We were sitting last Thursday in the Stonemason’s arms. By “we” I mean the Pension Playpen’s content management team.

Most of our number don’t know about pensions – in fact the only person who knows about pensions is our Hannah (Clarke) who knows everything (though she’s no “know all”).

Martin , who is a small businessman, turned to us and with a look of mild surmise intoned

If I go to a pensions website, I want to know what to do about this auto-enrolment thing. Where should I go to find out what I have to do?

Eyebrows were raised, www.pensionplaypen.com is designed to help small businesses like the ones Martin runs, make easy going of auto-enrolment.

Just go to the Pension Regulator’s website

Said Hannah. So we did , and what we found was so good that I have spent the past 24 hours re-reading all the documents that I read when they first came out and have now forgotten.

The Pension Regulator has really got its shit together and has produced an auto-enrolment website that is beautifully constructed with excellent navigation. It contains all you need to know whether you are a beginner,intermediate or expert. The information is delivered to a consistent standard of excellence.

There is nothing sexy about the site but it is packed with useful tools that can help your company with understanding the when,what and how of employer obligations , provides a project planner to help companies be ready for their “staging day” and gives practical tips on how to communicate what is going on to the employees affected.

The site is not going to win awards, because it is not flashy and there’s no commercial reason for those outside of Government to promote it.

Well I take that back, because here am I, a commercial guy – promoting this website; not because I want to , but because I have to – it’s better than anything I’ve seen in the private sector, including the auto-enrolment section of the sites I’m involved with at First Actuarial and Pension PlayPen.

Which calls to mind a question I’ve been meaning to ask the Pension Regulator, if I can’t beat you, can I join you. Can I make this wonderful educational resource part of my offering?

As a tax-payer I’ve paid for a little bit of it and if I can host your information on my site , I make sure my visitors get it straight from (my) horse’s mouth.

People throw sticks at Government for making auto-enrolment too complicated; then they complain when the Government try to simplify the complexity, but no-one takes the trouble to congratulate Government when it gets it right.

The Pension Regulator has been getting its digital policy right for a couple of years, it gets social media, runs a great linked in group, does twitter well and is always relevent. It is an example to other Government functions on how to engage with its audience.

So , before I nip down the road to Wembley to see my beloved Yeovil Town bid for play-off glory, I’ll urge you , should you have an interest in pensions, to spend some time checking  it out for yourself ; it’s here or if you like a URL ,press this http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers.aspx

Related articles

• Everybody need standards (henrytapper.com)
• So what’s new in pension reform? (henrytapper.com)
• Who speaks for workplace pensions? (henrytapper.com)
• Get up! Stand up! For your pension rights! (henrytapper.com)
• The sins of the past (henrytapper.com)
• “Cynicism’s” trending on #pensions (henrytapper.com)
• Auto-enrolment 308,000 onto pensions opt out not revealed (thisismoney.co.uk)
• A momentous day for restoring confidence in UK pensions (henrytapper.com)
• Bridging that advice gap – 43rd London Pension Lunch (henrytapper.com)
• “This House” is a pension playpen (henrytapper.com)
• Cap on pension fund fees to help savers (telegraph.co.uk)