"It also considered that delivering pensions dashboards fitted well with Maps’s objective to support members of the public to make informed financial decisions."
In future, it will encourage the DWP to strengthen its ties to arms-length bodies delivering big government projects, such as having representatives attend the department change portfolio board.
Looking ahead with a new timeline
In the final section of the report, it appears to have more confidence with the reset programme.
A new "responsible owner" was appointed in April; a senior official from the DWP with project delivery experience was appointed at the start of the reset, and a new board set up, while a quarter of the programme's team has been seconded from DWP.
In the final chapter, the NAO says: "Maps...needs to confirm that it has the capacity and capability to deliver what remains to be done." However the NAO says Maps has made progress, including revising a delivery plan and completing a technical review of the digital architecture.
Oliver Morley, chief executive of Maps, says: “This report reflects the hard work of a dedicated team to inject real momentum into the dashboards programme, with support from Maps, the DWP and wider stakeholder community.
“We’re making sustained progress, delivering the information industry needs to be able to connect and so enable us to transform financial planning for generations to come.”
A DWP spokesperson says: "As the NAO recognises, the pensions dashboards programme has made significant progress towards delivering a service that will transform how savers plan for their retirement.
“Action taken by the DWP and Maps to reset the programme to get it on track for successful delivery means connection testing will begin from August 2024 before a wider onboarding of pension schemes and providers from April 2025.”
Many are keeping their fingers crossed that this will actually happen, and the public will become more acquainted with their pensions, both known and unknown.
Melanie Tringham is features editor at FT Adviser
