Policy paper

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) action plan: How DWP will learn lessons following the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) investigation into communications around women’s State Pension age

Published 25 June 2026

Overview

1. Retirement is a significant step in life and the government is committed to supporting people to plan for it. We do this through our policies and by providing a range of communications and services, including through the online GOV.UK services, such as the ‘Check your State Pension forecast’, and through other organisations such as the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS)^{[footnote 1]}, which is supported by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). DWP also deliver communication campaigns that aim to encourage people to engage with all aspects of their pensions and retirement provision, of which the State Pension element is one strand.

2. DWP was established in 2001 and we have always sought to improve our communications by building on our existing products and approaches, and developing new ones. We will continue to evolve our communications approach, aiming to reflect the needs of our customers and how they receive information, build trust in our communications, and respond to the changing media and communications landscape.

3. Following the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) investigation, we want to establish a new communication strategy for effective, timely and modern communications on the State Pension, which will form part of the action plan (see chapter 2). We will encourage individuals to engage with services and information available in the current and future State Pension systems.^{[footnote 2]}

4. Our overall approach to State Pension communications will be sufficiently flexible so that we can consider insight and future learnings, and incorporate messages on any future changes to pension policy. We want to make the most of new digital communication methods and tools providing a joined-up government service for individuals.

The action plan

5. The Government committed to delivering an action plan that focuses on learning lessons from the PHSO’s investigation into historical communications on women’s State Pension age. The Government accepted that maladministration in decision-making between August 2005 and December 2007 resulted in a 28-month delay in beginning to send individual letters to 1950s-born women about the changes in State Pension age. The Government apologised that DWP did not send individual letters earlier in this case.^{[footnote 3]} The Government also accepted the PHSO’s findings on complaint handling. It apologised to those impacted and agreed to review its handling of the complaint campaign and learn lessons from the PHSO’s report.^{[footnote 4]}

6. DWP recognises the importance of reflecting on and learning from the PHSO’s findings. This action plan sets out how DWP intends to acknowledge lessons learned in State Pension communications, with a focus on State Pension age and complaints handling, as they were core to the PHSO’s investigation. See the government response to the PHSO’s report.

7. This document has 2 chapters:

• Chapter 1: Our approach to State Pension communications

• Chapter 2: The action plan

Chapter 1: Our approach to State Pension communications

8. Retirement can be complex and planning it is part of an individual’s responsibility for their personal financial journey. DWP has a role in helping to make this easier for people and support individuals in planning for financial resilience in later life.^{[footnote 5]}

9. Getting everyone to engage with planning for their retirement, through State Pension, workplace or personal pensions can be challenging. People below State Pension age are a diverse group in age and characteristics, ranging from those nearing State Pension age to those for whom retirement is a more distant consideration. People take different approaches and have different levels of desire to plan for their retirement. We acknowledge and understand that some are more engaged than others. DWP is keen to encourage people to proactively engage with and make plans for their retirement.

10. Despite everyone having personal responsibility for their finances, not everyone engages early or effectively with their pension planning. People tend to be focused on the here and now rather than thinking about their own future financial stability. People also generally start actively planning for their retirement much later than they start saving. A recent survey on Planning and Preparing for Later Life (PPLL) shows that fewer than half of people under the age of 50 (42% of 40 to 44 year olds and 34% of 45 to 49 year olds) had actively started planning for their retirement. This means that communicating on the State Pension is unique compared to other welfare benefits because it requires individuals to take a longer-term planning approach, not least considering whether they have sufficient National Insurance Contributions or Credits to qualify for the amount of State Pension they want.

