The MaPS MoneyHelper dashboard is currently in development, we will be able to share updates on the progress in the coming months.

You will be able to test against a reference dashboard when connected to our pre-production environment, where you will complete conformance and compliance testing.

Once connected to the live ecosystem environment, you will be able to participate in user testing with the MaPS dashboard with (invited) real pension scheme members using their data. This will also test the end-to-end user experience.

The MaPS MoneyHelper dashboard will be available to members of the public with a pension in the UK from the dashboards available point, alongside commercial pensions dashboards authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

There is no requirement for pension schemes and providers to provide their own pensions dashboard service. The ecosystem is designed to enable users to access information on all their pensions (regardless of whether these schemes and providers offer their own digital platforms) in one secure place online.

Open banking and pensions dashboards are based on significantly different priorities.

While the policy intent of open banking is about increasing competition, the objectives of pensions dashboards are to enable people to find and access information about their pensions.

However, there are areas we can learn from the open banking experience – for example around creating data standards and dispute resolution for users.

The Pension Schemes Act 2021 provides the legislative framework for pensions dashboards. This includes the power to set requirements for qualifying dashboards services, and to enable the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring:

• occupational pension schemes to provide the information needed for the service to work
• the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to similarly introduce rules requiring personal and stakeholder pensions to provide this information

The Pensions Dashboards (Ammendment) Regulations 2022 set out requirements for pension providers and schemes to connect to dashboards, and what organisations must do to provide a qualified dashboard service. The regulations also empower the Money and Pensions Service, through the Pensions Dashboards Programme, to set dashboards standards.

We give full updates of our progress every six months. The latest progress update report can be found on our website.

The Money and Pensions Service will develop a dashboard as part of its function to provide information and guidance on pensions. Other organisations will also provide dashboards.

The Pensions Dashboards Programme is responsible for developing the required standards, specifications and technical requirements as well as the technology and governance to enable individuals to view all their pensions data via their chosen dashboard. The Pensions Dashboards Programme will not develop a dashboard itself.

The Money and Pensions Service are producing the MoneyHelper dashboard, which will be non-commercial and available to all users looking to access their pensions data.

The Pensions Dashboards Programme is solely responsible for enabling and delivering the central digital architecture requirements which will help connect pensions dashboards with pensions schemes and pensions providers.

For organisations interested in becoming a pensions dashboards provider we have a regular dashboards forum. For more information please email eventspdp@maps.org.uk.

The regulations approved by Parliament require the Secretary of State to give 6 months’ notice prior to the DAP. The DWP response to the further consultation on the DAP notice period also confirmed that government expects progress towards DAP decision-making to be published to ensure that industry is aware of when the likely date for the DAP will be.

Once the DAP is announced pensions dashboards will be available to everyone – prior to this point, the regulations restrict availability of dashboards only to invited individuals ‘to support testing or service improvements’.

There is staged connection for pensions providers and schemes. The first staging windows are in April 2023, with connection deadlines by August and September 2023. This should not be confused with the DAP.

Pensions dashboards services will only launch to the public once a number of requirements have been reviewed by the Minster for Pensions. In the DWP response to their further consultation on the dashboards available point, a proposed framework has been included. This covers the outlined requirements or matters to be covered for the DAP to be initiated.
These are:

• sufficient coverage  
• the dashboards service must work effectively  
• safety and security  
• user experience   

This framework and the requirements within each will be subject to industry feedback and engagement.

The dashboards available point (DAP) will be determined by the Secretary of State and this will be the point at which the service is available to everyone.

The DWP response to its further consultation on the DAP confirmed that one of the matters for the Secretary of State to consider in determining when this should be is sufficiency of coverage, with most users being able to find all their pensions at this point. DWP ruled out multiple, staggered, launch points, since this would be confusing to users and would likely build demand among people who would not be able to use the service. Instead, by providing regular updates on progress against the matters to be considered by the Secretary of State in determining the DAP, and giving 6 months’ notice, industry will have sufficient time to plan for a single launch point, when dashboards will be made available to the public.

The priority is to connect people with their pensions. The information available on dashboards will start with simple information similar to what is already available to people on annual benefit statements. This will include details of successfully located pensions, including the pension provider, how best to contact them and the value of that pension.

Savers will want to see more detail on future dashboards, particularly relating to their likely income in retirement, but challenges such as how to agree a standard set of assumptions and calculations will first need to be consulted on and agreed.

See our timeline.

Communications around dashboards will be through a number of different routes dependant on delivery and audience such as MoneyHelper, trustees, employers and those providing their own regulated dashboard services.

This is something that can be confirmed closer to the dashboards available point.

