| Practice area: | Public Policy |
|---|---|
| Client: | N/A |
| Published: | 26 January, 2026 |
| Keywords: | pension |
2026 will be a big year for private pensions in the UK. In this note, Carl Emmerson, a partner at London Economics and former Deputy Director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, examines the major reforms progressing this year, including the legislative foundation for the automatic consolidation of small defined contribution pension pots, the new statutory duty for many schemes to offer default guided retirement solutions and measures intended to tilt pension fund portfolios towards UK productive assets. He also discusses the Pensions Dashboard where the technical plumbing is nearly complete and the focus is shifting toward ensuring that improved visibility translates into better-informed actions and outcomes for individuals. Furthermore, he looks at the launch of the FCA’s ‘targeted support’ regime this April. Finally, he considers the work of the new Pensions Commission, which is set to publish its interim report this spring and will shape the direction of policy over the 2030s.