Pensions dashboards are digital services which savers will use to see their pension information in one place. Occupational pension schemes are required to connect to the pensions dashboards ecosystem. Scheme connection is a staged process and 'connect by' dates are set out in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) guidance.
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) commissioned OMB Research to undertake a tracker survey to assess the readiness of pension schemes for their connection to pensions dashboards. These early findings cover:
- schemes' intentions to connect to dashboards
- their plans in relation to the data they will use to match members to their pensions
- the status of their pension value data
- members' access to pension information
Published: 5 March 2025.
Methodology
The online tracker survey is emailed to the chair of trustees and nominated dashboards contact(s) approximately 11 months before their scheme's 'connect by' date in DWP guidance. This publication covers schemes with a 'connect by' date in the guidance between April 2025 to October 2025, which comprise:
- defined contribution (DC) schemes used for automatic enrolment (AE) with more than 1,000 active and deferred members
- other trust-based occupational pension schemes with over 1,500 active and deferred members
- public service pension schemes
Six waves of fieldwork were completed between May and November 2024, with 1,027 schemes sampled in total across all waves. The survey response rate across all waves completed was 45%.
Forthcoming full report of findings
A full report of all findings will be published in summer 2025, providing findings covering schemes with a 'connect by' date in the guidance between April 2025 and February 2026.
Headlines: early findings
- 76% of schemes reported they intend to connect to dashboards by their 'connect by' date and are confident that they will do so.
- 94% were confident that the data they will use to match members to their pensions is accurate or they had a plan in place to improve it before connection.
- 85% had all their match data in digital format and a further 9% had a plan in place to fully digitise ahead of connection.
- 16% of schemes knew they held some DC value data which had not been calculated in the previous 12 to 13 months. 36% of schemes knew they held some defined benefit (DB) value data which had not been calculated in the previous 12 to 13 months.
- 16% of schemes knew they held some DC value data that was not available digitally, while 19% of schemes held some DB value data which was not accessible digitally.
- 37% of schemes surveyed did not provide annual benefit statements to members who have changed employment (deferred members).
- 35% of schemes did not provide online access to information about the value of their pensions to all their members.
Survey findings
Whether schemes with the same understanding of their ’connect by’ date as TPR1 intend to connect in line with their date in guidance, and their confidence in their ability to do so
- 89% intend to connect by their ’connect by’ date and are confident that they will. Of which:
- 6% intend to connect before their ’connect by’ date and will be ready to do so
- 83% intend to connect by their ’connect by’ date and are confident that they will do so
- 5% intend to connect by their ’connect by’ date but not confident that they will do so
- 4% intend to connect after their ’connect by’ date
- 2% don't know their current plans in respect of their connection date
Base: All who had the same understanding of their ’connect by’ date as TPR (430).
Footnote for this section
1 In the survey we asked schemes to tell us what their ’connect by’ date was. We compared this to our assessment of their ’connect by’ date based on our records.
Connection plan of schemes which did not have the same understanding of their ’connect by’ date as TPR
| Connection plan | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| We are expecting to connect in line with the guidance, following conversations with third parties | 77% |
| We are expecting to connect in line with the guidance as a matter of principle | 3% |
| We do not expect to connect in line with the guidance | 10% |
| Don’t know | 10% |
Base: All who did not have the same understanding of their ’connect by’ date as TPR (31).
Summary of intention to connect – combination of the previous two tables: schemes who had same understanding of ’connect by date’ as TPR and those who did not
| Intention | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Intend to connect by 'connect by' date and confident will do so, and identified correct 'connect by' date (or provided earlier date) | 76% |
| Intend to connect by 'connect by' date but provided later date | 7% |
| Intend to connect in line with guidance but don’t know 'connect by' date | 5% |
| Intend to connect by 'connect by' date but not confident will do so | 5% |
| Do not expect to connect by date in guidance / in line with guidance |
5% |
| Do not know position in respect of connection date |
2% |
Base: All respondents (461).
Main reasons for schemes not being confident about connecting to dashboards by their 'connect by' date
| Reason | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Reliance on administrator to complete work required | 29% |
| Concentrating on other tasks (for example guaranteed minimum pension equalisation) | 29% |
| Changing to a different administrator | 10% |
Base: All not completely/very confident they will be able to connect by 'connect by' date (21).
