Pension providers need to register their connection with the pensions dashboard ecosystem provided by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
When launched, pensions dashboards will be places where consumers can securely access online information about their pensions that are not yet paying benefits.
We published pensions dashboard rules for pension providers[1] in November 2022.
What pension providers need to do
By 31 October 2026 at the latest, providers of relevant pension schemes[3] must:
- register with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS)
- connect to the digital architecture operated by the Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) – which is a function of MaPS
- be ready and able (from date of connection) to:
- receive requests to find pensions, and search records for data matches
- return pensions information to the consumer’s chosen pensions dashboard
Firms must have regard to guidance set out by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), including a staged timetable for connection.
Relevant dates in the guidance for FCA-regulated providers are:
- 30 April 2025 – if you have 5,000 or more relevant members
- 31 January 2026 – if you have fewer than 5,000 relevant members
Register connection to the pensions dashboards ecosystem
To register their connection to the MaPS’ pensions dashboards ecosystem, firms in scope of COBS 19.11 need a registration code generated by us.
When to apply for a code
If you are connecting to the MaPS pensions dashboards ecosystem via a third-party connection provider, such as an integrated service provider (ISP), the third-party connection provider will advise when your firm will need a registration code to meet your mutually agreed connection date.
Registration codes are valid for 30 days, so please consider whether your Senior Management Function of Compliance Oversight (SMF16) will be available to receive the code during its 30-day validity period.
If your firm does not currently have an active SMF16, or if your current active SMF16 will be unavailable during the 30-day validity period, please nominate an alternative appropriate active SMF.
Apply for a registration code
To request a registration code:
- Download the application form (120 KB)[5]
- Email the completed form to [email protected] with the subject line: ‘Pensions Dashboards – Registration Codes Request’
Any member of your firm can complete and submit the form.
Make sure you:
- complete all the mandatory fields on the form accurately
- supply details of your firm’s SMF16 or alternative appropriate active SMF
- submit only 1 form per firm reference number (FRN) at a time
Firms subject to COBS 19.11 require 1 registration code per FRN. The application form does not require the firm to list the separate personal pensions, stakeholder pensions and deferred annuity products that it is obliged to connect under that code.
Firms that also administer occupational pension schemes subject to the requirements in the Pensions Dashboards Regulations 2022, should work with each in-scope occupational scheme's trustee or manager to obtain the relevant registration code from The Pensions Regulator.
You can request more than 2 codes in the application form if you are connecting via more than 2 third-party connection providers.
For first-time applicants, we will issue 2 registration codes as a matter-of-course (unless you request more than 2 codes at the outset). Where a firm needs only one code, it need use only one of the codes provided.
You can also use this form if you later need additional registration codes.
If you need help to complete the form, email [email protected].
After you submit: what to expect
We will contact you within 2 working days to either:
- issue the codes
- tell you if there are errors or omissions in your application form
Once the request is approved, we’ll send 2 emails to your active SMF16 or alternative appropriate active SMF.
- email 1: MaPS registration codes in a password protected zipped file
- email 2: password to access the zipped file
Registration codes are only valid for 30 days.
Next steps: register and connect
Once you receive your registration codes, follow the guidance for ‘connecting via a third party’ which is available on the Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) website[6].
If you need any help connecting via a third-party connection provider or ISP, raise a support query with PDP[7].