11. DWP also understands that the State Pension very often plays a foundational role in an individual’s retirement. This is especially true for pensioners whose sole income is the State Pension which in the financial year ending in 2024, was estimated to be around 400,000 pensioners.^{[footnote 6]} Benefit income, including State Pension income, was the largest source of income for both single pensioners and couples in the bottom two-fifths of the income distribution over the 3-year period between financial year end 2023 to financial year end 2025.^{[footnote 7]}

12. It is around twenty years since the period covered by the PHSO’s investigation and DWP has naturally continued to evolve its communications activity, including that relating to the State Pension, in line with things like broader developments in modern communications. DWP wants to get support to the people who need it most and this informs our current approach to communications.

13. DWP provides support for retirement planning primarily by offering services, information and accessible tools that enable people to check and understand their own State Pension position. We use a range of channels, including both traditional and more modern digital approaches, with clarity and accessibility in mind, to:

• explain the rules associated with the State Pension, including State Pension age
• raise awareness of changes to the rules on State Pension entitlement, including State Pension age,
• promote services and tools that help individuals plan for retirement ahead of reaching State Pension age

14. We actively use communications campaigns to encourage use of DWP’s tools and services. However, we understand that not everyone will engage directly with DWP’s services or communications. Some people may prefer to seek expert advice through recognised pension or financial experts. With this in mind, DWP’s Arm’s Length Body, MaPS, support individuals to help understand their personal retirement decisions.

15. DWP also understands that individuals have varying levels of understanding, digital access and skills. We therefore work closely with third party organisations, such as Citizens Advice and Age UK, by sharing our messages so they can support us in reaching individuals, to provide resources and signpost helpful information.

The government uses a wide range of tools and services to communicate information about State Pension to individuals, including:

(i) Campaigns

16. We run communications campaigns to provide information and encourage individuals to engage with DWP’s information. We want people to use our tools, like ‘Check Your State Pension age’, so they can get a better understanding of their State Pension and have more support in their retirement planning. When developing campaigns, DWP considers a range of options to reach our audiences. This includes free and low-cost options alongside paid campaigns in line with the Government Communications Service (GCS) standards and GCS spending controls. All our campaigns are developed and delivered by communications professionals, who are members of the GCS.

17. We evaluate the impact of our State Pension communications campaigns, including for those not yet claiming State Pension.^{[footnote 8]} Previous campaigns in this area include ‘Get to know your State Pension’ (2018) and ‘Will the Retirement you get, be the Retirement you want’ (2019). As part of campaigns on the State Pension, we share our messaging with DWP’s national partners, which include third sector organisations and employers to spread the word as widely as possible.

18. When creating communications campaigns for any specific audience we thoroughly test our materials according to the GCS professional standards (which mirror the private sector), including through focus groups to develop accessible and appropriate messaging with our audiences in mind. When developing communications campaigns to raise awareness about State Pension, we consider the evidence around awareness, including whether particular groups are less aware than others. Our marketing campaigns are targeted to reach the appropriate audience by using the media where they are most likely to see our message. We also set key performance indicators for each campaign to test its effectiveness.

19. We currently use specialist agencies to advise on our planning and buying of media (such as TV, print, radio or social media advertising) so that we can tailor our campaigns as much as possible and target our communications to reach specific groups. For example, we recently used community radio stations that have a listener base predominantly made up of people from a minority ethnic background, to raise awareness of the ‘Check your State Pension age’ tool.

(ii) GOV.UK

20. Individuals can access up to date State Pension information and our digital services via GOV.UK. ‘GOV.UK One Login’ offers a new way to sign into some government services, such as ‘Manage Your State Pension’. 

21. We regularly review and update our GOV.UK pages to ensure they are easy for individuals to use. For example, we provide online feedback options so individuals can share their views on the information and services they access. We use this feedback, alongside user research, to update content and improve how it is designed.

