The document can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/572810/workplace-pension-participation-and-saving-trends-2005-2015.pdf
The data shows:
Automatic enrolment has reversed the trend of declining workplace pension participation (79% saving in a workplace scheme in 2015)
But millions of people, including the self-employed and low-earners, excluded from the reforms
Government review in 2017 will need to consider both scope of auto-enrolment and minimum level of contributions
Tom Selby, senior analyst at AJ Bell, comments:
“The Government’s flagship auto-enrolment reforms have been successful in dramatically increasing the number of people saving in a workplace pension. It was absolutely critical the worrying decline in saving we had seen prior to the reforms being introduced was arrested or a whole generation could face penury in retirement.
“But harnessing inertia to get people saving into a pension is only the start. In many cases employees are currently only paying in 1% of their salary, so it’s hardly surprising opt-outs have remained relatively low. We don’t yet know how many people will stay in their workplace scheme when contributions start rising in 2018, so positive communication from employers and the industry about the benefits of saving will be critical in ensuring we don’t see a surge in opt-outs.
“A Government review scheduled for 2017 will have to assess whether minimum contributions need to be increased, and if so by how much. Policymakers will undoubtedly be wary of ratcheting up pension contributions at a time of huge economic uncertainty as the UK prepares to leave the European Union. After all, for the economy to grow the Government needs consumers spending as well as saving.
“Auto-escalation – where employee contributions automatically increase when they receive a pay rise – has been successful in the US and merits serious consideration as a way of nudging people to save more.
“The auto-enrolment review is also likely to look at groups who are currently excluded from the reforms, namely the self-employed and people earning less than £10,000. There are practical challenges in expanding the reforms to the self-employed – namely who will provide the ‘employer’ contribution – while it is questionable whether private pension saving should be a priority for someone earning below £10,000.”