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It’s time for pension scheme trustees to think seriously about connecting to pensions dashboards.

The strict legal deadline for all schemes to connect is more than two years away, but the staged timetable for connection starts in April 2025. And getting ready will consume lots of resources and time before consumers can see all their pension information in one place online.

Connection is how trustees and pension scheme providers join the dashboards ecosystem, which the Pensions Dashboard Programme (PDP) is building. Trustees of pension schemes with at least 100 members need to know how and when they will connect.

How to connect

In terms of how, there are two ways to connect to the dashboards ecosystem: 

• Build your own connection to connect directly, using an in-house technical solution. ,
• Buy a connection solution, which could be provided by your existing third-party administrator or an integrated service provider (ISP).

At Aptia, we have been working with PDP and have built an infrastructure that makes sure schemes comply with the Pensions Dashboard regulations. This enables us to manage and monitor the links with dashboards and complete the tests required in our role as one of the agreed PDP testers. The facility will be available to all our administration clients that must join pensions dashboards.

Importantly, even though the administrator is doing the work to connect to the dashboards ecosystem, trustees must still follow the connection guidance and meet their responsibilities outlined in the Pension Regulator’s checklist.

When to connect

As to when connection is required, schemes will join the ecosystem by their “connect by” date, depending on size and type. The connection timetable was published in March and contains different dates for 16 cohorts of large and medium schemes and providers (see table). By law, all schemes and providers in scope must connect by 31 October 2026.

Staggered connection maximises coverage of pension schemes and providers on pensions dashboards over a timescale that is achievable for industry, regulators and PDP.

Why plan now?

The connection deadline may seem a long time away, but there are many reasons for you to start planning for dashboards now.

Here are three, for starters.

First, it could take you up to 18 months to get connection ready. The journey for all schemes will encompass, as a minimum:

Planning

• Scope definition and staging date
• Legal and compliance requirements

Data readiness

• Data review
• Data cleanse

Estimated retirement income calculations

• Calculation review
• Calculation build

Connection

• Confirmation dashboard is live

It’s important to note that this journey also includes data from additional voluntary contribution (AVC) providers — for example, how will the scheme gather AVC data to present alongside scheme benefits? As trustees, you are legally accountable for making sure AVCs are included, and you will need to work with your AVC provider.

Second, although the timetable for DB schemes to connect next year isn’t mandatory, schemes and providers must follow the connection guidance (which includes the timetable). Also, sticking to the guidance will reduce the risk of schemes and providers not connecting by the deadline.

Last but by no means least, there is a lot of legislative change on the horizon in addition to compliance with dashboards. Industry capacity is a real concern, so it’s crucial that you plan and agree resource and budgets with your suppliers.