Britain’s pension dashboard has been delayed again with the government saying it will not now be ready fully until October 2026.
In a statement, pensions minister Laura Trott said: “More time is needed to deliver this complex build, and for the pensions industry to help facilitate the successful connection of a wide range of different IT systems to the dashboard's digital architecture".
On the dashboard, people will be able to see all of their workplace, state and private pensions in one place.
Describing it as a “reset” of the programme, Trott added the government was committed to the project, adding the public might be able to get access to the data earlier than the new deadline which is when all schemes will be connected.
Pension experts expressed dismay at the additional (one-year) delay.
Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at consumer group Which? commented that with billions being lost or lying dormant in unlocated pensions the need for dashboards is stronger than ever.
“Pensions dashboards can be a game changer by helping savers to keep track of their pots in one place.
“Seven years have passed since the government first made a commitment to introducing a dashboard, so it’s hugely disappointing to hear that the date by which all schemes will be connected will be delayed by a further 12 months."
Nigel Peaple, Director of Policy & Advocacy at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) said the fact that the government remains "committed to the delivery of pensions dashboards and that the final staging date will go back by one year provides some helpful clarity and flexibility for the pensions industry".
For it to work, however, “it will be necessary for the dashboards programme to work in a very open, transparent and collaborative way such that all parts of the government involved in the project, and all those involved from across the industry, can work together as one,” he added.
Fintech company Origo and French tech firm Capgemini won the government contract to supply the digital architecture in 2021.