If you cannot generate the PAPDIS data format using your payroll software as an alternative we can accept the NatWest Cushon upload file.
The NatWest Cushon upload file is available as a standard report on a number of payroll providers' software. If you cannot produce the data file using your payroll software, the NatWest Cushon upload file can be used to:
- Confirm contribution amounts to be paid into the workplace pension for each member, and trigger payment for these contributions.
- Upload new employees to create member records and generate welcome communications.
- Confirm leavers from the employer where NatWest Cushon should not be expecting future contributions; this can also be done individually within the Employees section of the NatWest Cushon Employer Portal.
General file formatting
The contribution files you upload (Single scheme or Multiple schemes) to the NatWest Cushon Employer Portal must be in a 'CSV' comma delimited format (i.e. containing no headers) with the following requirements.
- Dates must be saved in dd/mm/yyyy format.
- Your file should contain no missing or inaccurate data, no commas in any text fields.
- First Name should contain a name and not just an initial.
- Do not confirm any employees as 'leavers' until they have been issued their P45 and their final contributions were processed in the last pay period.
- Do not amend payroll reference numbers without informing the NatWest Cushon Helpdesk prior to your next upload.
- Do not re-assign any previous payroll reference numbers.
- No currency symbols, special characters or commas in number formats.
- Members on each file should have the same pay frequency and within the same payroll.
Contribution calculation and payment
- Contributions must be deducted by net pay method (before income tax) as NatWest Cushon will not apply tax relief on employee contributions.
- The only exception to the above is when salary sacrifice (salary exchange) is used for any employees.
- Contributions are only invested by NatWest Cushon once the opt-out period has elapsed.
- Contributions are only to be zero if:
- The employment status is 'Unpaid Maternity'.
- The Pensionable Earnings are zero, or fall below the Automatic Enrolment Qualifying Earnings threshold.
- The last contribution has been paid on a previous report and the employee is now being marked as a 'Leaver'.
Data file requirements – NatWest Cushon upload (One scheme)
| Heading | Column header requirement | Field type | Data requirement | Description | Example |
| Employee Payroll Number | Mandatory | Text/number (10) | Mandatory | This is the key field the data is stored against and must therefore be unique to each employee record. This must not be the NI Number. | ABC123 |
| Title | Mandatory | Text (40) | Mandatory | Values can be: Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Mx, Dr, Prof, Sir, Lady, Reverend, Lord (X-non-binary) | Mr |
| Forename | Mandatory | Text (20) | Mandatory | First letter should be in upper case (initials will be rejected). | Andrew |
| Surname | Mandatory | Text (40) | Mandatory | First letter should be in upper case. | Smith |
| NI Number | Mandatory | Alpha, numerical, alpha (2,6,1) | Mandatory | Or alternate reference used for real-time Information reporting. | AB123456C |
| Date of Birth | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | Date of Birth | 01/01/1970 |
| Sex | Mandatory | Text (6) | Mandatory |
Male or M Female or F PNTS - Prefer not to say X- Other PNTS - Prefer not to say |
M
PNTS |
| Address line 1 | Mandatory |
Text (100) |
Mandatory |
Spaces, dashes, apostrophes (‘), full stops are allowed. Commas are not allowed. Default to blank if no data. |
1 The House |
| Address line 2 | Mandatory | Mandatory | The Street | ||
| Address line 3 | Optional | Optional | The Town | ||
| Address line 4 | Optional | Optional | The City | ||
| Address line 5 | Optional | Optional | The County | ||
| Post Code | Mandatory | Text (9) | Mandatory | Spaces are allowed | ABC 2CD |
| Overseas Indicator | Optional | Y or N (1) | Mandatory |
Defaults to N Header and data are Optional if file has new joiners to upload to NatWest Cushon and should be included if individual has an overseas request. Header and data do not need to be included if no new joiners to enrol and only existing members within the upload file. |
N |
| Mobile Number | Mandatory | Alphanumeric (12) | Optional | Must be in the format as per the example, and so leading with an apostrophe in order to maintain the leading zeros. | 07890123456 |
| Date Joined Company | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | Date Employee joined the company/Employee start date. | 01/01/2022 |
| Comms date | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory if the individual has opt out rights |
Date the employer informed the employee they had been automatically enrolled, or Enrolled with opt out rights (usually the Automatic Enrolment Date). |
25/01/2023 |
| Date Joined Scheme | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory |
Automatic Enrolment Date or Date Joined Scheme if not automatically enrolled. Date Joined Scheme must be on or after to Date Joined Company. |
