Bloody pension auto-enrollment

[ILoveMyMonkey]

Arrrggghhhhhh

So because I work for the local authority (where I've worked for the last 11 years and have never opted in to the pension scheme because I simply can't afford it) they have taken it upon themselves to auto-enrol me leaving me £300 short in my wages this month. Despite being passed around the houses (pensions to payroll to general HR to specific he and back to payroll) noone will do anything to give my money back and I now have to wait for my next paycheck to get it back! So basically they've stolen everyone's money (who have opted out) stuck it in a high interest account and are earning off of it.

They just don't seem to realise care that I have bills to pay and a child to feed! And when I asked if they would refund the bank charges from unpaid bills I was told "well you can try and claim that back from the government" .

Bastards, why are they allowed to do this?? Surely if you've opted out once you've bloody opted out!!! I wouldn't mind but I changed schools in sept 2017 and was auto-enrolled then and ended up having to opt out 5 times before they finally sorted it out and I was short in my pay every month until they finally solved the problem - arrrggghhhhhh!!! And yet here I am just a few short months later going through the same bullshit!

I'm so annoyed, and fucked, and annoyed.

OP your biggest problem is that that you've overstretched yourself on your mortgage, but you're too proud or stubborn or clueless to admit it.

I agree. We have a £1300 mortgage but it is less than 25% of our monthly net income and it still feels like a huge responsibility. I don’t know how you cope with it Op, it must be really tough.

But the reason so many people are trying to persuade you to rethink your finances so you can start paying for your pension is that you are losing out on massive employer contributions. I really would recommend you get some financial advice and see how you can re-jig things so you can start getting a pension going.

isn't this what the uni strike was about, the one that happened last year? People paid into those schemes and were told the rules were changing

Yes, the rules going forward. All benefits gained are under the same rules.
You actually get a BETTER pension on earnings up to £56k. I’m an adviser to one of the institutional members.

No-one forced the OP to take out such a huge mortgage, so I'm not sure she deserves sympathy for that. It's just greed and ignorance.

Good luck in your retirement!