UK government’s Pensions Dashboards Programme delayed
A recent report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has shed light on the UK government’s Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP), revealing delays and increased costs attributed to ineffective governance and a shortage of skilled personnel.
Originally slated for completion by October 2025, the PDP’s connection to pension providers has been postponed until October 31, 2026, with costs rising from £235 million in 2020 to £289 million in 2023, a notable 23% increase.
Established in 2019 under the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), the PDP aimed to provide 16.3 million UK pension holders with a centralized dashboard for accessing information about their private, workplace, and state pensions. However, the complexity of building a secure platform, coupled with the absence of similar projects in the past, posed significant challenges.
The NAO report highlights deficiencies in MaPS’s management and technical capabilities, with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) reportedly aware of these shortcomings from the project’s inception. A shortage of digital expertise inevitably led to delays.
Despite efforts to onboard new talent, MaPS remained heavily reliant on a single provider, Capgemini, for critical components of the PDP platform. Although the core infrastructure was completed on schedule, it failed to meet DWP service standards in 12 out of 14 categories.
One key issue was the difficulty in retaining skilled personnel due to inadequate compensation packages, reflecting wider challenges in recruiting digital and tech talent within the UK Civil Service.
Moving forward, the NAO suggests that prioritizing competitive salaries for long-term contracts could mitigate staffing challenges. Despite setbacks, MaPS is reportedly making progress in implementing the PDP’s foundational systems, with continued collaboration between DWP and MaPS crucial for the project’s successful completion and public accessibility.
In essence, the report underscores the importance of robust governance and talent acquisition strategies in driving ambitious IT initiatives like the PDP towards successful outcomes.
