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Setting up your pension scheme in PayFit

Kay North avatar
Written by Kay North
Updated over 2 weeks ago

Once you’ve set up your pension scheme with your chosen provider, you’ll need to add the details to your PayFit account. PayFit supports up to 5 different pension schemes.

Pension schemes supported by PayFit

PayFit supports all pension schemes. Depending on your provider, we can:

  • Upload pension files for you via direct integration

  • Generate a file for you to upload manually to your provider’s portal

Direct upload (PayFit uploads on your behalf)

We can submit pension files directly to:

  • AVIVA Workplace Pension

  • NEST

  • NOW: Pensions

  • People’s Partnership (previously The People’s Pension / B&CE)

  • Smart Pension

See our Help Centre guides for how to enable this:

File download (you upload to your provider)

When you run payroll, PayFit will create a file ready for upload to:

  • AEGON (ARC, Retiready, Smarterpay, Smartpay)

  • Ascot Lloyd Benefit Solutions

  • BCF Trust

  • Collegia

  • Cushon

  • Hargreaves Lansdown

  • Legal & General

  • Penfold

  • Royal London

  • Scottish Widows / Scottish Widows AssistMe

  • Standard Life

  • The Creative Pension Trust

  • TPT Retirement Solutions

  • True Potential Investments

If your provider isn’t listed, send us their file specification template — we may be able to add them to our supported list.

Setting up your pension scheme

  1. In the left-hand menu, go to Pensions > My schemes.

  2. In the top-right corner, click Set up your pension scheme.

  3. From the Pension provider drop-down, select your provider.

  4. Enter a Display name — this is how the scheme appears in PayFit.

  5. Choose whether it’s a qualifying scheme for automatic enrolment.

  6. If direct uploads are available, select Yes for PayFit to submit pension files on your behalf.

  7. Click Next.

  8. From the Pay deduction method drop-down, choose the type of tax relief.

  9. From the Contribution should be based on drop-down, select the pensionable earnings type.

  10. Choose whether calculations are based on full pay, qualifying earnings, or other thresholds.

If prompted, you’ll need to provide additional details — see the section below.

Pension scheme information

Some details are provider-specific and case-sensitive. Common examples include:

  • Employer ID (scheme ID) – found in your pension account

  • Group – the exact name of the group in your pension scheme

    • If most employees are in one group but some are in another, add the main group at company level, then update individuals via their employee record

  • Frequency – how often contributions are sent

  • Start of earnings period – as set with your provider

  • Payment due date – as set with your provider

When all information is added, click Save.

Viewing your schemes

Once created, schemes will appear as tabs along the top of the My schemes page. Some may be grouped under Other. Click a scheme name to view details.

Adding employees to a scheme

Bulk upload

  1. Go to Pensions > My schemes.

  2. Click your pension scheme name.

  3. Select Edit contributions.

  4. Download a template, fill it in, and save.

  5. Upload it via Import data and confirm with Yes, finish import.

Individual employee setup

  1. Open the employee’s record.

  2. Go to the Employment tab.

  3. In the Pension contributions section, click Edit.

  4. Switch on the toggle to include them in the scheme.

  5. Enter contribution percentages or amounts.

  6. Click Save details.

For guidance on who should be automatically enrolled, see our autoenrolment helpcentre article.

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