Mentions of more than 5% only.
Note low base size: results should be interpreted with caution.
An explanation of how schemes need to match a member’s data to their pension
When a scheme member uses a dashboard, their identity will be verified by an identity service, confirming their name, address and date of birth. They will also provide additional data like their National Insurance number, previous names and addresses, email and phone number. This personal and contact information will be used by schemes to 'match' members to their pensions. Trustees and managers will decide which data items to use for matching. Where match data has not yet been selected by trustees, they are asked about the accuracy of the personal and contact data held on file.
Whether schemes have selected their 'match' data, and their confidence in the accuracy of data
- 94% are confident that 'match' data is accurate or have a plan in place to improve accuracy by their 'connect by' date. Of these:
- 36% know which data items will be used for matching and are completely or very confident data is accurate
- 22% do not know which data items will be used for matching but are completely or very confident that the personal or contact data is accurate
- 35% are not completely or very confident that data is accurate but have a plan in place to improve data accuracy
- 6% are not completely or very confident in data and do not have a plan to improve data accuracy
Base: All respondents (461).
Reasons for schemes' lack of confidence in the accuracy of their data
| Reason | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| In the process of data cleansing activity | 23% |
| Difficulties tracing members | 18% |
| Need to discuss with administrator | 10% |
| Issues with historical data | 8% |
| Members do not keep information up to date |
5% |
| Not yet completed data analysis/testing |
5% |
| Other |
14% |
| Don't know |
13% |
Base: All not completely or very confident they will have accurate data by 'connect by' date (77). Includes mentions of 5% or more.
Whether the 'match' or personal and contact data is held in digital format, and whether there is a plan in place to fully digitise ahead of connection
| Digital format and plan to digitise | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| All match or personal and contact data held in digital format | 85% |
| Not all match or personal and contact data held in digital format but plan in place to fully digitise | 9% |
| Not all match or personal and contact data held in digital format and no plan in place to fully digitise | 0% |
| Not all match or personal and contact data held in digital format and don't know if plan in place to fully digitise | 4% |
| Don't know if all match or personal and contact data held in digital format |
2% |
Base: All respondents (461).
Schemes' level of confidence that they will be able to fully digitise 'match' or personal contact data ahead of connection
| Level of confidence | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Completely confident | 3% |
| Very confident | 48% |
| Fairly confident | 35% |
| Not very confident | 2% |
| Not at all confident |
0% |
| Don't know |
13% |
Base: All schemes in which not all data is in digital format (63).
Reasons for schemes' lack of confidence in their ability to fully digitise their data ahead of connection
| Reason | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Awaiting information from third-party administrator | 28% |
| Digitisation not yet addressed / complete | 20% |
| Complex legacy structure | 12% |
| Resource / other challenges | 4% |
| Missing address details |
4% |
| Other |
4% |
| Don't know |
28% |
Base: All not completely or very confident they will have fully digitised personal data by connection date (25).
Note low base size (less than 30 responses): results should be interpreted with caution.
Whether schemes hold any DC value data which is not recent, ie calculated in the last 12 to 13 months
- 16% have DC value data which is not recent. Of which:
- 5% affects less than 1% of members
- 5% affects 1% to 10% of members
- 1% affects 11% to 50% of members
- 1% affects more than 50% of members
- 63% have all DC value data which is recently calculated
- 21% don't know
Base: All schemes with DC benefits (315).
How schemes plan to address DC value data which is not recent, ie calculated in the last 12 to 13 months
| Plan | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Calculate the values regularly so they are recent and available on demand | 45% |
| Calculate the values on demand | 0% |
| A combination of the two | 14% |
| Don't know | 41% |
Base: All schemes with some DC value data that is not recent (49).
Whether schemes hold any DC value data which is not accessible digitally and, where not available digitally, what proportion of members are affected
- 16% have DC value data which is not accessible digitally. Of these:
- 5% affects less than 1% of members
- 7% affects 1% to 10% of members
- 1% affects 11% to 50% of members
- 1% affects more than 50% of members
- 62% have all DC value data accessible digitally
- 22% don't know
Base: All schemes with DC benefits (315).
