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What is the Pensions Dashboard and when can you use it to find your public sector pension?

By

James Heppe-Smith

·

·

43 min read

·

Fact-checked 14 May 2026

Educational, not advice. This guide explains how the rules work. It doesn’t tell you what to do with your pension. For decisions that depend on your circumstances, talk to a regulated adviser or MoneyHelper.

On this page
  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Educational, not advice. This article explains what the Pensions Dashboards Programme is, where each public service pension scheme is on its connection journey, and what members can expect to see when the consumer-facing service launches. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Scope: This piece covers the UK Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), the 31 October 2026 statutory connection deadline for occupational pension schemes, what data dashboards will show, the consumer-facing rollout via MoneyHelper, and what public service scheme members (LGPS, NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, AFPS, Police, Firefighters) can expect. It does not cover commercial dashboards run by individual pension providers separately, although those will eventually exist alongside the MoneyHelper service.

In short

  • The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) is the government-backed initiative to let UK pension savers see all their pensions, including the State Pension and every workplace pension they have ever held, in one place online.
  • Occupational pension schemes have a statutory deadline of 31 October 2026 to be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure.
  • Around 75% of in-scope pension records are already connected (as of spring 2026), including significant portions of the public service schemes.
  • The first consumer-facing service will be the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with a full public launch expected in Q4 2026.
  • The State Pension was added to the dashboard ecosystem in early 2026, so when the consumer service launches you will see your State Pension forecast alongside your workplace pensions.
  • Commercial dashboards (run by individual pension providers or third parties under FCA authorisation) will eventually appear alongside MoneyHelper but are not part of the initial launch.

What the Pensions Dashboards Programme is

For decades, the practical problem with UK pensions has been the same: most people have several of them, scattered across employers and providers, and finding all the bits has historically meant digging through old paperwork and writing to former employers’ HR departments. The Pensions Dashboards Programme is the government’s solution: a piece of central infrastructure (sometimes called the “dashboard plumbing”) that lets a single online service show you, securely, all the pensions you have an entitlement to.

Three things have to come together for this to work:

The Pensions Dashboards Programme sits under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), a public body answerable to the Department for Work and Pensions. The legal basis is the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and a series of regulations setting connection deadlines and technical standards.

What you will see when the consumer service launches

The first version of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, expected to launch publicly in Q4 2026, will show:

  • Your State Pension forecast. The amount of State Pension you are projected to receive at State Pension Age, based on your National Insurance contribution record.
  • A list of pension schemes you have an entitlement in. For each scheme: the scheme name, your reference number, the date your membership began (and ended, if it has), and basic categorisation (defined benefit, defined contribution, etc.).
  • Indicative values. Either a projected annual pension amount (for DB schemes) or a current fund value (for DC schemes), with the caveat that these are indicative figures from the scheme administrator rather than personalised guaranteed quotations.
  • Contact details for each scheme so you can follow up to get formal benefit statements, calculated retirement quotes, or transfer values.

What it will not show:

  • Personalised retirement projections that combine all your pensions together (that requires more work and may come in later iterations).
  • Transactional functionality (you cannot make changes through the dashboard; it is a view-only service).
  • Tax calculations or advice about how to take your benefits.
  • Tracing of pensions held overseas or in informal employer arrangements without a scheme administrator.

How the connection deadline works

The 31 October 2026 deadline is the latest point by which occupational pension schemes (those run by employers for their staff) must be connected to the central dashboards infrastructure. The legal duty is on the scheme trustees or scheme managers, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) supervising compliance.

Different categories of scheme have different connection windows in the lead-up to the deadline:

  • Master trusts, large DC schemes, and major public service schemes were among the first cohorts connected.
  • The largest occupational schemes were connected during 2025.
  • Smaller schemes continue to be connected through 2026.
  • By 31 October 2026, all in-scope schemes must be connected.

Schemes that fail to connect by the deadline face TPR enforcement action. The connection is also a continuing duty: connected schemes must keep their data current and respond to “find” requests reliably.

