UK – [23 September 2025]
Cartwright Pension Trusts, the pension specialist for defined benefit and hybrid schemes, today urged pension schemes to embrace the initial provisions under the new Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 as more than a compliance hurdle, but as a catalyst for long-overdue transformation in pension data management.
The Act, which received Royal Assent on 19 June 2025, is being rolled out through a series of commencement regulations, with all provisions due to be in place by June 2026. It introduces a wide range of changes to how schemes handle and share data in order to improve transparency and access to information. It marks a significant milestone in the UK’s evolving approach to data protection post-Brexit. While the legislation creates new compliance responsibilities, it also provides schemes with the opportunity to clean up legacy systems, adopt smarter digital tools, and reduce administration burdens.
Julie Yates, Director of Pensions Administration at Cartwright said: “Schemes cannot afford to treat this Act as just another ‘tick-box’ exercise. Now is the time to take early proactive steps not just to meet new legal obligations, but to unlock broader operational and engagement benefits.
Done well, this is not just about meeting the new requirements, easing the day-to-day burden on administrators, and creating a platform for more meaningful engagement with members. One of the most significant changes in the Act, is that members now have enhanced rights to access their data, with schemes expected to provide it in a clear and usable digital format, which will make the transfer of data smoother and help cut out the potential risk of data errors that come from having to rekey information. Too many schemes are still reliant on outdated systems that create inefficiencies and risk errors. The new Data Act provides a clear mandate to change that.”
Yates added: “In addition to pension schemes, trustees have a central role to play. They must take ownership of ensuring data is accurate, secure and up to date. Those who act now will not only stay on the right side of regulation, but also gain efficiencies, strengthen relationships with administrators and employers, and deliver clearer, more reliable communications for members. These are the improvements and opportunities from this that everyone should be focusing on.”
-ENDS-
