BUSINESS owners could face County Court Judgements and fines if they fail to act on workplace pension schemes, a local tax specialist has warned.

David Lushington, of TaxAssist accountants in Oxford and Abingdon, said more than 17,000 fines and sanctions were handed out in the first quarter of this year to small firms which did not meet their staging date for the auto-enrolment.

Employers who fail to comply could face a £400 fixed penalty, rising to daily fines of £50 to £10,000.

He said: “One small business which cited work pressures as a reason for not complying was given a £40,000 fine plus court costs.”