PDP updates market on the progress made since last delay was announced
The ‘reset’ was signalled in March 2023, when pensions Minister, Laura Trott called a halt to the dashboard programme when it became apparent it was going to miss imminent milestones to achieve the start of the platform’s adoption from this summer.
A reset board and team was appointed to help oversee the work.
The reset saw the issuing of a new connection deadline of 31 October 2026 – an ultimate deadline as opposed to the staged process that was in place before that strategy was aborted.
The PDP’s newsletter said: “The process allows the opportunity to review the programme and reset the plan. It also provides the time to ensure required resources are in place to complete the delivery of the technical solution and documentation to support connection.
“The reset team and PDP are working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Money and Pensions Service’s senior leadership.”
A new way of working?
PDP goes to say it is “looking to work collaboratively with government, regulators, and industry”, which rather sounds like a new project, not a hiatus.
“We are keen to ensure we engage with industry to get this right,” the newsletter continues, “and we will seek input on what changes are needed, and any challenges with timelines.”
Working groups have recently been formed to focus on the information PDP needs and to be advised as to how it should provide feedback.
“This will help to ensure pension providers and schemes have and understand the information they need ahead of connection,” PDP said.
Fact and fault finding is complete
The reset has allowed time for an assessment of where the programme has failed, though the central digital architecture at the core of the pensions dashboards ecosystem again received a clean bill of health with “no major issues”.
Once planning has been completed, the draft standards for dashboards will be “progressed”, “informed by insight gathered from industry consultations”.
There will be a further update on the ‘reset’ in the autumn.
