the seventh consecutive month, amid a 49,000 increase in the number of non-enrolled employees, according to data from The Pensions Regulator (TPR).

The regulator's Automatic enrolment declaration of compliance report showed that, in contrast, the number of AE employees increased by 25,000 in February 2021, up to 10,443,000.

Whilst this represents an increase in the previous months' enrolled worker growth, with an increase of 14,000 recorded in January and 17,000 in December, it was still outpaced by growth in the number of non-enrolled employees.

Indeed, the number of unenrolled employees also saw an increase compared to previous months, rising by 49,000 in February to 9,950,000, almost double the 25,000 worker increase recorded in January.

The past month also saw the total number of eligible employers increase by 81,000 to 32,650,000, alongside a 18,194 increase in the number of employers confirming the completion of their declaration of compliance, up to 1,809,980.

The regulator recently confirmed that automatic enrolment enforcement activity was returning to “normal levels” following easements put in place to support employers amid the initial impact of the pandemic.

The figures are compiled from information submitted by employers when they complete their declaration of compliance with AE.

TPR said the figure for AE jobholders was likely to be higher than that shown in the report, as some employers will have reached their duties start date and automatically enrolled their eligible employees without having completed their declaration.

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