(iii) Contacting individuals

22. DWP has written to individuals to raise awareness of their State Pension age and promote resources available on GOV.UK. Recently (from June 2025), DWP began to send letters to those people who have a State Pension age of 67, telling them the earliest point they will be eligible to claim their State Pension and encouraging them to visit the ‘Check your State Pension forecast’.^{[footnote 9]}

(iv) Provision of services

23. In line with the blueprint for modern digital government, we provide services to support individuals with retirement planning through:

• ‘Check your State Pension forecast’: A digital and telephony service, run by DWP and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), is available to help individuals to understand how much State Pension they may receive when they reach State Pension age.
• ‘Check your State Pension Age’ is a service hosted on GOV.UK to help individuals understand when they will reach State Pension age, what their Pension Credit qualifying age would be and when they will be eligible for free bus travel based on the current legislation.   
• ‘Plan your retirement income’: Within GOV.UK, we have a step by step guide to help people with finding out information that can impact their retirement, including checking how much State Pension they will get, learning about opportunities to increase their pension, as well as checking what other financial support they could get. We have this tool to help people navigate the retirement landscape and plan for their future.

• ‘Check your National Insurance record’: HMRC provides digital services on GOV.UK to help individuals check and manage their National Insurance record and support their retirement planning. For example, the ‘Check your National Insurance record’ service allows individuals to view their National Insurance contributions and credits, typically up to the most recently processed tax year. It highlights any gaps in contributions or credits which may mean some years are not qualifying years for State Pension. The service explains how to fill gaps, including through voluntary National Insurance contributions, and provides information on costs. It also signposts to related services, such as the ‘Check your State Pension forecast’ service, to help individuals understand how their record may affect their State Pension entitlement. 

• Applying for State Pension: Individuals can claim their State Pension online when they receive their invitation to claim letter 4 months before their State Pension age. Where online is not someone’s channel of choice, they can contact the Pension Service and apply for State Pension by phone or post.

(v) Additional customer services

24. DWP support can be accessed through:

• Future Pension Centre (FPC) provides a telephony service for customers who do not wish to use the online service to check their State Pension forecast. They can support individuals to receive bespoke information about their State Pension and National Insurance contributions. The FPC staff are able to provide information on State Pension age.  

• International Pension Centre provides information and advice about pensions and benefits where people are planning to move abroad, currently live abroad or have lived abroad. 

• ‘Midlife MOTs’ are delivered in Jobcentres, helping over 50s on Universal Credit to review their health, finances and skills and signpost to suitable support. There is also a digital offer available.^{[footnote 10]}

(vi) Signposting:

25. Our tools and services are signposted by organisations such as MaPS including MoneyHelper^{[footnote 11]}, and third sector organisations like Citizens Advice and Age UK. We also regularly update stakeholders on our DWP communication activity through our subscriber email ‘Touchbase’.^{[footnote 12]}

Future tools:

26. DWP has continued to evolve and improve ways for individuals to engage with their retirement planning. Pensions Dashboards, for example, will support retirement planning by offering a single online view of all pension information, including the State Pension.

27. The technological landscape continues to change and over time it will likely provide further opportunities for engaging with individuals and driving better customer experience.

The government takes an evidence-based approach to State Pension communications:

28. DWP has continued to track and improve its understanding of people’s awareness of their State Pension age. DWP assesses the relevance and quality of evidence so that decisions taken are proportionate to the weight of the evidence.

29. DWP regularly assesses evidence relevant to State Pension age awareness from both our own research and that undertaken by external organisations. We commission new research that measures State Pension age awareness in order to maintain an up-to-date evidence base, and take opportunities to investigate related topics and comparisons between cohorts.

30. DWP is committed to publishing research reports in line with the Government Social Research Publication Protocol, which recommends products from government social research and analysis be made publicly available.

31. For example, we co-funded the National Child Development Study, with research recently published in February 2026, looking into pensions and economic status among the 1958 birth cohort prior to reaching State Pension age. We continue to co-fund the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which includes questions about respondents’ awareness of State Pension age. DWP has also commissioned and published the Planning and Preparing for Later Life (PPLL) surveys which explore how people aged 40 to 75 plan for retirement. This includes evidence on topics such as what information sources individuals use, when planning begins, awareness of State Pension age and retirement expectations. The first PPLL survey was conducted in 2020 to 2021 and the second PPLL survey was conducted in 2024. The findings from the 2024 PPLL report show, in line with the previous PPLL survey, that the accuracy of an individual’s awareness of their State Pension age increases as they get closer to it. Both PPLL surveys show that government websites are the most used source of information for help with planning for retirement.

