NEST launches adviser auto-enrolment tool

It said large volumes of small and micro firms will turn to advice businesses, as well as other intermediaries next year. In total 45,000 small and micro employers are set to stage in 2015.

NEST research showed only 23% said they were ‘confident' about dealing with pensions issues.

Some 74% said they wanted support from intermediaries, such as IFAs, accountants or payroll providers. The vast majority of small and micro employers do not currently offer a pension scheme.

NEST has launched a dedicated intermediary tool, NEST Connect, on its website to make it easier for advisers to get on top of demand.

NEST chief executive Tim Jones said:

"This research clearly shows that 2015 employers want help. With 74% of small and micro employers wanting support, about 33,000 employers are going to be keeping the intermediary community very busy in 2015.

"NEST Connect was specifically developed to help intermediaries support employers. NEST Connect users tell us that it enables them to build a flexible and effective proposition. They say that's what automatic enrolment needs - solutions and products that make the process easier, especially as the volume of employers ramps up."

Sterling & Law IFA Lawrence Sanderson said:

"Automatic enrolment is going to get seriously hectic.

"There won't be time for traditional wet signatures and terms going back and forward. Online solutions like NEST Connect, that take 20 to 30 minutes per sign-up, are key if we're going to meet demand and keep the service cost-effective for employers."