19 May 2026
Against the backdrop of the Pensions Commission’s interim report published today, Helen Ball, partner, comments: “It’s over two decades since the first Pensions Commission laid the foundations of our current pensions system. This included the important principles of automatic enrolment. As today’s interim report explains, we now live in different times with an ageing population, shrinking workforce and future affordability headwinds. But some of the challenges remain the same, as shown by the Commission’s objectives relating to adequacy, intergenerational fairness to taxpayers and sustainability.
“We welcome today’s interim report and its detailed analysis of the current state of pensions in the UK. This sets the wheels in motion for the next stage in the review. Given the scale of the challenges set out in the interim report and the context in which this is landing, it is inevitable that many eyes and ears will now be firmly focused on the Pension Commission’s final report due in 2027. We can expect further scrutiny around gaps in automatic enrolment and also potentially tricky discussions around the relative responsibilities of the State, employer and individuals for supporting people in their retirement. However, we will have to be patient – in contrast with the numerous other changes already in train designed to drive up standards, deliver value and increase engagement, the interim report notes that any changes here will not be for this Parliament.”
