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The Government’s new auto enrolment system, My Future Fund, is due to begin on 1 January 2026, and employers are being urged to prepare now. The final chance to have eligible employees entered into an existing pension scheme is the November 2025 payroll. Anyone not already enrolled at that point will be automatically included in the new system.

Registration for employers on the My Future Fund online portal opens on 1 December this year.

A delayed but significant reform

Auto enrolment was originally scheduled to launch in September 2025 but has been pushed back to align with the tax year and give payroll providers extra time to update their systems. That window is closing quickly.

The scheme is expected to bring more than 800,000 workers into retirement saving for the first time. Employees aged between 23 and 60, who earn more than €20,000 across all roles and are not already contributing to an occupational pension, will be automatically enrolled.

Contribution levels and State support

Auto enrolment will be phased in over ten years. Both employers and employees will begin by contributing 1.5 percent of gross earnings. These rates will rise by 1.5 percent every three years, reaching 6 percent by year ten.

The State will support savings by adding one euro for every three euros contributed by the employee. With employer contributions included, every three euros saved by the employee will ultimately generate an additional four euros.

Participants will be automatically included but can opt out or pause their contributions after six months in the scheme.

Ireland is the last OECD country to introduce a system of this type. With the demographic balance shifting towards an older population, the Government views auto enrolment as an essential step to address long-term pension sustainability. At present, there are four workers for every person over 66. By 2050, that ratio is expected to fall to two.

More than 800,000 people rely entirely on the State pension, which averages around €16,000 a year. With the average industrial wage sitting near €45,000, the potential drop in income at retirement is significant. My Future Fund aims to narrow this gap.

A new authority, the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, or NAERSA, has been set up to oversee the programme.

The 13 week look back period

Payroll data for the last 13 weeks will be used to determine who is included in auto enrolment. NAERSA is already examining data from the current period. If no pension contributions are visible for a qualifying employee, they will be added to the new system automatically.

This has created urgency for employers to ensure records are up to date. The November payroll will be the final period used to confirm eligibility. Businesses and employees who want to remain in or join an occupational scheme need to ensure contributions are being recorded now.

Administrative concerns for employers

Over the past year, employers have expressed concerns about the cost and administrative workload linked to auto enrolment. HR professionals highlighted it as one of their key issues in a recent Ibec survey.

The Government maintains that the system has been designed to reduce the burden on employers. NAERSA will handle eligibility checks, enrolment, opt-ins and opt-outs, contribution calculations and notifications to payroll systems.

Industry groups note that anxiety persists, but the administrative load may be lighter than many expect. Registering on the employer portal and communicating clearly with staff are the key steps. Payroll updates and most ongoing management will be handled centrally.

Clear communication is viewed as essential in the coming weeks. Employees need to understand that if they qualify, their payslips will show new deductions from January 2026.

Employer actions and next steps

Employers can register on the portal between 1 and 31 December. Once registered, NAERSA will pull payroll data from Revenue and determine which staff meet the eligibility criteria. Employers will receive an Automatic Enrolment Payroll Notification outlining who has been added.

Pensions specialists describe My Future Fund as the most substantial reform to Ireland’s pension framework in decades. Businesses are advised to register early, confirm payroll readiness and inform staff well ahead of January.

Early preparation will help avoid bottlenecks at year end and demonstrate compliance from day one.

Government hopes to make auto enrolment a routine part of working life. The success of the rollout will be judged on how smoothly January’s launch is handled as Ireland takes a major step towards addressing its long-term pension challenges.

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and is intended for general guidance only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, details may change and errors may occur. This content does not constitute financial, legal or professional advice. Readers should seek appropriate professional guidance before making decisions. Neither the publisher nor the authors accept liability for any loss arising from reliance on this material.