Pensions Dashboards to Link 96% of Records by Deadline

The Money and Pensions Service (Maps) chief executive, Oliver Morley, announced that 96% of pension records are anticipated to be linked to the pensions dashboards ecosystem by the October 31 deadline. Speaking at the Pensions UK Annual Conference 2026, Morley confirmed that approximately 90% of pension records had already been connected, with this number expected to rise significantly over the next 17 days.

“We are going to be up at 96%, and that represents 90 million pension records that will be connected to the service,” he said. “It’s a really, really significant milestone and a real achievement, I think, for the industry.”

Morley praised the industry’s collaboration in reaching this milestone, describing the progress as the result of an “incredible effort” across pension schemes, providers, regulators, and other stakeholders. However, he stressed that connecting pension records was only the first stage of the project.

The next challenge, according to Morley, is ensuring that people have a positive experience when using the MoneyHelper pensions dashboard and can access the information they need. He warned that introducing dashboards could generate substantial additional demand for pension schemes and administrators.

Citing forthcoming Maps customer research, Morley revealed that 56% of respondents had either taken action or planned to take action after using pensions dashboards. This included 16% considering accessing their pensions and 12% considering updating their personal details.

As the dashboard’s launch approaches, pension schemes may need to adapt to increased member engagement, particularly from those who haven’t interacted with their pensions in years. This shift could strain administrative resources, requiring schemes to reevaluate their capacity, staffing, and training.

Morley acknowledged the difficulty in predicting savers’ responses once the dashboard becomes publicly available. He urged schemes to prepare for various scenarios, considering factors like membership demographics, scheme type, and data quality. With the MoneyHelper pensions dashboard expected to launch in the 2027/28 financial year, the industry has time to plan, but the six months’ notice from the government will be key for final preparations.

Regulators will continue to focus on connecting any outstanding schemes to achieve near-100% coverage.