The Pensions Regulator (TPR) often receives requests for data (outside of the formal Freedom of Information (FOI) process) which we hold but haven’t published.
We seek to aggregate and publish as much information where we are able to do so. If we receive a request for information which we hold but haven’t published, and there are no legal constraints on publishing the information, we will publish it on this page.
Consultation on the draft Pensions Dashboard Regulations data
We have used our data (along with the FCA's) to segment regulated pensions schemes and identify key insights to inform the Department of Work and Pensions in developing their staging proposal (the sequencing of scheme connection), as set out in the draft regulations published on 31 January 2022. We have mainly used data from TPR's register of pension schemes, combined with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulatory return data.
This data set includes:
- proportions of schemes of different sizes and/or type (i.e. large authorised master trust, FCA-regulated personal and stakeholder pension schemes, public service pension schemes, defined contribution (DC) schemes used for automatic enrolment, defined benefit (DB) schemes, legacy DC schemes)
- proportions of active and deferred memberships (in scope for dashboards) in schemes of different sizes and/or type
- percentage of DB, DC and all active and deferred memberships (in scope for dashboards) in schemes by proposed staging month
Pensions Dashboards Call for Input data
We have used our data to segment regulated pensions schemes and identify key insights to inform the Pensions Dashboards Programme’s propositions on staging as set out in a call for input published 27 May 2021. We have mainly used data from TPR’s register of pension schemes, combined with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulatory return data, automatic enrolment declaration of compliance data and internal TPR operational data.
This data set includes:
- proportions of schemes of different sizes and/or type (authorised master trust, FCA-regulated personal and stakeholder pension schemes, public service pension schemes, DC schemes used for automatic enrolment, DB schemes, legacy DC schemes)
- proportions of active and deferred memberships (in scope for dashboards) in schemes of different sizes and/or type
- performance of schemes regulated by TPR in terms of measuring data
- proportion of schemes established before 2000 by benefit structure type
- proportion of automatic enrolment membership in schemes of different types
- performance of small and micro schemes in meeting their scheme return duties
Automatic enrolment declaration of compliance regional data
We have used our automatic enrolment declaration of compliance data to build a picture of employers in the UK, with an associated automatic enrolment staging date and postcode.
We have combined this data with data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which matches postcodes to regions and local authorities.
The regional data provides the number of:
- active employers (to the nearest 10) that have completed their automatic enrolment duties each year
- eligible jobholders (to the nearest 1,000) who have been automatically enrolled to date
- total employees in a pension scheme (to the nearest 1,000)
Data revised: 9 April 2024
Master trust data including cluster schemes
For the purpose of these figures a 'cluster scheme' is one where the same company provides insurance, administration and trustee services, there are no other trustees, and the scheme is not otherwise classified as a master trust.
The Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) consultation on occupational pension schemes (master trusts) regulations states that the Pension Schemes Act 2017 'includes powers to apply some or all of its provisions to pension schemes with specified characteristics that do not fall within the definition of a master trust scheme and treat two or more pension schemes as one master trust scheme in specified circumstances.'
The consultation also describes cluster schemes as a 'model in which multiple schemes are set up so that they each only have a single or connected group of employers but are in reality subject to common rules or controlled in a common way.'
Our master trust data below includes two tables:
- Table 1 - provides our estimate of how many cluster schemes there currently are, when counted at provider level. This also shows the total number of members, although the number of active members is restricted as it is lower than 500.
- Table 2 - shows the effect on our overall landscape figures if we re-classify relevant schemes as cluster schemes and count them at provider level.
It should be noted that there may be 'cluster schemes' operated by non-insurance companies, and those have not been captured here. The figures also don’t include hybrid schemes with DC members.
Market value of scheme assets split by governance structure
In our DC trust statistics publication we publish statistics on scheme and member volumes split by governance structure. Further detail on the method of collecting our data can be found in that publication.
In addition we publish statistics on scheme assets split by scheme size and status. See the file below for statistics on scheme assets split by governance structure. In the future we will include this split within the DC trust publication.
Governance structure (method for classifying)
The governance structure theme is designed to show the number of master trusts, (schemes with non-associated employers), which has been a growth since the introduction of automatic enrolment, and also to separate out those schemes that have been created by employers (unbundled) from those which have been purchased from a pension provider (bundled), and have all services provided by related corporate entities.
The scheme return doesn't have a question that provides the bundled / unbundled split so we made an estimate by analysing data provided on the insurer or administrator. Where the same company is listed as both administrator and insurer, we classed this as a bundled scheme. Where the companies are different we classed them as unbundled, and if the administrator is not present, we labelled them 'unknown'.
Last year, we started incorporating email addresses into this data cleaning process, so if a scheme provides an individual’s name as their administrator, we then check the email address for that individual and, if relevant, assign that scheme to the appropriate company. This reduces the number of unknown schemes.
There has also been a change to the assumption made. Previously, where a scheme did not provide an insurer name they were classed as ‘unknown’. For the purpose of these statistics, it is assumed that all bundled schemes will have an insurer, so where a scheme does not provide an insurer name it is classed as ‘unbundled’.
Master trust (definition)
In the Pension Schemes Act 2017, a master trust scheme is defined as an occupational pension scheme that is:
- used by more than one employer
- provides money purchase pensions (either alone or with other benefits)
- not a public sector scheme or used only by connected employers
For the purposes of this publication, we have previously defined a master trust as an occupational trust-based pension scheme established by declaration of trust, which is or has been promoted to provide benefits to employers which are not connected, and where each employer group is not included in a separate section with its own trustees. We consider employers to be connected if they are part of the same group of companies (including partially owned subsidiaries and joint ventures).
View the DWP's consultation on occupational pension schemes (master trusts) regulations 2018 and our data on master trusts including cluster schemes.
Industry-wide master trust (definition)
An industry-wide master trust is a master trust scheme that is only offered to employers within a specific industry.
Bundled / unbundled scheme (definition)
A bundled scheme is one where the majority of services are provided by related corporate entities, and an unbundled scheme is one where services are provided by different companies.
Please note that these figures do not include assets in micro DC schemes (2 to 11 members) or hybrid schemes with DC members.
Indexation of pre-1997 private occupational defined benefit pensions: schemes that do not pay increases
Request
The proportion of DB schemes, by scheme size, with no pre-97 indexation (on benefits in excess of GMP).
Notes on population
All data provided below relates to schemes not in the Pension Protection Fund. Only schemes that are subject to funding legislation of the Pensions Act 2004 are included. Some DB schemes are excluded from the analysis in line with exclusions in the DB Landscape report.
The source for this data is TPR's records, based on the information received directly from the schemes in response to the mandatory Annual Scheme Return.
Analysis
The approximate number of private occupational DB pension schemes in total as of 31 March 2023 is 5,299.
It is estimated that 23% of private occupational DB pension schemes have no indexation applied to pre-1997 (on benefits in excess of GMP), as of 31 March 2023.
Breakdown of schemes with no pre-1997 indexation (on benefits in excess of GMP) by scheme size:
| No. of members in the scheme | Percentage of all schemes with no pre-97 indexation (on benefits in excess of GMP) |
|---|---|
| 1 to 99 | 45% |
| 100 to 499 | 31% |
| 500 to 4999 | 19% |
| 5000 to 9999 | 3% |
| >=10000 | 2% |
Schemes with no pre-1997 indexation (on benefits in excess of GMP) represent 17% of members.