UK Pensions: DC trustee agenda update—April 2026

Finance Act receives Royal Assent

The Finance Act 2026 has received Royal Assent. The Act will bring most pension benefits into the scope of inheritance tax (IHT) from April 6, 2027. This will require schemes to have new processes for calculating relevant benefits; communicating with personal representatives; withholding payment of benefits; and paying tax directly. Further HMRC guidance is expected.

Action: Schemes should start now to prepare for significant changes needed to comply with the new IHT requirements.

New data complaints processes

Most of the provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) have now been brought into force. These changes include a requirement for data controllers to have a process in place to deal with data protection-related complaints from June 19, 2026. This includes: a complaint form which can be completed electronically; acknowledging receipt of the complaint within 30 days; responding to the complaint without undue delay; and communicating the new right to complain in privacy notices, SAR responses and at other points. The ICO has published guidance to assist data controllers.

Action: Ensure appropriate processes are adopted to identify and respond to complaints in line with these requirements; and review privacy notices and other communications.

Family leave changes

A number of changes are being made to family leave, including introducing new entitlements to paternity leave on the death of the mother/adopter of a child and changing the criteria for parental and paternity leave.

Action: Review rules to confirm whether changes flow through automatically; schemes and employers should make sure family leave policies and procedures reflect these updates.

DC scale requirements guidance

The DWP and The Pensions Regulator (TPR) have produced tandem guidance on the upcoming requirements for DC multi-employer AE schemes to operate a main scale default arrangement holding at least GBP25 billion in assets from 2030.

Action: Affected schemes should consider the guidance in their preparations for compliance.

TPR warning on impersonation fraud

TPR has issued a scam alert setting out steps schemes should take following a significant increase in impersonation fraud targeting pension savers.

Action: Review the alert and implement actions recommended by TPR.

TPO factsheet on overpayments

The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) has published a factsheet for members on what happens when a pension has been overpaid. TPO is asking schemes to share this information with members.

Action: Check whether administrators are updating processes to provide this information.

Have your say

• The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is consulting on dashboards reporting standards. The deadline for responses has been extended to April 30, 2026.

Watch this space

• The government is taking steps to amend the Pension Schemes Bill to enable it to develop statutory guidance for trustees on their fiduciary duties, aimed at supporting trustees in considering factors including systemic risks (such as climate change) and members’ standards of living.