01/01/2023 |
| Pay Date | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | The Pay Date which the pay period that the contribution upload relates to. In other words, the date contributions were deducted. | 31/01/2023 |
| Period End Date | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | Last day of the period to which the contributions relate. | 31/01/2023 |
| Leaving Date | Optional | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Optional |
Populated if the individual has left the Pension Scheme, provides the individual's date of leaving. Header and data is Mandatory if leaver processing is required. Header and data does not need to be included if no leaver processing is required. |
01/11/2023 |
| Reason for Leaving | Optional | LE (2) | Optional |
Must be populated with the correct code if an individual has left the pension scheme. Values can only be: Left Employment = LE Death = DO Header and data are Mandatory if leaver processing is required. Header and data do not need to be included if no leaver processing is required. |
LE |
| Email Address | Mandatory | Text, e.g. forename.surname@company.com (100) | Mandatory | All correspondence will be issued to members by NatWest Cushon via e-mail, and so each employee must have a unique email address. | john.smith@company.com |
| Employee Contribution Rate | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 1 (6) | Mandatory |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Must meet the scheme minimum requirement and be split between Employer and Employee contribution rate and not shown as a lump sum. |
5 |
| Employer Contribution Rate | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 1 (6) | Mandatory |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Must meet the scheme minimum requirement and be split between Employer and Employee contribution rate and not shown as a lump sum. |
3 |
| Employee Contribution Amount | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Mandatory |
Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as employer amount. |
10.14 |
| Employee Lump Sum | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Optional |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as employer amount. |
0 |
| Employer Contribution Amount | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Mandatory |
Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as ER amount. |
10.14 |
| Employer Lump Sum | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Optional |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as employer amount. |
0 |
| Pensionable Earnings for the period | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 1000.00 (10) | Mandatory |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Gross earnings used to calculate pension contributions (this will be used to check contributions received are correct in relation to contribution percentage). For new employees we can accept an estimate. |
1014 |
| Salary sacrifice | Optional | Text - Y/N | Mandatory | Enter Y if the employee's contribution is paid by salary sacrifice (salary exchange) | Y |
Data file requirements – NatWest Cushon upload (Multiple schemes)
| Heading | Column header requirement | Field type (max char) | Data requirement | Description | Example |
| Employee Payroll Number | Mandatory | Text/number (10) | Mandatory | This is the key field the data is stored against and must therefore be unique to each employee record. This must not be the NI Number. | ABC123 |
| Title | Mandatory | Text (40) | Mandatory | Values can be: Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Mx, Dr, Prof, Sir, Lady (X - non-binary) | Mr |
| Forename | Mandatory | Text (20) | Mandatory | First letter should be in upper case (initials will be rejected). | John |
| Surname | Mandatory | Text (40) | Mandatory | First letter should be in upper case. | Smith |
| NI Number | Mandatory | Alpha, numerical, alpha (2,6,1) | Mandatory | Or alternate reference used for real-time information reporting. | AB123456C |
| Date of Birth | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | Date of Birth | 01/01/1970 |
| Sex | Mandatory | Text (6) | Mandatory |
Male or M Female or F PNTS - Prefer not to say |
M PNTS |
| Address line 1 | Mandatory |
Text (100) |
Mandatory |
Spaces, dashes, apostrophes (‘), full stops are allowed. Commas are not allowed. Default to blank if no data. |
1 The House |
| Address line 2 | Mandatory | Mandatory | The Street | ||
| Address line 3 | Optional | Optional | The Town | ||
| Address line 4 | Optional | Optional | The City | ||
| Address line 5 | Optional | Optional | The County | ||
| Post Code | Mandatory | Text (9) | Mandatory |
Spaces are allowed. Default to blank if no data Header and data are mandatory if file has new joiners to upload to NatWest Cushon. Header and data do not need to be included if no new joiners to enrol and only existing members within the upload file. |
ABC 2CD |
| Overseas Indicator | Optional | Y or N (1) | Mandatory |
Defaults to N Header and data are Optional if file has new joiners to upload to NatWest Cushon and should be included if individual has an overseas request.
