7 Days is a weekly round up of developments in pensions, normally published on Monday afternoons. We collate this information from key industry sources, such as the DWP, HMRC and TPR.

In this 7 Days

TPR encourages trustees to drive up administration standards

TPR is encouraging trustees to take “greater responsibility and accountability” for driving up administration standards in its latest market oversight report published on 11 September 2025. The report shares TPR’s key insights from engaging with 15 pension administrators over the last 12 months, highlighting opportunities to strengthen governance, service delivery and savers’ outcomes.

The review found there were “encouraging” signs of progress in improving administration standards but challenges remain, “particularly around changes to regulatory requirements, technology, staffing, data, and cyber security”. TPR expects administrators and trustees to reflect on the findings and to work together to identify ways “to improve administrative practices to better serve savers”. TPR is planning to update its administration guidance to set clearer expectations for trustees.

TPR industry alert on impersonation fraud

On 10 September 2025, TPR issued an industry alert on a new pension fraud tactic highlighted in recent reports to Action Fraud, namely using hacking and impersonation techniques to gain unauthorised access to pensions savers’ accounts.

TPR is urging trustees and administrators to:

  • tighten their security by reviewing and strengthening security protocols, especially around member verification and account access
  • report suspicious activity to Action Fraud, and
  • support Action Fraud’s campaign by taking steps to help raise awareness, ie by amplifying its social media posts on their own channels and adding fraud warnings to member portals and annual benefit statements.

Proposed abolition of PPF administration levy

In a debate on the Pension Schemes Bill on 11 September 2025, Torsten Bell, the Pensions Minister, announced that the Government intends to lay amendments to abolish the PPF administration levy “at a later stage”.

PMI Administration Industry Group

On 9 September 2025, the PMI announced it has launched a new Administration Industry Group. This will be a strategic forum established to “raise standards in pensions administration” and “deliver better outcomes” for members and beneficiaries in the UK.

The new group brings together senior leaders from third-party administrators, in-house teams, regulators and industry bodies. Its aim is to transform pensions administration into a “career of choice”, “driving effective workplace capability and skills development”.

New PMI president

The PMI has announced the appointment of Girish Menezes as its new president, alongside the appointment of three new non-executive directors to its board. Menezes is currently a partner and the head of administration at Isio.

High Court allows appeal of TPO decision

The High Court has allowed an appeal by a trustee against a decision of TPO.

TPO had upheld a complaint that a member was entitled to a bridging pension until the age of 66 as the definition of SPA in the scheme rules was “dynamic” and reflected amendments to legislation increasing SPA. The trustee maintained that the definition in the scheme rules was “static” and that SPA should have the same meaning as the original legislative provisions so the member’s entitlement to a bridging pension ceased at age 65. The High Court agreed with the trustee’s interpretation.

See our case summary for more details.