Change connection plans

Overview

If you are a pension provider or scheme planning to connect more than 30 days before or after your ‘connect by’ date in guidance, a new target ‘connect by’ date should be agreed with your third-party connection provider. This is usually the integrated service provider (ISP) or third-party administrator (TPA) who will connect you to the pensions dashboards ecosystem.

If you are a pension provider or scheme, or a third party acting on its behalf, you can notify the Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) and the relevant regulator of your a target ‘connect by’ date using this process.

You do not need to notify the regulator separately.

Trustees or managers of schemes and pension providers must have regard to DWP’s guidance on connection: the staged timetable. This means pension providers and schemes are encouraged to connect in line with their ‘connect by’ dates in the guidance.

Connection deadlines

31 October 2026 is the final connection deadline for pension providers and schemes in scope of the Pensions Dashboards Regulations 2022, The Pensions Dashboards (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023 or Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules.

The deadline for occupational schemes to apply for deferred connection after 31 October 2026 has already passed. Read the DWP guidance on deferred connection.

If your scheme falls out of scope before 31 October 2026, you do not need to report this in advance to PDP and your regulator. This may happen through a consolidation or buyout.

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) provides further guidance on whether you are in scope for dashboards.

If you are still in scope before 31 October 2026 but think you will not be able to connect by 31 October 2026, you should report to your regulator.

For TPR regulated schemes, consult TPR’s reporting breaches guidance.

FCA regulated providers may wish to apply for a waiver or modification to the connection deadline for some or all of their pensions in scope of the FCA rules. Each application will be considered by the FCA on a case-by-case basis.

How to notify PDP and your regulator

You can do this directly using this form, or your third-party connection provider can complete it on your behalf.

You need a Jira account to complete this form.

You have to submit one form per pension provider or scheme.

If circumstances change, you can submit the form again to update the target ‘connect by’ date.

Information needed

All fields are mandatory.

For the person notifying PDP and the regulator of the change:

• Full name
• Role or job title
• Organisation name (enter the name of your own organisation – for example if you are acting on behalf of a pension provider or scheme as an ISP, enter the ISP’s name)

For the pension provider or scheme changing their connection date:

• Pension provider or scheme name
• Regulator
  • TPR
  • FCA
• Regulator number
  • Pension Scheme Registry (PSR) number for TPR schemes
  • Firm Reference Number (FRN) for FCA providers
• Existing ‘connect by’ date in guidance
• New target ‘connect by’ date
• Reason for change
  • Change of administrator
  • Change of business plan (such as scheme merger or partial buy-in)
  • Third party connection provider scheduling
  • Other
• If 'Other' is selected above, please specify (optional)

What happens next

PDP will confirm receipt of the information and note your plans to change to a new target ‘connect by’ date.

The information will be shared with the relevant regulator. The regulator may contact you if they have any questions.

If you are regulated by TPR, they will use this information to update communications leading up to your ‘connect by’ date, including when you are issued registration codes. Until the information has been fully processed, you will continue to receive communications from TPR relevant to your original ‘connect by’ date.

You will agree a specific connection date via your connection provider nearer the time. See the connect via a third party guidance for more information.