User research

32. DWP carries out regular qualitative and quantitative user research with people approaching and at or over State Pension age and representatives of third-party organisations, to learn about people’s expectations and experiences. User research can either inform the development of new products and services or support ongoing improvements to established products and services.

33. In line with the inclusive approach of Government Service Standard, we have undertaken usability testing of our products and services, including new GOV.UK pages and letter designs. DWP collects feedback from both citizens and colleagues about their experiences either using or delivering our services. We share this research internally, with individuals’ consent, and the insight helps us improve our services.

34. Recent user research has included individuals both reaching and at State Pension age, with a range of digital capability. For example, we user tested letters sent to people with a State Pension age of 67 informing them of their State Pension age. We carried out 20 individual qualitative interviews, of 45 to 60 minutes, to hear customers’ views on draft letter content and to understand customers’ expectations of retirement. Participants represented a range of demographic characteristics, employment and benefit statuses, and access needs. We made changes to our draft letter as a result, to simplify the content and emphasise points interviewees felt were most important.

Summary

35. As this chapter has highlighted, retirement can be complex and everyone has a personal responsibility to plan for and understand their retirement income, including their State Pension. DWP has continued to develop its communications on the State Pension, adapting its approaches alongside the changing world of communications. DWP uses multiple methods and channels to help individuals remain informed, taking an evidence-based approach that balances wider departmental responsibilities and appropriate use of public money.

Chapter 2: The action plan

36. We recognise the importance of building a continuous learning approach and evolution of our services as the technological and media environment changes. The current communications and services differ markedly from those in the period that the PHSO investigated, as we have explained in chapter 1.

37. This chapter introduces our action plan, in response to the PHSO’s investigation. The actions are intended to reduce the likelihood of similar issues arising again. Several actions in this plan build on improvements that we have already put in place or are continuing to progress. Although the focus of the action plan is on State Pension age, we are considering wider State Pension communications, including reflecting on best practice, lessons and insight, adapting our approach as appropriate.

38. We have worked with the PHSO to gain their insight into this work. This has included holding 2 workshops attended by both DWP and the PHSO, which covered complaints handling policy and State Pension age communications. We have also shared drafts of the action plan. The PHSO’s input has been welcome. We want to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders on future State Pension age communications, which we have set out in the table below.

39. DWP supports people across the country by administering the State Pension as well as through other pensioner and working age benefits. We have around 20 million claimants and customers. The actions identified will need to be carried out alongside wider departmental responsibilities for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy.

40. We have identified the teams who will deliver these actions as well as the accountability at a Senior Civil Servant (SCS) level to oversee delivery. DWP retains on-going discretion over all aspects of State Pension age communications and delivery of the action plan, for example if government priorities and/or funding should change.^{[footnote 13]} Ministers are accountable to Parliament for the delivery of the action plan. The Director General (Policy) will have ownership of the action plan.

41. Each action has a named responsible Director, with Deputy Directors responsible for delivery against milestones and managing any risks. A 2-monthly review of progress will be carried out by the established Director-led Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group. This has oversight of Retirement Services in DWP and will consider progress against the plan, risks and mitigations. If there is any slippage, risk owners will be required to set out plans to address this and report back to the group. Progress will then be reported to the Director General and to the Permanent Secretary and Ministers.

