UK Recruitment Glossary
Auto-Enrolment
In recruiter context
Eligibility: 22-State Pension age, earning over £10,000/year, working in the UK. Employees can opt out within 30 days but get auto-re-enrolled every 3 years. Most employers contribute more than the 3% minimum — 5-8% is standard at established firms, 10%+ at financial services. The 50p-on-the-pound match rate (1% employer for every 1% employee) is one of the highest-return moves available to UK earners. Many UK employees opt out due to short-term cash flow pressure and lose substantial long-term wealth in the process.
Related terms
Promotion
An internal move to a higher role, grade, or pay band — usually with more responsibility and a salar…
Long-Service Award
Recognition payments or gifts given to employees who reach service milestones — typically every 5 or…
Bonus
Extra pay on top of your base salary, either contractual (you should expect it) or discretionary (th…
Career Break
A formal pause in employment, typically 6 months to 2 years, agreed with your employer or taken betw…