One of the central drivers of everything we do at the Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is ensuring that we are constantly collaborating with industry.

I firmly believe the only way we’ll make a success of dashboards is with PDP, the government, regulators and the pensions industry all working together. Here are just some of the ways we’re collaborating to achieve our shared goal.

Working with early participants and industry groups

From early on in the programme, we have worked closely with industry organisations on developing, testing and refining the central digital architecture (CDA) and connection processes for dashboards.

We are currently working with a group of around 20 ‘early participants’, made up of pension providers and schemes, insurers, third-party administrators and integrated service providers (ISPs). We also work closely with industry groups and others with a role in dashboards, to ensure that we get input from across affected organisations.

It remains our intention to connect this group of early participants to the CDA before the first connection window set out in guidance opens.

This group is helping us to build the route to connection for all organisations that need to connect, and will enable PDP to ensure that processes are stable, secure and consistent.

We’ve also benefited from working closely with some of the well-established industry led groups on dashboards, including the Pensions Administration Standards Association (Pasa) working group, and Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) membership. The guidance for industry and input from these groups will be vital for making dashboards a success.

Feeding back on documents

As well as testing the connection journey, we’re looking for industry to work with us on the creation of important documents for dashboards.

Both last year and this year, we held consultations on draft versions of standards, including data, technical, reporting, design, operational and security requirements for dashboards. Further updates need to be made to standards, and PDP will be looking to engage with industry on ensuring that we get these documents right.

At the same time, we’ll also be seeking input on the other supporting documents that are necessary for connection.

As PDP, the government and regulators produce connection guidance, it's also essential that we hear from pension providers and schemes, third-party administrators and ISPs.

In June, the Minister for Pensions announced that the dates for when providers and schemes will connect to the CDA will be set out in guidance.

This will complement the legal latest connection deadline of 31 October 2026. This is the date by which pension providers and schemes in scope must have connected to the CDA, unless you have been allowed to defer. Nonetheless, they will need to demonstrate that they’ve had regard to the guidance, and it is expected that you will connect in line with the guidance dates.

It's critical, then, that there is engagement on the guidance. This will ensure that PDP, the government and regulators understand the advantages and constraints of timelines as providers and schemes are organised into staging groups.

Over the coming months we’ll also be working closely with industry on how we can test with live data ahead of dashboards available point, as well as what insights might be needed to help providers and schemes prepare for the service to be launched to customers.

Shaping communications

Alongside developing the technical solution and facilitating connection, PDP has a vital role in ensuring industry has the right information for dashboards. I already attend conferences, webinars and other speaking engagements throughout the year to provide updates on the programme and answer questions from industry.

We also produce posts on our website and social media, videos, and articles in the press like this one to provide useful information and tips on preparing for connection and what dashboards will look like.

But we’re always keen to hear from you on what more we could be communicating. Last month, we set up two working groups with industry specifically focused on what information we should be providing and getting feedback on how we are explaining things.

This kind of input is not something just confined to these working groups. We’d welcome your thoughts on what you feel we need to be talking about, how we go about this, and how we can work together on reaching across the pensions industry. We continually share your input with regulators and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to ensure that our approaches all complement each other.

We’re continually looking to engage with industry, and please get in touch with us if you would like to collaborate with us on shaping dashboards. At the same time, if you have specific queries or would like to speak to someone who can help, get in touch with the PDP team.

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