42. Our overall aim is to improve State Pension age communications. The action plan is the start of that process, as it provides the foundation for delivering the State Pension communications strategy; and will create functions and processes such as a stakeholder working group that will support the development of customer facing products and communications. The success of the products and processes delivered by the action plan will be measured through a combination of delivery metrics. These are likely to include behavioural indicators such as engagement with State Pension tools, and customer outcomes such as awareness of State Pension age. We will evaluate the overall success of these deliverables as part of our future work. This will then inform future activity.

43. This action plan is applicable in the context of State Pension age communications and complaints policy.^{[footnote 14]} We will use it to inform and contribute to DWP’s wider approach to continual learning and improvement. We will regularly monitor the action plan until we are satisfied that all actions have been completed and the arrangements for this are set out in the table. The action plan will be delivered once the department has decided that actions in the table are complete and that the next steps beyond the plan are identified and in place.

DWP’s action plan: State Pension age communications and complaints handling

The action plan is due for completion by April 2027.

Oversight of the action plan:

• Overall accountability of the action plan sits with the Permanent Secretary.
• Directors responsible for Communications, State Pension age and Complaints policy have lead responsibility for delivering the actions.
• Deputy Directors are responsible for day-to-day delivery and reporting against progress.
• The Director-led cross-DWP Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group will review progress 2-monthly. This is a SCS meeting, co-chaired by the Retirement Services and Policy Directors. Progress will also be reported to the Director General, Permanent Secretary and Ministers.
• We will inform the PHSO of progress regularly.

Deliverables and further detail:

• The measures we will use to track the actions are set out below.

• While the action plan is being delivered, the outputs will be used to inform future decisions about State Pension age communications and complaints handling policy.

• The action plan will close on completion of the actions below. We will identify and agree next steps as part of the action plan’s completion to inform activity moving forward.

Action 1 – develop a communications strategy

Action 1	Input	Oversight	Status and timeline
Develop a communications strategy to support delivery of accessible, appropriate, targeted and cost-effective communications on the State Pension, covering April 2027 to 2030. The Government re-committed to delivering the State Pension communications strategy in January 2026.	State Pension Policy, Strategic Communications, Analysts, User Research, Digital, and external input.	Lead: Directors for State Pension policy and Communications. Progress on the strategy reported into Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group via the Action Plan updates.	In progress. By March 2027 (First iteration expected November 2026).

Action 1 measure:

• A strategy containing activity and outcome measures is delivered on time. Outcome measures and delivery metrics to be developed as part of the plan, informed by the Stakeholder Working Group (action 4).

Action 1 deliverables and further detail:

This action will be considered complete once the initial strategy is developed and agreed for April 2027 to 2030. After this action is closed, the strategy will be maintained as a living document.

The strategy is expected to:

• Build on existing communication approaches to State Pension age and the overall retirement planning approach.
• Set out DWP’s responsibility and aims for communicating with customers about their State Pension age and provide clarity about the role of other government departments.
• Comply with GCS and align with the ambition to drive forward a modern digital government.
• Be informed by the stakeholder working group and seek opportunities to work with third party organisations to extend reach (see actions 2, 3, 4).
• Be informed by user research, audience insight and findings from the evaluation of the ‘Check your State Pension age’ communications campaign (see action 2a).

Action 2 – deliver a communications campaign

Action 2	Input	Oversight	Status and timeline
Deliver a communications campaign that encourages individuals to check their State Pension age using the ‘Check your State Pension age’ digital tool, including paid and low and no cost elements. This is set out in 2 parts – actions 2a and 2b.	Strategic Communications, State Pension policy, Analysts.	Lead: Director of Communications. Annual progress is reported to Cabinet Office. A campaign evaluation will be undertaken.	In progress. By April 2027.

Action 2 measure:

Campaign is completed, and data is tracked on the digital tool. This will inform the communications strategy (action 1) and the data will feed into action 3.

Action 2 deliverables and further detail:

• The campaign will be delivered in line with the GCS standards.
• Action considered complete following campaign evaluation.

