For the last few years, the pensions industry has been in a state of constant preparation. We’ve talked about the new DB Funding Code, prepared for Pensions Dashboards, and watched the Pension Schemes Bill take shape.

2026 is the year these conversations move from theory to reality.

Many schemes will run their first valuation under the new Funding Code. Pensions Dashboards connection deadlines are getting closer. The BPA market is dealing with capacity pressure, and the Pension Schemes Bill looks likely to shift the rules of the game.

At the same time, the bar for service has moved. Members now expect on-demand data and modern digital interactions as standard.

The shift is clear. The planning phase is over. 2026 is about execution. It will reward schemes that have moved beyond “getting ready” and are now capable of delivery. It starts with clean data, efficient systems, and confident decision-making.

Here are the five themes we expect to define the year ahead, and where technology will make the difference between keeping pace and falling behind.

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1) Buy-in and Buyout: Capacity Constraints Drive Selection

Bulk purchase annuity (BPA) activity will remain high in 2026. More schemes can afford to transact, and more trustees now see buy-in or buyout as a realistic destination rather than a distant idea.

Capacity constraints mean insurers are increasingly selective.

When insurers have plenty of choice, they focus on schemes that are well-prepared. That usually means:

• having clean member data and benefit histories
• being able to show a clear benefits specification and a solid audit trail
• producing reliable management information on membership movements, retirements, deaths and contingent spouses
• demonstrating that the scheme can execute without surprises

In a buoyant BPA market, the schemes that move fastest are often the ones that did the unglamorous work early. Data, processes, and documentation.

2) Admin capacity: Efficiency as a necessity

A lot of industry conversation focuses on market conditions and insurer pricing. The quieter constraint is operational capacity.

Many teams are already stretched. When you add a dashboards programme, ongoing rectification, GMP equalisation tail work, and buyout readiness activity, it is easy to see why efficient delivery is hard.

If a scheme’s delivery strategy relies on manual spreadsheets and file transfers between systems, these competing demands will create gridlock. Efficiency in 2026 isn’t a cost-saving exercise. It’s a delivery strategy.

In practice the biggest wins come from:

• cutting down the number of manual touchpoints across admin, actuarial and payroll
• moving key calculations out of spreadsheets and into controlled processes with a clear audit trail
• using workflow to surface the exceptions and let routine cases can run straight through

In practice, it is the difference between admin teams spending time on judgement-heavy work, versus spending time copying data between tools.

3) Pensions Dashboards: Why data becomes “always-on”

2026 is a pivotal year for the Pensions Dashboards Programme. Data quality is no longer something you tidy up “for the big moment”. It is becoming an “always-on” requirement.

Dashboards will act as a magnifying glass. When members can see pension information more easily, small inconsistencies become obvious. Matching issues create confusion. Missing fields create questions. If the scheme cannot answer quickly, the workload lands back on already stretched admin teams.

The shift this year means:

• keeping benefit specifications clear and calculation logic consistent
• maintaining strong audit trails for changes and corrections
• building repeatable processes to produce and refresh key values, including retirement income figures where required
• spotting exceptions early, before they turn into delays and rework
• relying on management information you trust when decisions need to be made quickly

When data is reliable, everything else gets easier. Automation works. Reporting is faster. Transactions run smoother. Member communications become clearer. Dashboards become manageable, rather than a permanent source of manual effort.

4) Member engagement: The “on-demand” expectation

Member engagement is often discussed as a service ambition. In 2026 it becomes unavoidable.

As pension information becomes easier to access, members naturally ask more questions. They will want clarity on what they have, what it means, and what choices they can make.

Modern members expect their pension experience to match their banking experience: digital, instant, and clear. If the scheme cannot answer efficiently, that demand turns into pressure on admin teams.

The most effective response is:

• guiding members through journeys that explain benefits in plain English
• giving members tools to model the common “what if” questions
• making it easy to update details and submit routine requests
• using clear prompts that reduce avoidable queries

Done well, member engagement improves experience and reduces operational load at the same time. That is the sweet spot for 2026: better outcomes for members, fewer avoidable contacts for administrators, and more time for teams to focus on the cases that need human judgement.livers a better experience for administrators and ultimately the member. 

