To use the service, people will need to complete a secure identity check, which may involve uploading identification documents and a photo of themselves. The system will then search for matching pension records using personal details such as name, address, date of birth, and National Insurance number.
Advertisement
Rachel Vahey, head of public policy at AJ Bell, said the project has had a difficult history, but now appears to be moving in the right direction. She noted that progress had often been painfully slow, with previous governments effectively putting the project on the back burner, but added that it now seems to have real momentum.
Testing is already under way in Phase 2, with 2,000 members of the public taking part in trials of the new system. All pension schemes must connect to the dashboard by 31 October 2026, apart from very small schemes with fewer than 100 members. A public launch date could be announced later this year, although a full rollout is not expected until mid-2027 at the earliest.
For many Britons, that means there is now real hope of recovering money that may have been forgotten for years — and turning lost pension savings into a meaningful financial gain.
