Published in Spring 2021, the Pensions Dashboards Programme timeline provides additional information about when key milestones will take place. It builds on the indicative phase plan, first published in the October 2020 progress report.
The initial phase plan still holds true and this programme timeline supplies further detail. It provides a clear breakdown of what will take place over the next six months, plus indicative timing of key milestones within later programme phases.
Timeline detail
To help understand our programme timeline, we’ve provided a definition for each element that’s listed in the diagram. Click on the accordion to see the definition, along with a note of the significance to data providers, if applicable.
Programme: phase one
architecture procurement
Definition: the process of sourcing and contracting a supplier or suppliers of the technical digital architecture, including the pension finder service, consent and authorisation service and governance register.
Significance: once the digital architecture supplier(s) are in place, the programme will move into the develop and test phase. We will start testing systems with volunteer data providers.
Working together with the supplier(s), we will be able to provide further technical detail about the requirements for connection to the ecosystem.
identity procurement
Definition: the process of sourcing and contracting a supplier or suppliers of the identity service.
liability model
Definition: publication of approach to liability, data protection and consumer protection, with indication of who is responsible should things go wrong. We will begin to develop the complaints procedure.
Significance: this document will help data providers begin to understand their legal responsibilities and liabilities relating to pensions dashboards
architecture supplier onboard
Definition: contract signed to supply the technical architecture, supplier onboards to the programme
ecosystem governance model
Definition: the ecosystem governance model will provide the framework for monitoring and auditing ecosystem participants to ensure they all adhere to appropriate standards and service levels
Significance: once the governance model is in place, this will provide additional guidance to data providers on how to connect to the ecosystem
Programme: phase two
Identity supplier onboard
Definition: the identity supplier will onboard later than the technical architecture supplier, as part of a separate procurement process
Identity service integrated
Definition: integration of the identity service into the central digital architecture and overall ecosystem
test environment ready
Definition: this is where the digital architecture is connected and ready to start the testing process, initially using artificial data and then, with the co-operation of volunteer providers, real data
Significance: this is when testing starts with the co-operation of volunteer data providers, which will identify any areas for improvement before others onboard
Programme: phase three
support model fully ready to assist with staged compulsory onboarding
Definition: design standards, technical components, security and data standards as well as monitoring / reporting requirements for dashboards and pension providers in place, plus a technical helpdesk
Significance: data providers will have access to the full range of support prior to onboarding
architecture scaling and performance testing
Definition: ensures that the architecture can support the anticipated volume of digital traffic whilst still maintaining an acceptable level of service. Testing will demonstrate that the architecture can both increase and decrease capacity in reaction to demand
Pension providers: phase one
staging call for input and architecture information update
Definition: the Call for input on Staging will outline PDP’s thoughts on the order and timing for data providers to connect to dashboards. To help inform the DWP’s legislative approach. At the same time, we will publish further technical information on our digital architecture that accompanied our procurement
Significance: the staging proposals will give data providers an indication of when they are likely to be required to connect to the ecosystem
the technical information will give providers additional information about their responsibilities and what they will need to do to get ready to connect
retirement income guidance update
Definition: PDP is exploring solutions to reporting estimated retirement income as part of its refinement of its data standards. This is in parallel but ahead of the industry taskforce
Significance: this guidance will support data providers to prepare their view data, in the interim period prior to the results from the industry taskforce
Pension providers: phase two
publish technical guidance to support data provider technical development activity
Definition: following the successful onboarding of the architecture supplier(s), PDP will be able to publish further technical guidance relating to the digital architecture, which will support data providers in preparing their own find and view data interfaces, which will directly connect to the ecosystem
This is likely to include design, connection, connection protocols, technical, technological, security and data standards as well as reporting requirements for dashboards and pension providers and our view on data protection issues
Significance: this additional information will provide data providers with detail on the technical, data and security standards and interface information that they need to develop their connections to the ecosystem
early volunteer providers connected for testing
Definition: a controlled set of volunteer data providers will connect to the ecosystem to test its effective functioning
Pension providers: phase three
voluntary onboarding
Definition: connection of volunteer data providers to the ecosystem. These will support the ongoing testing to ensure the ecosystem functions effectively
establish regulatory framework
Definition: following DWP and FCA’s consultations on the regulatory framework in phase two, they will refine the proposals and create the regulations and rules that form the framework for compulsion and staging
Significance: these regulations and rules will provide the definitive detail on staging and data provider responsibilities, including when providers will have to connect to the ecosystem
Pension providers: phase four
staged compulsory onboarding commences
Definition: in this phase, data providers will connect to the ecosystem in the order determined by the DWP regulations and FCA rules consistent with our standards ready for find and view functions to support dashboards in order to reach the dashboard availability point
Dashboard providers: phase two
testing with volunteer dashboard providers, including MaPS and a commercial provider
Definition: initial systems and connection testing of dashboards, with the MaPS dashboard plus one other to ensure the connections with the ecosystem function effectively
Significance: testing with dashboard providers will ensure the ecosystem functions effectively for users
publish guidance for dashboard providers
Definition: technical spec and requirements for dashboard providers, to ensure that their product will work effectively within the ecosystem
dashboard design guidance for dashboard providers
Definition: design guidance will provide parameters for dashboard providers around how they must present functional elements of their dashboards
Dashboard providers: phase three
additional volunteer dashboard providers join testing activity
Definition: connection of a small number of test dashboards to the ecosystem
establish regulatory framework
Definition: DWP’s regulations/FCA rules in development to cover the legal requirements for dashboard providers
Dashboard providers: phase four onwards
ecosystem open to authorised dashboard providers
Definition: at this stage, the ecosystem will open up to further FCA-authorised dashboard providers. Any dashboard that meets the conditions (eg FCA authorisation, registration required design, technical and security standards) will be able to connect to the ecosystem
Significance: data providers will receive find requests via the ecosystem from different dashboards. As the requests arrive via the central architecture, it will make no concrete difference to providers which dashboard they originate from
Consumers: phase one
consumer protection update
Definition: the consumer protection update, including information on the liability model (which will provide clear mechanisms for consumer redress, including a complaints procedure and an indication of which ecosystem party is liable in the event that something should go wrong), and data protection and UK GDPR compliance
Consumers: phase two
early consumer testing
Definition: early consumer testing will allow for the refining of user journeys, dashboard design and help iron out any functionality issues
Significance: user testing may motivate refinements in data or other standards associated with dashboard functioning
testing with c2000 users
Definition: later consumer testing will scale up the work already undertaken
Consumers: phase four
large scale consumer testing
Definition: final, large-scale testing before we reach the dashboards available point
For more information that relates to our programme timeline, please see our