5) DB endgame strategy in 2026: buyout, run-on, consolidation and surplus

With the new DB Funding Code now in play, the long-term funding mindset is embedded. However, the destination is not one-size-fits-all.

Some schemes will pursue buyout at pace. Others will plan for buy-in first, then stage their way forward. Some will explore consolidator options where that makes sense. And more schemes will ask serious questions about running on, particularly where funding strength creates flexibility.

This is where good modelling and good information really matter. Trustees need to compare options properly:

• understanding what each route does to risk
• understanding the impact on cost and governance
• being clear on what it means for members, including communications and service levels
• being clear on what it means for sponsors, especially where surplus emerges

2026 will reward schemes that can turn these into practical choices, based on timely data and consistent calculations, rather than slow cycles of manual analysis.

Closing thoughts

2026 is the year pensions moves from planning to delivery.

Schemes that are aiming for BPA deals will need to be transaction-ready in more than name. Schemes preparing for dashboards will need a sustainable way to keep data accurate and calculations repeatable. Schemes thinking about endgame options will need modelling that is fast enough to support real decisions, not just retrospective reporting.

If we get those foundations right, the year ahead is genuinely exciting. Not because everything becomes simpler, but because better systems and better data let pension professionals spend more time on what truly matters: making the right decisions for members and sponsors.

For further information on what Mantle can offer,
visit our website www.mantleservices.com or contact us at enquiries@mantleservices.com  

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Pensions Dashboards: What you really need to know.

The UK pensions landscape is evolving, and pensions dashboards are set to play a major role in improving how savers access and understand their retirement information. While many in the industry are already familiar with the programme, the upcoming deadlines and technical requirements mean it’s more important than ever to stay aligned on what dashboards are, how they work, and what they mean for schemes, administrators, and technology providers. This overview breaks down the essentials and explains how Mantle supports the dashboards ecosystem with accurate, automated pension data.

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What are Pensions Dashboards?

Gone are the days when you work for one company your entire working life. Changing roles as you evolve and moving to different businesses are now considered to be two very normal practices in the world of work.

However, in doing so, we can lose track of a crucial part of our employment journey: our pension schemes. Every job you work will have its own pension attached to it that you will pay into but lose track of once you move to your next role. This is where the Money and Pensions Service’s Pensions Dashboard will come in: a new digital service that brings all your pensions together, securely, in one place. As we move forward into a new world of work and pensions, understanding how these new services work will be critical for good personal financial management.

What is the Pensions Dashboard?

The Pensions Dashboard is a UK government scheme to give people access to all the information about their pensions in one online and secure place. At the moment, workers have to approach each of their pension providers individually for information about their pension pots. This information may just be about the current amount saved, not what the worker may receive in the future.

The Pensions Dashboard has been designed to be this one place. Rather than having to explore countless occupational pension schemes and dashboards from third-party pension providers, the Pensions Dashboard will be a unified space for counting all pensions, including State Pensions.

Who will offer Pensions Dashboards?

The main Pensions Dashboard will be created and managed by the Department for Work and Pensions in the UK government. The Pensions Dashboard Programme (PDP) is part of the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), and the dashboard accessible by the public will be the MoneyHelper Dashboard.

This is the first dashboard, and it will be the non-commercial dashboard accessible by any UK worker due a pension. Commercial dashboards may launch from other providers at a later date.

When is the deadline or pension providers to connect to the Pensions Dashboard?

The final connection date for pension schemes and providers is 31st October 2026. By this date, all pension providers and schemes must have connected their workplace pension records to the PDP. Over 60 million workplace and personal pensions have been connected so far, and tens of millions of additional State Pension records have also been added [*].

How will Pensions Dashboards work?

The Pensions Dashboards ecosystem is designed to make it as easy as possible for end-users, the general public. Multiple parties and technical services will all come together to create find and view interfaces, central digital architecture, and of course the dashboards themselves.

