Pension dashboards are likely to see their heaviest usage during major life events rather than as a regular planning tool, according to research from WTW.
Survey Shows Limited Expectations for Proactive Use
A poll of 96 UK trustees and pension scheme managers found that 43% expected scheme members to turn to dashboards at key moments such as retirement or changing jobs. Another 40% believed engagement would depend heavily on prompts from scheme communications. Only 13% anticipated members would use the tools regularly without such encouragement.
“It’s becoming clear that dashboards will be most powerful at moments that matter to members,” said Geraldine Brassett, senior director in WTW’s pensions outsourcing business. “Schemes should not assume that access alone will drive engagement. Targeted communications, aligned to life events, will be critical if dashboards are to translate into better decisions and outcomes.”
Operational Concerns Surface Among Administrators
The polling also highlighted the operational challenges likely to follow the launch of dashboards. Managing increased member enquiries was the leading post-launch concern, cited by 39% of respondents. Data accuracy ranked second as a primary risk, identified by 36%.
More than three quarters of respondents expected dashboards to produce at least a moderate increase in engagement. However, WTW noted that much of that uplift could concentrate among members who were already engaged unless schemes provided more proactive support to reach less active savers.
Dashboards represent a significant shift in how pension information reaches members. They pull together records from multiple providers into a single view, making it easier to track savings accumulated over a working life. The government-backed initiative aims to help people make informed choices about retirement, though researchers caution that simply building the infrastructure does not guarantee people will use it.
Providers Prepare for Consumer Launch
The findings come as providers prepare for the final MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard connection deadline later this year. Lumera said in July that more than 70 million pension records had been connected to the ecosystem. Consumer launch could follow as early as summer 2027.
The technology specialist said providers now needed to move beyond technical connection by testing infrastructure, ensuring pension records could be matched accurately and preparing administration, customer service and digital teams for higher volumes of enquiries. That could include requests for information, pension consolidation and retirement planning support.
WTW’s Brassett said dashboards represented a significant step forward in how members accessed pension information, but added that the real test would be what happened next. Schemes would need to respond to increased demand, maintain data quality and support members in turning insight into action.
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