Where each public service scheme stands

Public service pension schemes are large and varied, and their connection has been worked on in parallel by each scheme’s administrators. Here is the broad picture as of mid-2026:

State Pension

The State Pension has been connected to the dashboards ecosystem since early 2026. When the consumer service launches, your State Pension forecast will appear automatically alongside your occupational pension records.

NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the largest single occupational schemes in the UK. Its dashboards connection is being delivered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Connection has been progressing through 2025 and 2026.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

The LGPS is unusual in that it is administered by around 100 separate administering authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, and city councils) plus the various pension pools. Each administering authority connects to dashboards on its own schedule, but the central LGPS data standards work has been coordinated by the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The TPS connection is being delivered by Capita through the current administration contract. The handover to Tata Consultancy Services (now expected October 2026) sits awkwardly close to the dashboards deadline; both Capita and the Department for Education have stated that dashboards connection will be maintained through the transition. See our explainer on the TPS administration handover for the operational context.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Capita is also delivering the Civil Service Pension dashboards connection. The CSPS recovery programme is in its “critical phase” through May and June 2026 (see our coverage); dashboards connection has been a particular focus alongside the recovery work.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS)

Veterans UK has been connecting the AFPS to dashboards as part of its modernisation work. Members with complex service histories spanning AFPS 1975, AFPS 2005, and AFPS 2015 may find that initial dashboard responses are simpler than the underlying complexity.

Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes

These schemes are administered by local pension authorities (police pension authorities and fire and rescue authorities), so the connection picture mirrors the LGPS pattern of many separate administrators working in parallel. The Local Government Association’s police and firefighters’ pensions technical teams have coordinated data standards.

What members can do now

Until the consumer service launches in Q4 2026, the dashboards programme runs entirely in the background as far as members are concerned. There is nothing you need to do to “sign up” for dashboards; the connection happens at the scheme level.

The useful preparatory things to do, with or without dashboards, are:

  1. Check your contact details with every pension scheme you remember being a member of. The matching algorithm uses personal details (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, address history) to link you to records. Out-of-date addresses in old scheme records can cause records to be missed.
  2. Locate your National Insurance number. The State Pension component of dashboards relies on the NI number; you will need it on hand to access the consumer service.
  3. Keep records of any pensions you have transferred out. Transferred pensions will not appear on dashboards from the scheme you left; they will appear (eventually) from the scheme they were transferred into.
  4. Check your State Pension forecast now. You can already do this at gov.uk/check-state-pension. The dashboard will not change the forecast; it will just consolidate the view.
  5. Do not panic if your initial dashboard view is incomplete. Records that are not matched on the first attempt can still surface later as schemes refine their data and matching algorithms improve.

Identity verification and security

Pension dashboards have an obvious fraud-attractive quality: a single online view of every pension a person holds. The programme has built identity verification using GOV.UK One Login (the cross-government authentication service replacing GOV.UK Verify and individual departmental logins).

To use the consumer dashboard you will need to verify your identity through GOV.UK One Login. The process typically requires:

  • A valid UK photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An email address and mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication.

Pension scams routinely target people around major pension events. The Pensions Regulator and the FCA have already warned that scammers may try to exploit the dashboard launch by posing as official MoneyHelper-branded services. The genuine service will be accessible through GOV.UK and MoneyHelper’s official domain only. Be cautious about any “pensions dashboard” emails, calls, or texts that ask for bank details or pressure you to transfer your pensions.

The operational failure and error-handling regime

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has published guidance on what happens when scheme connections fail, time out, or return incorrect data. From a member’s perspective this matters because some dashboard searches will not return everything on the first try.

The programme has built retry patterns, error reporting, and a defined process for schemes to flag temporary unavailability. When you search via the dashboard, the system attempts to match you against each connected scheme; if a scheme times out or fails the match, the result will indicate that the scheme could not respond, rather than confirming you have no benefits there. You can re-query later.

