The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) has confirmed that it plans to share the final data standards "soon", having already shared the standards with volunteer participants in March 2024.

The PDP’s ninth progress update report highlighted the programme’s progress in delivering the technical solution and facilitating connection for pensions dashboards, outlining the ongoing work that is being done to prepare for industry connection.

This includes work to develop an online connection hub, including the code of connection, which the PDP expects to publish "later in 2024".

In addition to this, PDP confirmed that, for those providers and schemes who are connecting via a third party, there will be guidance on the connection hub to explain when and how they should contact PDP regarding their connection plans and anything else they need to consider.

PDP is also preparing to start connection testing for those building their own direct route to connection later this year, which is expected to help to support wider industry connection beginning in April 2025.

Further information was also provided on plans to work with industry on shaping the approach to user testing of dashboards, as PDP reiterated plans to launch a user testing and planning group later this year, to develop and coordinate plans for user testing of the live service once industry staging has begun.

This will include defining testing requirements and the activities involved, how users will be invited to participate in testing the service in a controlled environment, volumes of users, and how insights from this testing will be gathered and reported on.

As part of this work, PDP has already engaged with a range of individuals from industry and partners who are interested in getting involved with user testing and will help develop user testing plans.

This is not the only area of engagement with industry, as the report also pointed to the work of the PDP's new advisory group, which is made up of members of the previous steering group along with 8 new members.

PDP principal, Chris Curry, stated: “The last six months has seen PDP make significant progress towards making pensions dashboards a reality. I want to thank the team for all their hard work, along with the efforts from the government, regulators and industry.

“Dashboards will allow users to see all their pensions information together in one online and secure place. It’s a complex task, but it’s one we need to focus on getting right to enable a vital tool in transforming people’s engagement with their pensions.”

Adding to this, Money and Pensions Service (Maps) CEO, Oliver Morley, said: “Since I joined Maps, I’ve been able to see first-hand the real momentum being built up by the programme.

"Working in partnership with industry, DWP and regulators enabled the publication of the connection timetable in guidance with more than the 12 months’ notice originally promised.

"There’s plenty more to come over the next 6 months, and Maps will be working hard to support PDP and continuing development of the MoneyHelper dashboard.”

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