Using the Pensions and MoneyHelper Dashboards, users will provide key details to the consent and authorisation and the identity services. Using provided personal data such as passport and driving licence details, these services will then verify and authenticate the user’s identity. The consent and authorisation service will also help users to set permissions and authorisations for releasing information to the dashboards. No pension information will ever be stored; when matching pensions are discovered, the consent and authorisation services will manage access to the information in line with the authorisation already given by the user.

What will Mantle do?


What is Mantle’s role in the Pensions Dashboard rollout? Providing the data on behalf of our corner of the pensions industry. One of our main tasks will be accurately calculating Estimated Retirement Incomes (ERIs) and passing this information to the government. An ERI figure must be refreshed annually.

The 100% automation of benefit calculations is built into Mantle’s platform, making it a trivial matter to generate and send these ERIs onwards. Mantle has selected Pension Fusion as its Integrated Service Provider (ISP). All data is automatically pushed to it and stored. Mantle looks for changes in underlying data and automatically refreshes the ERI as required, pushing the new value to the Pension Fusion ISP.

Embrace modern changes in pensions with Mantle

The creation of the pensions dashboards ecosystem has been a significant undertaking by the government. Once live, it will give many workers a clear understanding of their pensions: where they come from and what they can expect to receive, whether they are retired or not.

The onus then falls to pension schemes and providers to ensure they have sent all relevant information to the dashboards. This is not just optional; it is a legal requirement, and pension regulators like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and The Pensions Regulator (TPR) will monitor for non-compliance.

Mantle is ready to meet these changes. We understand that dashboards will not provide all the answers that members have about their pensions. In fact, a service like the MoneyHelper Dashboard may only result in more questions than before a member used it. This can result in added burdens to administrators as they are flooded by questions from understandably concerned members.

Mantle’s automations are designed to ease these worries, providing a clear experience for members while easing burdens and issues for administrators. The rollout of these dashboards marks a new era of transparency and empowerment in pensions, and Mantle is ready to make that transition seamless for both administrators and members.

Want to know more about how Mantle can help you? Clean data and good administration open the door to automation, cost savings, satisfied members, and easy compliance. Book a discovery call and watch how we transform your approach to pension management. 

Discover how Mantle is dashboards ready below. Mantle’s Graeme Riddoch provides an overview of the challenges pension schemes face when implementing pensions dashboards. Watch the video.

FAQs

Who has ownership of the Pensions Dashboards?

The Pensions Dashboards will be held by the Department for Work & Pensions, part of the UK government.

Do you have to be retired to view the Pensions Dashboards?

No, you will not have to be retired to view the Pensions Dashboards. Those yet to retire will instead see future pension information.

Can personal and stakeholder pensions be counted in the Pensions Dashboard?

Yes, personal and stakeholder pensions can and should be counted in the Pensions Dashboard. All FCA-regulated providers have a legal duty to connect to the dashboards ecosystem. The purpose of the Dashboard is to show individuals all of their pensions, and this includes ones that might not come from employment.

Are the Pensions Dashboards a pension consolidation scheme?

No, the Pensions Dashboard is not the same as a pension consolidation scheme. The Pensions Dashboard will exist as a place for UK retirees to see all their pensions in one single place. It will also give them an estimate of what they will have come their age of retirement.

A pension consolidation scheme is designed to find individual pension pots and bring them together into one saving stream. It is a form of pension savings that is unconnected to what is offered by the Pensions Dashboard.

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We put a man on the moon more than 50 years ago, yet many pension schemes still struggle to provide basic information online. For in-house teams, the challenge isn’t ambition – it’s data. Poor-quality records, fragmented systems, and outdated processes hold back progress. But with the right pension software and modern pension management solutions, pension scheme administrators can overcome these barriers and achieve real efficiencies. 

Mantle’s Graeme Riddoch discusses how clean, digitised data combined with a robust pension platform makes automation, self-service, and even compliance with pensions dashboards not just possible, but practical. 

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Poor quality data

We put a man on the moon back in the 1960’s, so why can’t we get basic pension information on-line? 

