TPR working on extending pensions access to 200,000 gig-economy workers.
07 July 2022
Charles Counsell, chief executive of The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has confirmed to the Work and Pensions committee that TPR is working on "a number of individual cases across the delivery and transport sectors", affecting 150,000 to 200,000 gig-economy workers.
Determining the employment status of workers in the gig-economy is a complex process. The terms and conditions, the circumstances and the details of the relationship between contractors and firms all affect the worker status, so the test is specific to each case. Recent years have seen numerous high-profile cases that addressed specific instances, with varying judgements. Drivers for ridesharing company Uber, for example, were considered workers and entitled to workplace pensions, while deliveroo riders who deliver food for local restaurants were ruled to be self-employed.
Counsell has highlighted that the gig-economy is an area of focus for TPR, commenting that:
“It is only right that workers contributing to the economy have the opportunity to save for retirement.”
The legal complexities have been acknowledged and TPR is working hard to overcome hurdles to protect savers.
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