Speeches and blogs from the Pensions Regulator highlighting opportunities under the Pension Schemes Bill and on its innovation service

Impact of the Pension Schemes Bill

The Regulator published a blog post on June 12, 2025, by chief executive Nausicaa Delfas outlining the expected impact of the Pension Schemes Bill, how the Regulator is working to address unfinished business in the pensions system and why the pensions industry must further increase its standards to help unlock the transformational opportunities in the Pension Schemes Bill.

The Regulator repeats its expectation that DB trustees should have their response ready for an employer request on release of surplus and to undertake appropriate due diligence.

The Regulator is also developing a new trusteeship strategy focused on raising professional standards in line with other professions and corporate governance standards, with an emphasis on accountability, agility, and data-led decision-making.

The industry innovation service gets going

A second blog from the Regulator on June 17, 2025, sets out how its industry innovation service has “already started delivering” having held its first event this month.

Head of Innovation and Design Practice Marion Lean explains how the Regulator held an “innovation hackathon” to help engage in “rapid and collaborative idea creation in a tight timescale to develop solutions to problems”.

Concepts put forward in the event included a flexi fund for the self-employed; a personalised financial goal app; and an AI financial adviser.

Regulator tells trustees to prepare now for Pension Schemes Bill implementation

A speech from the Regulator published on June 18, 2025, urged trustees to take practical steps now to prepare for the implementation of the Pension Schemes Bill and ensure they continue to provide quality services.

Speaking at the Professional Pensions Defined Contribution conference, the Regulator’s Interim Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Patrick Coyne, said that there are four themes in the Bill focused on the DC system and that trustees should prepare for the next “three to five years’ worth of reforms”.

He outlined the following steps for trustees: be saver outcome focused; build scale; be data-led and accountable; and innovate at retirement.

Speech from the Regulator’s CEO

Nausicaa Delfas gave a keynote speech, published on June 26, 2025, to the Annual Conference of the Investment Association titled 'Pension regulation in an era of change'. The speech set out the following key points:

• This is a pivotal time for the pensions industry as savings schemes transform into holistic pensions.
• The Regulator’s role is to work in the interests of the saver, helping industry to protect and enhance pension pots.
• New pension environment means every part of the pension ecosystem, from trustees and administrators to regulators and asset managers must re-assess the way they work.
• The Regulator calls on the investment industry to play their part in the transformation and ask what they can do to work innovatively in saver's interests.