UK Pensions: What’s new this week? April 20, 2026

Next steps on inheritance tax changes

HM Treasury has published a response to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee report on changes to inheritance tax which will take effect from April 6, 2027. The response discusses the government’s approach to a range of issues in relation to the changes and sets out next steps, including the following:

• The government will consult on regulations this spring, which will cover exchange of information between personal representatives (PRs) and pension scheme administrators (PSAs).
• A list of clarifications on common questions that have been raised by industry will also be published this spring.
• Guidance and other supporting materials will be published by April 2027 (drafts to be shared in autumn/winter 2026/2027). This will include details on what evidence PSAs should request from PRs, a template for PSAs, and interactive tools to support PRs.

Read the response.

ICO clarification on complaints guidance

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has responded to a query we raised in relation to conflicting guidance on its website on the data protection complaints process required from June 19, 2026. The ICO has confirmed that this guidance (which was linked to in our previous What’s New This Week) is the correct guidance and they have taken steps to ensure the incorrect version is no longer linked to on the site. The correct guidance gives more detail on how data controllers should prepare for the new complaints requirements, including that individuals must be notified of their new rights at the point that data is collected (meaning privacy notices may need to be updated) and when responding to a subject access request.

Call for evidence on TUPE

The government has published a consultation on the effectiveness of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE). Broadly, TUPE protects an employee’s rights when a business is transferred to a new employer. It contains an exemption under which most rights under occupational pension schemes are carved out from the transfer. The call for evidence includes a question on whether employee pension rights are sufficiently protected under a TUPE transfer.

Read the call for evidence.

Trustees urged to take actions on scams

In a recent webinar, the fraud minister called on trustees and administrators to use “every touchpoint” with members to reinforce scam warnings. Trustees and administrators are urged to: commit to TPR's Pledge to Combat Pension Scams campaign; signpost members to PSAG's Scam Safe leaflet, the FCA's Firmchecker tool and Stop!ThinkFraud; keep up to date on the latest scam warnings; and report any suspicions to Report Fraud.

Read the webinar press release.

PASA guidance on contingent spouses' pension data

The Pensions Administration Standards Association (PASA) Data Working Group has published guidance on assessing and calculating contingent spouse pension (CSP) values. The guidance emphasises that accurate CSP data is not only necessary for buy-in and buy-out transactions but also supports business-as-usual administration, actuarial valuations, pensions dashboards readiness, and member experience. The guidance sets out five calculation approaches, depending on the context—ranging from a detailed “first principles” rebuild to a simplified “ratio method”.

Read the guidance.

Guide on assessing climate competency of investment consultants

The Investment Consultants Sustainability Working Group (ICSWG) has published an updated version of its guide for assessing the climate competency of investment consultants. The guide, which has received input from TPR, sets out five themes against which asset owners, including trustees, can measure investment consultants’ climate competency.

Read the guide.