Pensions Dashboards: Progress So Far and Why Data Matters

The UK’s Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is moving steadily forward, with a major milestone recently achieved: over 50 million pension records are now connected to the dashboards ecosystem. This marks real momentum towards the vision of a single digital view of people’s pensions.

Key Deadline

All schemes and providers must be connected to the dashboards ecosystem by 31 October 2026. While this is the legal deadline, schemes are strongly encouraged to connect earlier to avoid last-minute congestion and risks.

Current Status

• 50m+ pension records connected (including workplace, personal and State pensions).
• Major providers such as Aviva, Nest and People’s Pension are already live.
• Surveys from The Pensions Regulator show most schemes are confident of meeting deadlines, though some gaps remain in data readiness and valuation updates.

Data Challenges

Success will depend not just on connections but on data quality:

• Accurate identity data is vital for matching members to their pensions.
• Out-of-date or incomplete value data risks undermining trust.
• Legacy systems and inconsistent formats remain obstacles.

Why Data Matters

Dashboards will only succeed if the data behind them is accurate and consistent. High-quality data means:

• Members see the right pensions, with the right values.
• Confidence in dashboards grows.
• Fewer queries, errors and reputational risks for schemes.

Risks & Next Steps

The main risks now are schemes delaying until late 2026, mismatches frustrating users, and insufficient testing before launch. The next critical milestone will be setting the Dashboard Available Point (DAP), when the public can finally access dashboards. No date has yet been confirmed.

Conclusion

The connection of over 50 million records is a major achievement, but the real test will be whether data is accurate and ready at scale. For trustees, providers and administrators, the priority must be continued data cleansing and readiness ahead of the October 2026 deadline.