---
title: "How do I set auto enrolment postponements?"
slug: "how-do-i-set-auto-enrolment-postponements"
updated: 2026-06-10T11:26:23Z
published: 2026-06-10T11:26:23Z
canonical: "help.cintra.co.uk/how-do-i-set-auto-enrolment-postponements"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.cintra.co.uk/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do I set auto enrolment postponements?

**Cintra iQ** has an **Auto Enrolment (AE)** facility, which takes you through the process of amending a pension scheme set up, defining which payment headings are pensionable and which headings are classed as **Qualifying Earnings**, running an assessment, and enrolling employees into the relevant **Auto Enrolment** scheme. **Cintra iQ** can also manage **Opt ins** and **Opt outs**.

**Postponement** is an additional flexibility for you that allows you to choose to postpone automatic enrolment for a period of your choice of up to three months or 13 weeks. You can apply postponement settings for each payroll. And for each setting, you can apply a maximum of three months or 13 weeks.

You can only set postponements for an employee on certain dates:

- Employer’s Staging Date;
- First Day of Employment;
- Date a worker meets criteria to be an eligible jobholder

## To set auto enrolment postponements

1. Navigate to the **Employer** window. The **Employer** definition window appears.

Go to **Cintra iQ**: Payroll > Payroll Setup > Employer Setup
2. Select the desired **Employer** definition.
3. Click the **Open** button. The **Employer** window appears.
4. Navigate to the **PAYE & Payrolls** tab.
5. Open an existing payroll associated with the selected **PAYE** scheme. The **Payroll** window appears.
6. Navigate to the **Additional Settings** tab.
7. Navigate to the **Other Settings** section.
8. Click the **AE Pension Settings** button. The **Pension Scheme - Auto Enrolment form** appears.![](https://cdn.document360.io/fc2cda72-4645-4b36-96bf-60439ec11f11/Images/Documentation/204001064165.png)

> [!NOTE]
> **Information:** After entering a value in the desired postponement field, you must tab off the field in order to activate the Weeks and Months options.
9. Set the **Employer Staging Date**, or **1st Date of Employment** or **Eligable Job Holder** date.
10. Click the **OK** button. The postponement date is set.

## If no postponements

Should you wish not to add any postponements, your payrolls will automatically align to the beginning of your next pay reference period.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** Your Pay Reference Period is weekly and runs from 31st March 2020 to 6th April 2020 and your Staging Date is 1st April 2020. If you apply no additional postponements, when you run the assessment in this period, it will automatically apply a postponement from 1st April 2020 to 7th April 2020, to align you to the start of your next Pay Reference Period on 7th April 2020.

This is to ensure that when employees are enrolled into a scheme, then they are enrolled from the start of a pay period, which removes the need to pro-rata any contributions.