Pension providers and schemes are under obligations to undertake matching as well as provide find and view information. Dashboards will be an FCA regulated activity and under the FCA rules (currently subject to consultation) the dashboard will be required to meet the consumer duty. These rules set out requirements for how dashboard interact with users. Also, under our proposed dashboard design standards (subject to consultation), dashboards will be required to ensure they are accessible and inclusive as well as other important consumer protection requirements.

Please refer to MoneyHelper for free and impartial money and pensions guidance.

At the time that dashboards become available for all users, at a minimum there will be the MaPS MoneyHelper dashboard. But other potential dashboard providers can go through an approval process with the FCA to become a regulated pensions dashboard service firm.

The MaPS dashboard will be non-commercial and available to all users looking to access their pensions data. Every dashboard will need to meet the same standards, particularly regarding how they present pensions information to users.

The only confirmed dashboard is the MaPS MoneyHelper dashboard. Other dashboards will come to market at the dashboards available point. However, they will need to obtain FCA approval as operating these other dashboards will be a regulated activity.

Users will be able to choose which dashboard they want to use. The dashboards standards will ensure that the available pensions information is accessible across all dashboards and presented in the same way. The individual is always fully in control of their information and there is no access to any data by any dashboard without the individual’s consent.

Our approach to dashboards is to ensure that users can securely view their pensions.

Part of the central digital architecture involves identity verification which connects dashboards to pension providers and schemes and enables dashboards to work. It confirms the identity of the dashboard user to the appropriate level, in line with the principles defined in Government Digital Service (GDS)’s Good Practice Guide 45 and Good Practice Guide 44.

Only the user, once they have confirmed that they are who they say they are, is able to control access to their pensions information via dashboards. This is an important element of the protection that dashboards design will give to both consumers and pension providers. It is part of providing confidence to everyone that dashboard users’ pension data is secure and dashboards are safe to use.

In addition, through a combination of PDP design standards and FCA rules, dashboards will be required to put in place appropriate mitigations. This will include warnings about scams, messages to help prevent users from making financial decisions based on the information they see on dashboards alone, signposting users to guidance and advice, and other appropriate measures to mitigate this risk.

Users are in complete control over how their data is used and can withdraw at any point in time.

Identity verification will meet the standards of the Government’s tried and tested Good Practice Guides 44 and 45, which we have adopted after engaging with the industry.

The legislation will prohibit pension dashboard providers from charging people to use a dashboard to find and view their pensions.

The Money and Pensions Service will produce its own dashboard which will be available for any user. This will sit alongside dashboards provided by other organisations.

Commercial dashboard service providers, authorised by the FCA, may of course wish to offer additional services which they may charge for, but the core dashboard service of finding and viewing pensions information must be provided free of charge.

As long as the dashboard user is able to verify their identity they will be able to find and view their pensions data.

Dashboards will allow anyone with the State Pension and/or one or more private pensions to locate and view their pensions savings together in one place. Dashboards will therefore enable people to reconnect with lost pension pots.

It will be a useful tool for any user, whether they are aware of all their pensions or not, to get an overall view of their pension savings and an estimate of the amount they will receive when they retire.

The Money and Pensions Service’s (MaPS) pensions dashboards standards will set out how pensions dashboards will work on a practical and technical basis to ensure that the service, and the user experience, is secure, stable and effective. They detail the requirements which will need to be met by participants in the ecosystem – including the central digital architecture being developed by PDP, dashboards operated by different providers, pension providers and schemes and third parties supporting the connection of pensions data on behalf of schemes.

Recent regulations laid in Parliament by DWP, will empower MaPS to set these standards. These standards will be critical to ensure dashboards work effectively while protecting users. The standards and change logs for documents can be found on our standards page.

If you are a pension provider, scheme, ISP or looking at becoming a dashboards provider it is critical that you are familiar with the standards when the finalised versions are published. Pension providers and schemes, and potential dashboard providers, will need to undertake work to ensure that they are able to meet these mandatory requirements.

PDP will provide help and support on getting ready for standards. Along with videos and tips on our website, we regularly attend events with industry to answer questions, including on standards.

We collaborate with a number of partners to deliver pensions dashboards.

As an arm’s length body (ALB) of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Money and Pensions Service is subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 when purchasing supplies, services or works that exceed the current whole life contract value threshold of £122,976 (exc. VAT).

Value for money is fundamental and central to all procurement activities carried out which must be managed in line with HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money guidance.

To maintain equal treatment of suppliers, we cannot meet suppliers interested in bidding for future commercial opportunities. However, we will undertake market engagement for contracts that are complex or where requirements need the input of suppliers.