UK pension schemes hit 31 October dashboards deadline — but savers still cannot log in
The deadline has passed. Every pension scheme and provider in the United Kingdom that falls within the scope of the pensions dashboards rules had to connect its systems to the dashboards network by Saturday, 31 October 2026. The date was set in law by the Pensions Dashboards Regulations 2022, as amended in 2023, and it applied to occupational schemes with 100 or more relevant members, as well as personal pension providers regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Lawyers at Burges Salmon, writing on Friday, 30 October, said the final deadline had arrived and that about 96% of pension records in scope were expected to be connected by the cut-off. Schemes that missed the deadline, fully or partly, should report the failure to The Pensions Regulator through its breach-of-law process as soon as reasonably possible after 31 October. The regulator says schemes that have not connected must act promptly.
The picture has improved quickly. In July 2026, around 85% of pension records in scope were connected, according to the House of Commons Library, leaving the final months of the staged timetable — largest schemes first — to bring the rest on board. Smaller schemes with fewer than 100 members sit outside the rules unless they choose to connect voluntarily, and the window to apply to defer the deadline has now closed.
Why it matters
For savers, the milestone matters because it is the plumbing behind a simple promise: one free place to see the State Pension and every workplace and personal pension together, matched through GOV.UK One Login. It will not move or combine pots. But for people who have lost track of old workplace pensions after changing jobs, finding them all in one place could make planning for retirement far easier.
What happens next
Nothing changes for the public yet. The MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, run by the Money and Pensions Service, is expected to open during the 2027/28 financial year, and the industry will get at least six months’ notice of the launch date. Testing is continuing with thousands of user testers each month. Anyone who wants to trace a lost pension now can use the government’s free Pension Tracing Service, online or on 0800 731 0175, rather than waiting for the dashboard.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/trustees/contributions-data-and-transfers/dashboards-guidance/when-your-scheme-needs-to-connect-with-dashboards (The Pensions Regulator, 1 November 2026)
- https://www.burges-salmon.com/articles/102o728/pensions-dashboards-update-october-2026/ (Burges Salmon, 30 October 2026)
- https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8407/ (House of Commons Library, October 2026)
- https://thorntons-wealth.co.uk/bringing-your-pensions-together/ (Thorntons Wealth, October 2026)
- https://www.earningmoneyonline.co.uk/articles/pensions-dashboards-31-october-2026-what-you-will-see-uk.html (Earning Money Online, 2026)