Whether schemes hold any DB value data which is not recent, ie calculated in the last 12 to 13 months
| Presence of DB value data which is not recent | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Yes – at least some DB value data is not recent | 36% |
| No – all DB value data is recent | 52% |
| Don't know | 12% |
Base: All schemes with DB benefits (426).
How schemes plan to address DB value data which is not recent, ie calculated in the last 12 to 13 months
| Plan | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Calculate the values regularly so they are recent and available on demand | 38% |
| Calculate the values on demand | 16% |
| A combination of the two | 29% |
| Don't know | 18% |
Base: All schemes with DB value data that is not recent (154).
Whether schemes hold any DB value data which is not accessible digitally, and where not available digitally what proportion of members are affected
- 19% have at least some DB value data which is not accessible digitally. Of these:
- 2% affects less than 1% of members
- 8% affects 1% to 10% of members
- 2% affects 11% to 50% of members
- 2% affects more than 50% of members
- 68% have all DB value data accessible digitally
- 12% don't know
Base: All schemes with DB benefits (426).
Schemes' level of confidence in their ability to increase the proportion of DB value data held digitally ahead of connection
| Level of confidence | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Completely confident | 2% |
| Very confident | 62% |
| Fairly confident | 21% |
| Not very confident | 1% |
| Not at all confident |
4% |
Base: All schemes with some DB value data not accessible digitally (82).
Perceived barriers to increasing the proportion of DB value data held digitally ahead of connection
| Barrier | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Complex nature of scheme (legacy schemes, acquisitions, etc) | 44% |
| Resource availability | 12% |
| Other | 24% |
| Don't know | 24% |
Base: All schemes not completely or very confident able to improve proportion of DB value data held digitally (25).
Note low base size (less than 30 responses): results should be interpreted with caution.
Current methods used by schemes to provide information about their pensions
| Method | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Annual benefit statements issued to active members (all with active members) | 90% |
| Annual benefit statements issued to deferred members (all with deferred members) | 63% |
| Website or portal | 80% |
| Mobile app | 12% |
| None of these |
11% |
Base: All respondents (461), All with active members (285), All with deferred members (461).
Proportion of members that can access their pensions value information via a website, portal or app
| Proportion | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| All of them – 100% | 65% |
| 75% to 99% | 21% |
| 50% to 74% | 6% |
| 25% to 49% | 4% |
| 1% to 24% |
2% |
| None of them – 0% |
0% |
| Don't know |
2% |
Base: All schemes offering access via a website, portal or app (368).
Proportion of members who have either registered for or enabled access to these services
| Proportion | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| All of them – 100% | 0% |
| 75% to 99% | 7% |
| 50% to 74% | 21% |
| 25% to 49% | 48% |
| 1% to 24% |
10% |
| None of them – 0% |
1% |
| Don't know |
14% |
Base: All schemes offering access via a website, portal or app (368).
Proportion of members who have either registered or enabled access to these services who have used the services in the last 12 months
| Proportion | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| All of them – 100% | 1% |
| 75% to 99% | 4% |
| 50% to 74% | 18% |
| 25% to 49% | 25% |
| 1% to 24% |
23% |
| None of them – 0% |
0% |
| Don't know |
29% |
Base: All schemes with members that have registered for/enabled access (314).
Profile of schemes included in the survey waves covered in this publication
| Scheme type (number of members) | 'Connect-by' date | Fieldwork | Base: all schemes in cohort | Response rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master trust (20,000+) | April 2025 | May 2024 | 22 | 45% |
| Master trust (5,000-19,999), DC used for AE (5,000-999,999), DC - other (20,000-999,999), DB (20,000-999,999), Hybrid (20,000-999,999) | May 2025 | June 2024 | 74 | 58% |
| Master trust (1,000-4,999), DC used for AE (1,000-4,999), DC - other (5,000-19,999), DB (5,000-19,999), Hybrid (5,000-19,999) | June 2025 | July 2024 | 189 | 43% |
| DC - other (2,500-4,999), DB (2,500-4,999), Hybrid (2,500-4,999) | August 2025 | September 2024 | 172 | 53% |
| DC - other (1,500-2,499), DB (1,500-2,499), Hybrid (1,500-2,499) | September 2025 | October 2024 | 161 | 44% |
| Public service | October 2025 | November 2024 | 409 | 40% |