The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has introduced a modification to allow firms to connect to the pensions dashboards digital architecture before 31 October 2026, even where they are unable to provide 100 per cent of their relevant scheme members’ data.

The unmodified rules require any firm that completes connection to the Money and Pensions Service (Maps) pensions dashboards digital architecture before 31 October 2026 to comply with all the obligations, including the need to connect with 100 per cent of their relevant pension scheme members’ data.

However, the FCA acknowledged that this may be problematic for firms that are able to connect by the ‘connect by’ dates in the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) connection guidance but are unable to comply with the requirement to have 100 per cent of their relevant pension scheme members.

The modification therefore aims to ensure that a firm can connect to the Maps pensions dashboards digital architecture before 31 October 2026, in line with the DWP's ‘connect by’ dates, but are unable to comply with this broader data requirement.

This modification is valid until 31 October 2026 from the start date of the direction, unless subsequently withdrawn.

The FCA clarified, however, that if a firm connects before 31 October 2026 in reliance on this modification, it would generally expect the firm to be in a position to comply with all of the provisions from the date of connection in respect of at least 80 per cent of its relevant pension scheme members.

This is one of a number of recent dashboard updates, as the FCA also recently launched a further consultation on the regulatory framework for pensions dashboard service firms, after the government amended the Regulated Activities Order (RAO) to bring the new activity of operating a pensions dashboards service within its regulation.

The Pensions Dashboards Programme also shared its ninth update report, as well as the final data standards for pensions dashboards.

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