One reason is our old friend poor data quality. It’s the Cinderella of the trustee agenda.  Those are words I never thought I’d put together in the same sentence.  

The point is that very few pension schemes have data that’s as good as it could be. Getting data in shape is too often seen as an expense rather than a benefit. I’ve never experienced any real push back on the need for fit for purpose data until it comes to paying for it!  

How good is good?

There’s also the question of how good does your data quality need to be? Well, I guess there’s a spectrum. At one end a scheme can limp along running lots of manual processes. This creates unnecessary expense and means slows service to the members and no question of on-line. Getting a decent data cut to the actuary can also be a bit of a battle. 

At the other end of the spectrum there is squeaky clean data, good enough to transact with a buyout provider. That’s often the point that data gets to the top of the agenda. With an overheated buyout market, insurers can be picky and a scheme with holes in the data will be lucky to find any interest. 

In between there’s a spectrum, and how good your data needs to be depends on what you want to do. 

Getting by

It’s surprising how many schemes operate on a hand to mouth basis and quite often poor data is the root cause. 

So, what does poor data look like?  Well aside from the obvious things like gaps and missing information it’s also how and where it’s held. 

A paper record can be accurate but fails the test on accessibility. Many schemes hold the bulk of their data on their pensions administration platform but may also have paper records or data sitting on spreadsheets. 

Whilst this approach may work now it’s limiting and will soon run foul of the Pensions Dashboard requirements. More of that later. 

The art of the possible

Another reason that data doesn’t routinely get addressed is that many trustees are unaware of what you can do with fully “digitised” clean data. For example, it’s entirely possible to automate 100% of benefit calculations on a modern Defined Benefit pension administration platform. If you can feed the calculation engine with clean data that becomes a game changer. 

Member self-serve for example. This has the potential to be transformational on two fronts. Members get the convenience of a modern financial services product. Whilst on-line won’t be for everyone it’s the direction of travel for just about everything apart from haircuts! 

The other tangible benefit is the cost saving. Allowing members to view their own benefits, update personal details and generally look after themselves takes out substantial cost.  

In the DB space in particular, I think trustees aren’t aware of what’s possible with good data and a good administration system.  DC is a much simpler beast underpinned by more contemporary systems, but it’s still far from perfect. 

The Dashboard driver

Now there’s the Pensions Dashboard. It’s been rumbling along in the background for so long that most people have discounted it. Well, the news is that’s it now law and has a rollout timetable and guess what? For many schemes to meet their legal requirements there will be a need to improve the data.  

Not rocket science

The dashboard is an ambitious project not because its rocket science, but because of the inability of many schemes to meet its requirements. 

In essence all it is seeking to do initially is allow someone to search across all UK schemes to find out where their pensions sit and to view basic information. To do that a scheme will need to accept a message from a centralised identity service and see if the data items match with any of their scheme records. The finder data items are basic stuff, Name, DOB address and NINO. So, two problems. Missing or incorrect records. We talked about that already. 

Finder data that isn’t “digitised.”  Losing the jargon the data needs to be accessible in such a way that when the request from the finder service is sent the admin system is capable of receiving it and interrogating all the member records.  

The real killer for many DB schemes will be to return an estimated retirement income to a Dashboard. It’s a lot simpler for DC but some schemes may still struggle. 
 
For DB the scheme will have to calculate and return an Estimated Retirement Income at NRA. 

So back to where we started. Data good enough to automate benefit calculations and an administration platform capable of serving them up. It’s not rocket science, but it will be a giant leap for some schemes. 

How Mantle can help

For pension scheme administrators, the future of member engagement and operational efficiency depends on moving beyond “getting by.” Clean data and the right pension administration software don’t just make compliance easier – they open the door to automation, cost savings, and a far better member experience. 

Take the next step today: contact us enquiries@mantleservices.com or download our latest collateral to see how we can help you achieve smarter, more efficient pension management.

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The launch of pensions dashboards will be a milestone moment for the industry – but it’s also just the beginning. Once members start logging in, searching for benefits, and viewing their Estimated Retirement Incomes (ERIs), the real challenge begins: maintaining accurate, up-to-date data and giving members the clarity they need. Without the right systems in place, dashboards could create more questions than answers – and more pressure on pension scheme administrators than ever before.

