Auto-enrolment pension – MyFutureFund

If you are an employee and do not pay into a pension, you may be automatically included (auto-enrolled) in a new pension scheme from 1 January 2026.

The pension scheme is called MyFutureFund.

You, your employer and the Government all pay a certain amount into the pension fund.

After 6 months, you can choose to leave the scheme and get a refund of your pension contributions.

Employers can register on the MyFutureFund employer portal.

You will be automatically enrolled in MyFutureFund if you are an employee and you:

• Are aged between 23 and 60
• Do not pay into a pension through payroll
• Earn €20,000 or more per year across all employments, or more than €5,000 over a 13-week period

Can I choose to join (opt in) if I am not automatically enrolled?

If you do not meet the age or income requirements above, you can still choose to join the pension scheme if you are not paying into a pension through payroll. You must be an employee and aged over 18, up to the pension age of 66.

Does my employer have to participate?

Yes, if you are eligible for auto-enrolment or you opt in to the scheme. If your employer does not meet their auto-enrolment obligations, they will face penalties such as fines and prosecution.

For example, if they don’t make contributions on your behalf, they may be fined and have to make repayments with interest.

What happens if I already have a workplace pension? 

You will not be enrolled in MyFutureFund for an employment if you are paying into a pension plan through its payroll. You can read more about occupational pensions on our website.

What happens if I change jobs after being enrolled?

If you change jobs after being automatically enrolled, you won’t need to change pension or join a new scheme. You will remain a member of MyFutureFund. You do not have to do anything, as the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA) will manage the change.

What happens if I start paying into another pension?

If you start paying into another pension through payroll, your contributions to MyFutureFund will stop automatically.

Is auto-enrolment better than my personal pension?

Whether auto-enrolment or your personal pension is better for you depends on your situation and circumstances.

You should review your personal pension and compare it with the benefits of auto-enrolment to see what works best for you. Features of your personal pension to consider include:

• The amount of contributions made by you and your employer
• Any additional benefits of the pension scheme
• The level of tax relief on contributions to your personal pension, compared to the Government top-up to MyFutureFund

After you are enrolled, you must stay in MyFutureFund for at least 6 months. You can opt out (leave) after 6 months. You then have a 2-month window to opt out, until you have been in the scheme for 8 months.

If you opt out, the money you paid in your contributions will be refunded to you.

After 8 months, you cannot opt out but you can suspend (pause) your contributions at any time.

Pausing your contributions

You can suspend (pause) your contributions at any time after the first 6 months. All contributions, including those from your employer and the Government, will be suspended.

All the existing contributions in your fund are kept there until you start making contributions again.

If you suspend your contributions, you must wait at least 12 months before you can start making contributions again.

Opting out after a change in the contribution rate

When there is a change in the contribution rate, you can choose to opt out 6 months later, up to 8 months later.

You will be refunded the amount of the increase in the contributions rates you paid in those months.

What happens to my savings if I opt-out?

Contributions that are not refunded, including those made by your employer and the Government, stay in your fund and will continue to be invested.

If you stop working or move abroad at any time before retirement, you will stay enrolled, but you will not make additional contributions. Your existing savings will continue to be invested.

This means you can still access the pension at retirement.

Automatic re-enrolment

If you leave MyFutureFund or suspend your contributions, you will be automatically re-enrolled after 2 years if you are still eligible.

However, if you are making contributions to another pension plan through your employer's payroll, you will not be re-enrolled for that employment.

The amount you pay into MyFutureFund will be a set rate of your annual salary. Your employer will match your contributions, and the Government will contribute an additional amount.

For every €3 that you contribute to your pension fund, your employer will put in €3, and the Government will put in €1.

This means that for every €3 you contribute, €7 will be added to your account.

You cannot pay more or less than the set rate.

In the first year, you and your employer will pay 1.5% of your annual salary. This will increase to 6% by year 10.

The table below sets out the rates you, your employer, and the Government will pay:

The employer and Government contributions stop when your salary reaches €80,000 for that year.

Example

The table below shows an example of a worker earning €20,000 a year:

The website myfuturefund.ie has information for employers and employees. It is the website of the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, NAERSA, which has been set up to run the scheme.

You can watch the Department of Social Protection’s videos on auto-enrolment and read its information on auto-enrolment. You can also read its frequently asked questions about auto-enrolment.

The rules for auto-enrolment are set out in the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Act 2024.