Technical standards overview and update

Closely following the publication of the updated code of connection for pensions dashboards, I’m pleased to report that we have also published a revised version of the draft technical standards, boosting the programme’s forward momentum. I’d like to provide a few details about what technical standards are, what’s been updated and what’s next to come.

About technical standards

PDP, as part of the Money and Pensions Service, is empowered by law to set standards that provide the rules and controls facilitating ongoing connection to the dashboards ecosystem. These comprise data, technical, reporting and design standards, as well as a code of connection made up of security, service and operational standards.

The technical standards define the way ecosystem participants, such as pension providers and schemes and those connecting on their behalf, communicate with the central digital architecture and with each other. They provide a common set of connectivity mechanisms, interfacing rules, methodology for generating identifiers and tokens, and protocols for the sharing of information.

What's been updated

On 4 September we published an updated version of the technical standards (version 1.1) on our website. This replaces the previous version published in November 2022. Since then, we have carried out engagement with industry which has helped shape this revised version. Further technical documentation to accompany the technical standards will be released at a later date.

You can find the updated technical standards on PDP’s website, along with a changelog that sets out updates since the previous version was published. We have also published a corrections log (errata) of known issues and corrections for the current version, which have been identified through our collaboration with our volunteer participants and will be reflected in a future release. Pension providers and schemes preparing for connection will need to familiarise themselves with the changes.

Future standards updates

We have been busy working on testing and validating the reporting standards with our volunteer participants and will look to publish these soon. The updated design standards, which relate to dashboard operators and will set out requirements for the design of dashboards and how pensions data is presented, will be published once they have also been tested. Our current focus is very much on progressing connection to the dashboards ecosystem with our volunteer participants, to support the start of onboarding for wider industry in 2025.

All standards are also subject to final approval by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. This is why all standards, though updated, are still published as ‘draft’ until formally approved.

However, the updated ‘draft’ versions of data and technical standards, and code of connection, are those that providers and schemes should use to prepare for connection. While we may need to make further changes before seeking formal approval, only necessary changes will be considered, and we will work with industry to understand potential impacts.

To view the updated technical standards and for more information, please visit the standards page on the PDP website. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us via email.