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The short answer
Under auto-enrolment, the legal minimum is 8% of your qualifying earnings in total, of which your employer must pay at least 3% (GOV.UK, checked October 2026). Qualifying earnings are the slice of pay between £6,240 and £50,270 a year, so the percentages apply to that band, not your whole salary. You make up the rest, usually 5% including tax relief.
Your first UK payslip will probably show a pension deduction you did not ask for. That is auto-enrolment: the law that makes employers put eligible workers into a workplace pension and pay into it. For many Nigerians it is the first time an employer has been obliged to add money on top of salary, and it is worth understanding before deciding whether to stay in.
Who is automatically enrolled
GOV.UK says your employer must enrol you if you:
- are classed as a worker
- are aged between 22 and State Pension age
- earn at least £10,000 a year
- usually (ordinarily) work in the UK
Your nationality and visa do not appear in those tests. A Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker or Graduate visa holder who meets them is enrolled like anyone else. If you earn less or are outside the age range, GOV.UK explains when you can ask to join.
The minimum contributions
- Total minimum
- 8% of qualifying earnings
- Employer minimum
- 3% of qualifying earnings
- Your share
- The remainder, usually 5%, which includes tax relief
- Qualifying earnings
- Pay between £6,240 and £50,270 a year
Employers can pay more than the minimum, and public sector schemes such as the NHS Pension work on their own rules and rates. The 3% is a floor, not a typical figure.
Worked example: £25,000 salary
Example: salary £25,000, minimum contributions, a scheme that adds basic-rate tax relief for you (relief at source).
| Line | Yearly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying earnings (£25,000 − £6,240) | £18,760 | £1,563.33 |
| Employer 3% | £562.80 | £46.90 |
| Your 5%, of which: | £938.00 | £78.17 |
| paid from your take-home pay (4%) | £750.40 | £62.53 |
| tax relief added by the scheme (1%) | £187.60 | £15.63 |
| Total going into the pension (8%) | £1,500.80 | £125.07 |
So for £750.40 a year out of your pocket, £1,500.80 goes into your pension. Under a net pay arrangement, the 5% comes out before tax instead, and the payslip line looks bigger but the tax line smaller; the overall effect for a basic-rate taxpayer is similar.
Higher and lower salaries
Because the percentages apply only to the qualifying band, the minimum does not grow in a straight line with salary. Two more examples at the minimum rates:
| Salary | Qualifying earnings | Employer 3% | Total 8% |
|---|---|---|---|
| £12,000 | £5,760 | £172.80 | £460.80 |
| £25,000 | £18,760 | £562.80 | £1,500.80 |
| £55,000 | £44,030 (band capped at £50,270) | £1,320.90 | £3,522.40 |
At £55,000, pay above £50,270 attracts no minimum contribution at all. An employer that pays on full salary, rather than the band, is being more generous than the law requires; your contract or scheme booklet says which basis it uses.
Opting out, and what you give up
You can opt out. GOV.UK says that if you opt out within a month of being enrolled, you get back what you paid in; after that, the money usually stays in the pension until you can take it. Your employer must re-enrol you every three years if you are still eligible, and it must not encourage or push you to opt out.
Opting out means losing the employer's 3% as well as the tax relief. In the example above that is £750.40 of employer money and tax relief a year. For people planning to return to Nigeria, see opting out of a workplace pension on a visa, which deals with access from abroad.
When you can get the money
GOV.UK says a workplace pension can usually be taken from between 60 and 65, depending on the scheme, and normally no earlier than 55. You can usually take 25% of it tax-free. The money stays yours if you change jobs or leave the UK; ask each scheme to keep your address up to date.
What to check on your payslip
- Is there a pension line, and does it say relief at source or net pay?
- Is the deduction about 4% or 5% of pay above the qualifying earnings threshold?
- Does your employer's contribution show on the slip or in the pension provider's app?
- Has the provider written to you with your account details? Register online.
If any of these look wrong, ask payroll first.
Where Pryme fits
Pension saving is UK-based and long term. For shorter-term goals at home, family in Nigeria can keep naira in a Savings Box (Boxes), held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank, and the Personal Assistant can help set saving reminders. Read the UK payslip explained to see where each deduction sits. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's activities are carried out through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
How much must my employer pay into my pension?
At least 3% of qualifying earnings, as part of an 8% minimum total, under auto-enrolment rules on GOV.UK.
What are qualifying earnings for 2026?
GOV.UK lists qualifying earnings as pay between £6,240 and £50,270 a year.
Can I get my pension back if I opt out?
If you opt out within a month of enrolment, GOV.UK says you get your contributions back. Later, the money usually stays invested.
Am I enrolled if I am on a visa?
If you are a worker aged 22 to State Pension age, earn at least £10,000 and usually work in the UK, yes. Visa type is not one of the tests.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Workplace pensions · accessed Oct 2026
- NHS Business Services Authority: Cost of being in the Scheme (tiers from 1 April 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.