Pensions Data and Digital Industry Working Group: terms of reference
1. Purpose
- The Pensions Data and Digital Industry Working Group (‘the group’) is a stakeholder group and discussion forum established by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) in 2025.
- The group brings together trustees, administrators, advisers, software providers, and government representatives to collaboratively address the pensions sector’s most pressing data and digital challenges.
- The group will provide a forum for open dialogue, shared learning, and to facilitate co-ordinated action, with the aim of improving outcomes for savers and strengthening the resilience and efficiency of the pensions industry.
- The group is not a decision-making body and does not amend, replace or duplicate the role and remit of existing regulatory, statutory or industry bodies.
- The activities, discussions, and outputs of the group should not be taken as an indication of future policy by either the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or TPR. Both DWP and TPR policy positions will continue to be developed and communicated in accordance with the usual governance and public consultation procedures of the two organisations.
2. Objectives
- To identify challenges and complex issues preventing the pensions industry from leveraging data and technology to deliver better outcomes for savers.
- To look at practical solutions and quick wins we can implement that address systemic challenges.
- To foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement across the pensions ecosystem.
- To ensure alignment with existing regulatory, policy and industry initiatives, avoiding duplication of effort.
3. Governance and structure
- Chair: Paul Neville, Executive Director of Digital, Data and Technology, TPR, responsible for setting the programme of work and agendas, in consultation with the group’s members, facilitating meetings, and ensuring delivery and monitoring of outcomes.
- Secretariat: Provided by TPR, responsible for organisation and recording of meeting outputs, co-ordination, documentation, and communications, in accordance with section 5. Ways of working.
4. Participation and membership
- Working group members are drawn from across the pensions industry and related sectors, including technology, data, finance and published on our industry working groups page.
- Composition of the membership will be kept under review by TPR as required. This may include:
- selecting and appointing new members of the group, including by co-option if there are gaps in perspectives or expertise
- review of the term and duration of members’ participation and replacing members to support the purposes of the group
- Sub-groups may be established to focus on specific themes or deliverables.
- Members are expected:
- to use best efforts to attend all meetings and contribute actively to meetings and the programme of work, taking responsibility for specific tasks and deliverables
- to comply with legal obligations and respect the legitimate interests of other members and affiliated organisations including by not disclosing confidential or commercially sensitive information where this applies
- It is acknowledged that members are volunteers and, as such, their participation in the group is not expected to result in personal or professional liability, to the extent that activities undertaken by them in connection with membership are conducted in accordance with the terms set out in this document.
5. Ways of working
- Meetings will be held quarterly, with additional sessions as needed.
- Members are invited to host meetings in their offices, on a rotating basis.
- Hybrid participation (online and in-person) will be supported.
- Members are encouraged to speak freely and share insights. All members are expected to engage respectfully, valuing diverse perspectives and experiences. Disagreement is welcome when expressed constructively and professionally.
- Outputs of the group will be discussed and agreed by the members in advance, endorsed by the Chair and will generally be issued by TPR on behalf of the group. However, TPR encourages the sharing of insights and discussion points covered in the meeting externally by individuals, so long as they adhere to the following:
- These should not purport to be from TPR or the group.
- Attribution to individuals is permitted only with their explicit consent, which may be given verbally or in writing.
- If consent is not granted, the information may be referenced anonymously or attributed to the group.
- No reference to individuals or organisations outside the group should be made.
- Where appropriate and agreed upon, individuals’ names and affiliations may be used to enhance the credibility and impact of shared insights. This should be done respectfully and in alignment with the individual’s professional standing and preferences.
- Members are expected to exercise discretion and uphold confidentiality where required.
- Meeting notes will reflect key discussion points and decisions. Attribution in minutes will follow the same consent-based approach as external communications.
6. Deliverables
To be defined by the group but may include:
- recommendations for common data standards and interoperability
- case studies and examples of innovation and good practice
- reports or white papers on key challenges and opportunities
- contributions directed towards TPR’s broader digital and data strategy
7. Communication and engagement
Regular updates from the group will be shared with the wider industry via blogs, newsletters, and events, as follows:
- Outputs will be discussed and agreed by the members, and published by TPR, to support transparency and shared learning, where appropriate and to the extent legally permissible and/or legally required, for example under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
- Feedback from previous roundtables and engagement events will inform ongoing work.
8. Administration
- Notes may be taken, and meetings may be recorded using an automated recording function unless otherwise agreed or inappropriate. This is for the sole purpose of the secretariat for note taking and completing accurate minutes.
- Papers, if required, will be shared no later than one week ahead of the meetings.
- Meeting agendas will be agreed in advance, but in default will proceed on a standing agenda basis to include:
- review and agreement of previous meeting notes
- update on the actions and progress of the group as a whole and any relevant sub-group
- forward plan / next steps
9. Review
- The terms of reference are reviewed annually by the Chair, consulting with the group as necessary.
- Any difference of opinion over the application or interpretation of these terms of reference will be resolved through discussion or by the Chair in the event of continuing disagreement.
- Errors or omissions can be reported to ddatgroup@tpr.gov.uk or any of the authors.