Image copyright DWP Image caption Adverts featuring a giant hairy monster were used to raise employer awareness

Thousands of small businesses ordered to register for auto-enrolment pensions face fines after part of the regulator's website crashed.

An online server at the Pensions Regulator has been faulty since Wednesday at least, the BBC understands.

Some of the businesses concerned could face fines as a result of missing registration deadlines.

The regulator said any difficulties would be taken into consideration.

However, it could not guarantee that all fines would be waived, a spokesman said.

One business owner told the BBC he had been trying to register since Monday, but that the server had been down since then.

His deadline is less than a week away.

Small and micro businesses - those with between one and 49 employees - are having to sign up for auto enrolment pensions.

Under the law, anyone who pays an employee over the age of 22 more than £10,000 a year has to provide a pension.

In a statement the the Pensions Regulator said: "We are aware of a technical issue affecting some functionality on our website.

"We are working hard to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

"Anyone with concerns about their automatic enrolment pension duties should contact our helpline on 0345 600 1011. Each case will be discussed on an individual basis."