|
N |
| Mobile Number | Mandatory | Alphanumeric (12) | Optional | Must be in the format as per the example, and so leading with an apostrophe in order to maintain the leading zeros. | 07890123456 |
| Date Joined Company | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | Date Employee joined the company/Employee start date. | 01/01/2022 |
| Comms date | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory if the individual has opt-out rights |
Date the employer informed the employee they had been automatically enrolled, or Enrolled with opt out rights (usually the Automatic Enrolment Date). |
25/01/2023 |
| Date Joined Scheme | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory |
Automatic Enrolment Date or Date Joined Scheme if not automatically enrolled. Date Joined Scheme must be on or after to Date Joined Company. |
01/01/2023 |
| Pay Date | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | The Pay Date which the pay period that the contribution upload relates to. In other words, the date contributions were deducted. | 31/01/2023 |
| Period End Date | Mandatory | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Mandatory | Last day of the period to which the contributions relate. | 31/01/2023 |
| Leaving Date | Optional | DD/MM/YYYY (10) | Optional |
Populated if the individual has left the Pension Scheme, provides the individual's date of leaving. |
01/11/2023 |
| Reason for Leaving | Optional | LE (2) | Optional |
Must be populated with the correct code if an individual has left the pension scheme. Values can only be: Left Employment = LE Death = DO |
LE |
| Email Address | Mandatory | Text, e.g. forename.surname@company.com (100) | Mandatory | All correspondence will be issued to members by NatWest Cushon via e-mail, and so each employee must have a unique email address. | john.smith@company.com |
| Employee Contribution Rate | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 1 (6) | Mandatory |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency Must meet the scheme minimum requirement and be split between Employer and Employee contribution rate and not shown as a lump sum. |
5 |
| Employer Contribution Rate | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 1 (6) | Mandatory |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Must meet the scheme minimum requirement and be split between Employer and Employee contribution rate and not shown as a lump sum. |
3 |
| Employee Contribution Amount | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Mandatory |
Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as employer amount. |
10.14 |
| Employee Lump Sum | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Optional |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as employer amount. |
0.00 |
| Employer Contribution Amount | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Mandatory |
Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as ER amount. |
10.14 |
| Employer Lump Sum | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 50 (10) | Optional |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Must be greater than or equal to 0. Do not provide negative numbers. If salary sacrifice (salary exchange) ensure all contribution amounts are showing as employer amount. |
0.00 |
| Pensionable Earnings for the period | Mandatory | Number, e.g. 1000.00 (10) | Mandatory |
Must be shown as whole number as per the example rather than the percentage figure or currency. Gross earnings used to calculate pension contributions (this will be used to check contributions received are correct in relation to contribution percentage). For new employees we can accept an estimate. |
1014 |
| Salary sacrifice | Optional | Text - Y/N (If left blank it will default to the scheme) | Mandatory | Enter Y if the employee's contribution is paid by salary sacrifice (salary exchange) | Y |
| Pension Scheme | Mandatory (If operating with more than one scheme) | Text/Number | Mandatory |
Column header only required to be populated for use with Employer IDs multiple pension schemes. |
Standard |
File upload issues? Visit our Validation Codebusting page