Pensions Dashboards – Key actions as we approach the finishing line

Over the last five years, there have been times when the process of introducing the new pensions dashboard has felt less like a ‘dash’ than a marathon, or even an ultramarathon. For most large and medium-sized pension schemes, connection deadlines are coming up over the next few months, ahead of the final deadline of 31 October 2026. While it may seem that we are still a long way from the finishing line, trustees and managers should start to prepare well in advance so that they aren’t forced to attempt a sprint finish.

Here are three actions that need to be taken now.

Contracts

Trustees will need support from providers and advisors to connect their schemes’ administration systems to the dashboard’s ecosystem. Whenever a scheme is paying for services, it is important that this is documented in agreed contractual terms, so that trustees know what they’re getting, how much they’re paying, and what protections they have if it all goes wrong.

In practice, scheme administrators are likely to be key, so updated terms might be required. They are typically the scheme advisor with the most detailed contract, so thinking about this early will avoid any last-minute problems.

Data Protection

Connecting to the pensions dashboard will mean giving members (and dashboard providers) direct access to member data, including information about benefits, through an entirely new IT infrastructure. As such, trustees will need to decide if they should carry out a Data Protection Impact Assessment to make sure they are comfortable that any necessary protections are in place.

While an assessment is not mandatory, the Information Commissioner’s Office says that data controllers should consider one when carrying out any processing that involves data matching or new technology. Both of those apply in this case, so many trustee boards are carrying out DPIAs for their dashboard connection.

Trustees will also need to update data protection policies and privacy notices.

Communicating with members

While the Government has not confirmed when pensions dashboards will ‘go live’ to the public, trustees and pension managers may want to start thinking about what they will say to members, and when. General information about dashboards could be included in member newsletters, together with contact details for the scheme and reminders about the dangers of pension scams.