What comes after the initial launch

The initial MoneyHelper consumer launch is the beginning rather than the end. The programme’s roadmap continues to:

  • Authorised commercial dashboards. FCA-authorised firms (including major pension providers and aggregator platforms) will be able to run their own dashboards, drawing on the same central infrastructure but with their own user experience and added features.
  • Enhanced data. Later iterations are expected to provide richer benefit information, including more reliable consolidated retirement projections, asset class breakdowns for DC pots, and clearer treatment of guaranteed and discretionary benefits.
  • Linkage to other services. Pensions dashboards will eventually integrate with retirement-planning tools, scam-prevention services, and possibly broader financial-wellbeing platforms.

None of these are guaranteed by a specific date. The programme has, throughout its life, prioritised getting the basic infrastructure working reliably over launching every feature at once.

FAQ

Will the dashboard show pensions from before I had a National Insurance number?

If a scheme has your National Insurance number in its record, matching is more reliable. Some very old records, particularly from before the 1980s, may not include NI numbers, in which case matching depends on name, date of birth, and address history. The dashboard programme has been clear that some old records may not match cleanly and members should expect to follow up with schemes individually for very long-dormant entitlements.

Will the dashboard show defined benefit pensions accurately?

The dashboard will show an “estimated retirement income” figure for DB pensions, calculated by the scheme administrator. This is indicative rather than a personal benefit quotation. For an exact figure, contact the scheme directly using the details shown on the dashboard. The dashboard is the discovery tool; the scheme is the source of authoritative figures.

Will the dashboard show how much my pension would be worth if I transferred it?

No. Cash equivalent transfer values are calculated by the scheme on request and only valid for a limited window (typically three months). The dashboard shows your accrued entitlement under the scheme rules, not a transfer value. If you want a transfer value, you ask the scheme directly.

Can I use the dashboard if I live overseas?

The MoneyHelper service is available to anyone who can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login, which generally requires a UK photographic ID. UK nationals living overseas with valid UK identity documents should be able to use it. Foreign nationals who have UK pension entitlements but no UK identity documents will likely need to follow scheme-by-scheme processes until commercial dashboards add international identity routes.

What if my scheme has not connected yet?

By 31 October 2026 all in-scope schemes must be connected. If you cannot find a pension you know you should have on the dashboard, that almost always reflects a matching issue rather than a non-connection issue. Contact the scheme using the records you have, ask them to confirm your details, and try the dashboard again after a few weeks.

Will the dashboard ever let me consolidate my pensions or take action through it?

Not in the initial version. The MoneyHelper service is read-only. Later commercial dashboards may add transactional features under FCA authorisation, but transferring or drawing pensions will continue to require formal contact with the scheme administrator and, where appropriate, regulated financial advice.

Pension Plain’s take

The Pensions Dashboards Programme has been a long, careful, and sometimes slow piece of public infrastructure work, and the value will become obvious only when ordinary people can see all their pensions in one screen for the first time. The consumer launch in Q4 2026 is the moment to put a calendar entry against. Between now and then, the most useful thing any member can do is the boring thing: keep your contact details current with every scheme you remember being part of, locate your National Insurance number, and treat any “pensions dashboard” message that arrives by email or phone with the same scepticism you would apply to a bank fraud attempt.

Information, not advice. This article explains the Pensions Dashboards Programme as a member-facing service for public service pension scheme members. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pension Plain is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need a personal recommendation about your pensions, speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised financial adviser via the FCA register or MoneyHelper.

Key official sources

Last updated 14 May 2026

Written by

James Heppe-Smith
James Heppe-Smith is the editor of Pension Plain. He founded The Savvy Investor’s Guide and writes about UK pensions, ISAs, SIPPs and tax-efficient saving. Pension Plain reflects his preference for primary sources and plain English over jargon. He is not an FCA-regulated adviser and Pension Plain does not provide regulated financial advice.