In response to a parliamentary question about whether the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans to require profitable companies to increase pre-1997 occupational pensions in line with inflation, Pensions Minister Torsten Bell indicated that the government’s recent proposed reforms to how surpluses can be dealt with in defined benefit schemes will streamline decision-making for individual schemes, thereby potentially leading to better outcomes for both sponsoring employers and members, such as optional benefit increases. While the Pensions Minister’s response addresses growing concerns about inflation erosion of non-indexed pension benefits for pre-1997 pensions, it also suggests that the DWP is not presently contemplating any legislative changes to mandate inflation protection for these pensions.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to introduce new legislation in Parliament aimed at tackling welfare fraud on an unprecedented scale. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error & Recovery) Bill proposes several stringent measures, including the power to disqualify benefit cheats from driving for up to two years if they refuse to repay debts exceeding £1,000. The DWP will also be granted authority to apply for search warrants, seize evidence and recover funds directly from bank accounts of non-benefit claimants who owe money. Additionally, the time limit for civil claims against coronavirus (Covid-19) fraud will be doubled to 12 years, enhancing the government's ability to investigate and recover fraudulent payments. These measures are expected to save £1.5bn over five years and form part of a broader £8.6bn fraud reduction strategy.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has introduced the Universal Credit (UC) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Bill to Parliament. The Bill aims to provide financial security and tailored support for those affected by changes to the PIP daily living component, including a 13‐week transitional support period. Nearly four million households will benefit from an increase in the UC standard rate—the largest real‑terms rise in basic out‐of‐work support since 1980. Under the new measures, over 200,000 individuals with severe, lifelong conditions will be safeguarded from future reassessment for UC entitlement and receive a higher weekly health top‑up. In addition, the legislation is complemented by a £1bn employment support package designed to help over 500,000 individuals return to work through tailored employment and health services.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a six-week consultation on policy proposals for Retirement Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) schemes, a new type of pension arrangement for pensioner members only. The proposed schemes would allow individuals with defined contribution (DC) pension pots to transfer their savings at retirement into a pooled fund providing trustee-managed income for life, with annual adjustments based on investment performance and scheme sustainability. Retirement CDC schemes would operate as sections within Master Trusts or unconnected multiple-employer schemes.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a consultation on the draft Occupational Pension Schemes (Payments to Employer) Regulations 2027, which set out conditions for trustees of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes to make surplus payments to sponsoring employers under the Pension Schemes Act 2026.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a consultation seeking views on how the money held in defined benefit (DB) pension schemes can be best unlocked in the interest of savers and for sustainable investment in the wider economy as it aims to reform the pensions market. The consultation sets out plans on making surplus extraction easier for well-funded DB schemes, alongside a public sector consolidator operated by the Pension Protection Fund. The consultation closes on 19 April 2024.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a call for evidence to inform the third statutory review of the State Pension age. The Pensions Act 2014 requires the government to review State Pension age at least every six years. Deputy Director of the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI), Dr Suzy Morrissey, has been appointed to prepare an independent report examining whether State Pension age should be linked to life expectancy, its role in long-term sustainability and the potential use of automatic adjustment mechanisms based on international models. The review will consider demographic trends and stakeholder views on fairness, regional disparities and economic impacts. As outlined in the published terms of reference, the report will recommend a framework of factors to guide future decisions on state pension age. Responses are sought by 24 October 2025.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a consultation on strengthening the trusteeship, governance and administration standards for trust-based pension schemes, which runs until 6 March 2026. Among other things, the consultation proposes mandatory accreditation for professional trustees with centrally set standards, measures to improve trustee board diversity, and potential regulatory oversight of pension scheme administrators by the Pensions Regulator (TPR). It explores introducing a public trustee system for schemes requiring trustee replacement and creating a statutory trustee directory. The proposals aim to address governance challenges as the sector consolidates towards fewer larger schemes,  like megafunds, where provisions contained in the Pension Schemes Bill require multi-employer DC schemes to have £25bn of assets by 2030. The consultation covers schemes safeguarding retirement savings for over 40m members with approximately £1.5trn of assets across England, Scotland and Wales. It builds on previous government commitments following the Work and Pensions Select Committee's DB pension schemes inquiry and a 2023 call for evidence on trustee skills and capabilities.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published guidance for pension fund trustees and managers of occupational schemes on preparing an annualised version of the accrued pot value for members with money purchase benefits other than collective money purchase benefits. This forms part of the value requirements set out in Regulation 26 and Schedule 3 of the Pensions Dashboards Regulations 2022, SI 2022/1220.

On 16 June 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) launched a call for evidence on the operation of the alternative automatic enrolment quality requirements for defined benefit (DB), hybrid and collective defined contribution (CDC) pension schemes, as part of its statutory review of whether those requirements continue to meet their policy objectives.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published a new factsheet detailing the removal structure of the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). Under the Employment Rights Bill (ERB), the LEL requirement of £125 per week is set to be replaced by an 80% earnings rate capped at £118.75 weekly, with the four-day waiting period before SSP can be claimed set to be removed entirely. The changes extend SSP eligibility to 1.3 million additional employees, though approximately 330,000 workers earning £125-£148 weekly may receive a lower rate than under the previous system. The changes to SSP were the subject of a consultation titled ‘Making Work Pay: Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay’ between 21 October 2024 and 4 December 2024. The outcome to the consultation was published on 4 March 2025.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published a paper setting out its policy principles on scale measures, which are part of the wide ranging reforms introduced in the Pension Schemes Bill designed to encourage the consolidation of smaller defined contribution (DC) pension schemes into fewer, larger multi-employer DC schemes in order to improve efficiency, governance and long-term value for members. The policy paper is intended to signal the government’s direction of travel on the scale measures reforms ahead of detailed consultation on regulations to follow the Pension Schemes Bill’s royal assent. While the paper outlines the DWP’s trajectory in this area, it also clarifies that it does not replace formal consultation nor pre-empt the final regulatory framework.