Mantle’s Graeme Riddoch explores what happens after pensions dashboards launch and why the demand is more than focusing on patched-up legacy platforms.

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Fast forward to the future

Fast-forward to the future: pensions dashboards are live, members are logging in, searching for their benefits, and viewing their Estimated Retirement Incomes (ERIs). Job done? Not quite.

Getting data into shape and coaxing ageing systems into producing the required calculations is only the start. Once dashboards go live, schemes need to keep the data maintained and generate fresh ERIs every year. Many legacy platforms can’t automate benefit calculations, meaning ERIs must be produced manually—often at considerable cost to the scheme.

But cost isn’t the big challenge: Picture this

A member logs in and sees an estimate of their retirement income online. For many deferred members, it may be the first time they’ve ever seen such a figure, since they don’t receive Annual Benefit Statements. Active members do get them, but whether they read or understood them is another question.

Now the dashboards add another complication. The ERI format is prescriptive—including how the benefit is calculated. That may not align with what members have previously seen, which risks confusion, queries, and calls to administrators.

And the questions won’t stop there.

• What happens if I take only part of my tax-free cash?
• What if I retire at 62, not my Normal Retirement Age?

For many members, dashboards will be the spark that drives them to seek out more answers. Without robust online self-service, all those enquiries will fall to administrators—many of whom are already stretched. Some large public sector schemes wrestling with McCloud remedy calculations show the scale of the challenge: in some cases, members have been left waiting months not just for a quote, but for their cash lump sum and regular pension to be put into payment.

Pensions Dashboards Future

Understanding the future of Pensions Dashboards is critical to ensuring smooth operations across the pensions industry. Pension schemes and providers must connect to the Pensions Dashboards by the connection date, but this is only the first step in a much longer process.

To deliver on the promise of Pensions Dashboards—clarity and accessibility for the general public as they access all their pensions—schemes must focus on what matters most: strong data, seamless service, and excellent member engagement.

Open communication

Scheme managers will need to manage open communication with their members who may have varying levels of interest in Pensions Dashboards. Regardless, delivering effective communication that explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) and how this is likely to impact them will lay the groundwork that ensures they have the relevant information required.

Strong data

What must be taken into account isn’t just the initial data load, but its continual maintenance. Schemes must generate fresh Estimated Retirement Incomes (ERIs) every year, and members will expect the data to be accurate and reliable.

The Pensions Dashboards ecosystem requires schemes to maintain personal information that reflects current pension savings and benefits, a significant undertaking for trustees and administrators alike.

Smooth service

The most immediate practical challenge will be the inevitable surge in member queries. Pensions Dashboards will give members access to information regarding their retirement that they may never have considered before, which could increase the number of questions and requests they have around their pension pots.

This is likely to dramatically impact the capacity of administrators who will need to rely on robust software to reduce the administrative burden. Schemes must be able to respond to find requests, view requests efficiently, and maintain compliance with legal requirements.

Great member engagement

By delivering seamless, automated digital service experiences, schemes can replace complexity with clarity. Pairing strong data with smooth service capabilities, backed by technology that automates every calculation, you can transform the member journey from confusing query to an insightful self-driven experience.

So what’s the solution?

It isn’t patching over legacy systems again. It’s biting the bullet and replacing them with modern, capable technology. Mantle calculates 100% of benefits automatically – including ERIs. With true member self-service, schemes can deliver a vastly better experience for members, while dramatically reducing the burden on administrators.

Pension Schemes can replace complexity with clarity: every calculation automated, every member empowered, and every administrator freed from repetitive tasks. The day after dashboards go live, will you be ready?

Frequently Asked Questions

We will answer some of the most frequently asked questions on Pensions Dashboards and what comes next.

Who needs to comply to Pensions Dashboards and why does it matter?

The Pension Schemes Act 2021 makes it a legal requirement for pension providers and pension schemes to connect to Pensions Dashboards. However, not all schemes need to comply, only qualifying schemes typically with 100 or more relevant members.

