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

In this 7 Days

Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 further provisions in force

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026 (“the Regulations”) were made on 29 January 2026 and bring into force specific provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 .

The Regulations brought the following changes relevant to pensions into force on 5 February 2026:

  • amendments to the process for managing data subject access requests
  • a simplified test for transferring personal data to third countries and international organisations
  • enhanced ICO powers.

The Regulations will also bring the measures requiring data controllers to establish processes for handling complaints from data subjects into force on 19 June 2026. For further details of these changes, please see our Hot Topic.

The ICO has confirmed that its guidance on subject access requests is ready to use and that it is continuing to produce new and updated guidance.

MHCLG confirms phased LGPS reforms

On 2 February 2026, the MHCLG published its response to its consultation, “Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales: Access and Fairness” which outlined the Government’s intention to make changes “to both look at the past in fixing historic problems in the scheme and to look to the future”.

The response presents a summary of the proposals consulted on, the responses received and the Government’s intended action, including implementing changes relating to:

  • survivor benefits and death grants
  • gender pension gap
  • opt-out reporting
  • forfeiture
  • the McCloud remedy

The Government intends to introduce the changes in two phases during 2026 and will prioritise areas where it believes there is existing discrimination.

Alongside the response, the MHCLG has also issued guidance for gender pension gap reporting.

Order setting out PPF levy ceiling published

On 4 February 2026, an Order was made setting out the levy ceiling that will apply from 1 April 2026.

The levy ceiling is the maximum amount that the PPF can charge eligible DB schemes. It is set at a level which is intended to be sufficient to allow the PPF to raise a levy that ensures the safe funding of the compensation it provides, while providing reassurance to schemes that the estimated levy will not be above a certain amount in any one year.

In practice, the PPF calculates how much it needs to raise by the levy each year, and, to date, this amount has always been less than the levy ceiling.

The PPF has consulted on its proposed approach to the 2026/27 levy and will publish the levy rules for 2026/27 in due course. It expects to set a zero levy for conventional schemes, although this is dependent on the passage of relevant measures in the Pension Schemes Bill. For further information and key actions for trustees and employers relating to the PPF levy 2026/27, please see our Hot Topic.

PASA publishes dashboards Q&A

On 3 February 2026, PASA published a Q&A document which collates questions raised during and after its webinar on the Dashboards Data Matching Guidance and Toolkit. The document is intended to provide clear, practical clarification and to support proportionate, well-informed decision-making as schemes continue their dashboards preparations.

PMI launches enhanced Trustee Accelerator Programme

On 4 February 2026, the PMI announced the formal launch of an expanded Trustee Accelerator Programme, a sector-wide initiative designed to boost the pipeline of skilled pension professionals. The launch comes as the DWP are consulting on trustees and governance.

SPP paper on DB investment ecosystem

The SPP has published a report reflecting on its September 2023 paper, “Vision 2030” (which set out its views on the future of DB pension scheme investment) and providing an analysis of DB investment developments, trends and their likely impact.

IA report on stewardship

On 4 February 2026, the Investment Association (“IA”) published a report titled, “Realigning Stewardship: Delivering Sustainable Value Through Stewardship”. The report examines the barriers to practising stewardship from the perspective of investment managers and offers a series of targeted recommendations designed to “realign practices across the investment ecosystem and empower stakeholders, including policymakers, asset owners, and investment managers, to act as partners in the next phase of stewardship”.

Order creates new regulated activity of providing targeted support

On 30 January 2026, an Order was made which creates a new specified activity of providing targeted support (“TS”). TS is a new form of regulated support within the existing financial services framework, enabling authorised financial services firms to make recommendations that are designed for groups of consumers with similar characteristics and circumstances.

The Order, which comes into force on 6 April 2026, makes clear that TS will be separate to and subject to different standards from the regulated activity of “advising on investments”.

ABI Pension Insurance and Investment Board

The Association of British Insurers (“ABI”) has created a pensions-focused product board to “further strengthen the policy focus on pension insurance, annuities and investment work”. The Pension Insurance and Investment Board will look at DB pensions policy, annuity investment and matters in the bulk purchase annuity market.