Pensions Minister, Torsten Bell, has pledged to “finish the job” on the government’s pensions reform agenda following his reappointment to the role.

Yesterday, it was announced that Bell had been reappointed as Pensions Minister in Prime Minister, Andy Burnham’s, government.

He will also retain his dual role as Parliamentary Secretary at HM Treasury.

The pensions industry welcomed the news, arguing that continuity will be vital as the government moves from developing its pensions reform programme to implementing it.

Today, Bell said that the government would move quickly to implement the Pension Schemes Act 2026, respond to the final recommendations of the Pensions Commission and roll out pensions dashboards.

He stressed that the reform programme needed to support existing pensioners while ensuring today’s workers could achieve an adequate standard of living in retirement.

“Together, we are going to finish the job. That is my message for the pensions industry and savers,” Bell stated.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to continue as Pensions Minister, and to complete the pension reform agenda that is now well underway.

“We need to support today’s pensioners but also ensure that today’s workers, tomorrow’s pensioners, can look forward to a decent retirement."

The minister highlighted that the immediate programme would include implementing the Pension Schemes Act and receiving the Pensions Commission’s final report.

The government would then set out its response with the aim of ensuring more savers were on course for a comfortable retirement.

“We’ll also be swiftly rolling out the pensions dashboard, fundamentally reshaping people’s relationship with their pensions by bringing them all together in one place,” he continued.

“This is our generation’s chance to change what retirement looks like for ordinary working people. We’re going to take it.”

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