Understanding whether your scheme has 100 or more active and deferred members is important because this threshold determines whether you’re legally required to connect to dashboards. It ensures the largest schemes covering most UK savers connect first, while smaller schemes can choose to join voluntarily.

When is the Pensions Dashboards deadline?

Pension providers and schemes, within scope of the regulations, are legally required to connect to the central digital architecture by 31 October 2026, which is the final connection date set by the Pensions Regulator and the Money and Pensions Service.

Why is the day after the deadline so important?

The day after the deadline is important because schemes must manage a spike in member queries. This shift marks a commitment to continuous data accuracy and Estimated Retirement Income (ERI) generation.

Schemes that have completed the connection will need to focus on ensuring member data remains current.

Will Pensions Dashboards increase administrator workload?

Yes, connecting to Pensions Dashboards is likely to see an initial spike in administrator workload due to the number of members who will want access to the Pensions Dashboards and may have further questions about their pension figures, retirement options, or how their benefits are calculated.

Mantle has selected Pension Fusion as our Integrated Service Provider (ISP). All data is automatically pushed to it and stored. Our modern pension administration platform automates routine calculations and provides members with self-service tools to explore their options independently. This means fewer phone calls, faster responses, and administrators freed up to focus on more complex cases.

How do we keep Pensions Dashboards updated after the launch?

Data isn’t a one-off submission, meaning ERIs must be recalculated and refreshed annually to remain accurate. For schemes relying on legacy systems, this means repeating manual processes year after year.

But there’s a smarter way to manage this with Mantle. Our pension administration platform automatically detects changes in underlying member data and recalculates ERIs as needed.

What if members don’t understand their ERIs?

Pensions Dashboards will introduce many members to their ERI for the first time, so questions are inevitable. Clear communication is fundamental at this point, but Mantle is broader-reaching. Our self-service capabilities allow individuals to model different scenarios, understand their options, and get clarity on their benefits.

This empowers pension savers to explore their future retirement while reducing the burden on administrative teams.

For further information on how Mantle can you support your pension dashboards processes, email us at enquiries@mantleservices.com.

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You could be forgiven for thinking that the whole Pensions Dashboards thing has gone away.

Given the rate of progress since they were first announced it’s seemed less like a dash and more of a meandering walk.

To assume that Dashboards are dead would however be a big mistake. Recent intelligence suggests that the intent to progress remains and a new staging timetable isn’t far off.

How did we get here?

The Dashboards program was conceived to make it easy for people to find and view information about their pensions. A staging timetable was announced outlining when schemes would need to connect to the new infrastructure. The industry then set about meeting the not inconsiderable challenge. It soon became apparent that meeting the requirements and timetable would be exceedingly difficult for some schemes. The issues to be navigated included, and still do, Data quality, Digitisation of the data, Administrator technology, or lack of it Resource and budget. 

Feedback from many of the large administrators and platform providers was that it wasn’t achievable, at least not in the proposed timetable.

It wasn’t too much of a surprise when in June 2023 it was announced that there was to be a “pause”. No new timetable was announced but there was a new endpoint of 31^st October 2026 for all in scope schemes to connect.

Despite the industry pressing for detail on when a new timetable would emerge and if anything, substantive would change, there has been little news. Recent noises, however, suggest that the announcement of a new timetable is just months off. April 2024 has been mentioned.

An 18-month dash?

The first schemes may well connect from April 2025. That means all schemes in scope will sit within an 18-month window ending October 2026.

What next?

Well basically all the things that have been flagged for action since Dashboards were first announced. There’s lots of good recent guidance on getting ready from PASA & the TPR, nothing new but a good prompt for schemes that aren’t yet there.

The key points are,

Make sure the underlying technology is up to the job of meeting The Dashboards requirements.

Get on top the data. It needs to be good enough to enable a match from a find message as well as supporting the calculation of an Estimated Retirement Income.

Communicate to members in advance of the staging date and ensure the administrator has a plan to handle the inevitable queries.

Watch for developments, looks like at last the pace is hotting up!

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