Employers must provide and pay into a pension for you

To make it easier to save for retirement, the law is changing so that all employers will have to provide a workplace pension – and contribute to it. If you're not already in a workplace scheme and you're eligible, you'll automatically be enrolled in one. This is called auto-enrolment, and it was introduced in 2012.

To help everyone adjust, the new regulations are being phased in gradually. This started in 2012 with very large employers. Others will follow in stages to at least 2018.

You'll be eligible for auto-enrolment if you're:

• Not already part of a company scheme that meets the government standards
• At least 22 years old but below State Pension age
• Earning more than £10,000 a year – or the monthly or weekly equivalent, depending on how you're paid Working in the UK

Even if you aren't eligible, check with your employer as you might still be able to join.

If you decide you don't want to be part of your workplace scheme, you can choose to opt out, but you can rejoin in the future if you want to.

If you've opted out, your employer will enrol you back into the scheme roughly every three years if you're still eligible. This gives you a regular opportunity to reassess your situation.

The Government has set minimum levels for the total amount that is paid into a workplace pension – although your employer may set higher contribution levels.

This amount is calculated as a percentage of your qualifying earnings – starting at 2% in 2012, rising to 5% in 2017, and 8% in 2018.

One of the benefits of the new regulations is that your employer has to contribute to your pension.

The minimum starts at 1% of your qualifying earnings and rises in stages to 3% by 2018.

This contribution comes directly from your employer and is over and above your take-home pay.

You may also have to pay in

To qualify for a pension contribution from your employer, you may have to pay in too. This might just be the amount needed to top up your employer's contributions to the minimum total amount, or your employer could set a higher amount.

However, your employer could choose to pay more than the minimum contribution or even the whole cost.

But if you're serious about planning for life after you stop work, you could always choose to pay in more.

You get tax relief on every payment

Remember, you can usually get tax relief on every payment you make. Laws and tax rules, though, can change in the future.

Each employer has a date when they have to begin enrolling people automatically; your employer will write to you in advance about how exactly the process will be introduced in your workplace.

So, to sum up:

• Auto-enrolment is being phased in over several years
• Minimum contribution levels are set by the Government – these will increase over time
• You can opt out of the scheme or re-join in the future if you want to We all need to save more for retirement – the good news is that auto-enrolment will make it easier.