The Brighton-based Occupational Pensions Authority (Opra) is gearing up for a big role in the introduction of stakeholder pensions.

With just two months to go until the introduction of the pensions, Opra will be a source of important information for employers.

The pensions will open for employees' contributions from April 6. Employers with five or more staff must have provided access to a stakeholder pension for their employees by October 8 at the latest, unless they are exempt.

Opra chief executive Caroline Instance said: "We register schemes and ensure they continue to meet stakeholder conditions - like having charges at under one per cent per annum.

"We will also regulate the employer's role in providing workplace access."

She said Opra aimed to help employers meet their legal responsibilities.

She added: "We have lots of information and a copy of the register of schemes on our web site at www. stakeholder.opra.gov.uk.

"Coming soon is a 'decision tree' for employers to help them work out whether they have to designate a stakeholder or not. We will also publish a how-to-do-it guide by April.

"Employers should not be panicked into action now - they have plenty of time until October before they have to do something."

Mrs Instance said employers should start by reading about stakeholder pensions and suggested some further easy steps.

Read up, starting with Department of Social Security guide for employers (obtainable from 0845 7646646, if you have not been sent your copy yet) and the Opra web site.

If you already have pension provision, check with your pension adviser if it exempts you from stakeholder or it would if you extended its coverage.

If you need, or want, to designate a stakeholder provider, now is a good time to start looking at what is available.

Find out what the providers will do for you (in the form of payroll admin-istration support, etc.) and what they will do for the members (like giving full advice within the one per cent charge).

Check the scheme you are interested in is on the Opra register, which has hypertext links to providers' sites.

Consult your employees.

Designate one scheme that is open to all your employees. You will not be responsible for its investment performance, so give your employees the information provided by the scheme.

Give the provider reasonable access to the employees - for example, by allowing a meeting on your premises outside working hours.

If your employees want it, arrange for contributions to be deducted from pay from April onward.

The Government has also stepped up its information campaign for businesses.

Employers who want more information on stakeholder pensions and their obligat-ions can ring a Government helpline on 0845 7143143.

Social Security Secretary Alistair Darling said: "Stakeholder pensions will offer a flexible, safe and value-for-money way for people to save for their retirement."

"The helpline will enable employers get to grips with what they may have to do and provide guidance on the guide which has already been issued. This covers both the requirements on employers and details of the exemptions."