Action 2a – deliver the paid elements of the communications campaign

Action 2a	Status and timeline
Deliver the paid elements of the communications campaign that encourages individuals to check their State Pension age using the ‘Check your State Pension age’ digital tool.	In progress, phased delivery. By April 2027.

Action 2a measure:

• See action 2.

Action 2a deliverables and further detail:

• The campaign has been running since Autumn 2025 with the first round of evaluation undertaken in Spring 2026. The campaign included social media, radio adverts and out of home sites, such as bus stops.
• The initial evaluation will be used to inform the remainder of the campaign which will finish by April 2027.
• Insight will be used to inform the communications strategy development in the financial year 2026 to 2027 (see action 1).

Action 2b – deliver the first phase of the low and no-cost elements

Action 2b	Status and timeline
2b. Deliver the first phase of the low and no-cost elements of the ‘Check your State Pension age’ communications campaign.	In progress. By September 2026. (Next phase of planning underway).

Action 2b measure:

• See action 2.
• Stakeholder feedback will be also considered if received.

Action 2b deliverables and further detail

We have shared campaign messaging through newsletter content via:

• Touchbase to 17,000 stakeholders (Completed April 2026)
• Disability Confident employer newsletter (Completed May 2026)

We have shared messaging with third party organisations:

• messaging was shared with 150 plus national partner organisations (completed February 2026)
• responded to 28 requests to work with and share messages through Local Authorities, work coaches and local organisations (completed March 2026)

We have shared messaging internally within the Civil Service:

• internal DWP intranet campaign (including poll which will provide additional insight on awareness levels of current DWP colleagues) (completed March 2026)
• engaged with other government departments to consider sharing messaging through internal departmental channels (completed May 2026)

We will:

• explore other options for sharing messaging with third party organisations, including with trade unions, charities, public sector and private sector organisations (by September 2026)

Action 3 – consider the best way to leverage feedback loops

Action 3	Input	Oversight	Status and timeline
Consider the best way to leverage feedback loops, including from complaints, to identify and consolidate evidence gathered across the customer journey by different areas of the DWP. This will provide insight on the evidence base on State Pension age communications and awareness.	State Pension policy, Pensions and Later Life Analysts, Strategic Communications, User Research. Complaints insight will be shared as part of this action.	Lead: Director for State Pension policy. Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group updates.	Not started. By April 2027.

Action 3 measure:

• Feedback mechanism is created; and scope of feedback agreed. Insight will be shared with Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group and shared across State Pension policy.

Action 3 deliverables and further detail:

• Set up a task and finish group to identify the most effective approaches for formalising feedback loops and to report on findings within 3-months.
• Establish the mechanism for reviewing and consolidating that feedback.

Action 4 – set up a stakeholder working group

Action 4	Input	Oversight	Status and timeline
Building on existing relationships with stakeholders, set up a stakeholder working group to provide input on future State Pension communications approaches and products when needed, including for those who have not yet reached State Pension age.	State Pension policy, Strategic Communications, External Affairs.	Lead: Director for Communications and State Pension policy. Feedback will be shared as part of action 3. The outputs of these meetings can be used to inform future communication approaches on the State Pension.	Not started. By January 2027.

Action 4 - measure:

• This action will be considered completed when a terms of reference for this group has been established and the first meeting has been delivered.

Action 4 - deliverables and further detail:

• Group is established, including an agreed terms of reference.
• This group can provide insight into feedback from organisations that interact or have a presence with our audience, what works in relation to communications and any new ways to target harder to reach customers.

Action 5 – learning from high-volume complaint campaigns

Action 5	Input	Oversight	Status and timeline
DWP will ensure that learning from the PHSO report informs any future relevant high volume complaint campaigns, in line with appropriate governance.	The DWP Complaints Service, working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including service delivery teams. Should DWP need to respond to a future high-volume campaign of complaints outside our normal complaint processes, we would engage PHSO on our plans and take account of feedback.	Lead: Director for Complaints policy. DWP Complaints Service in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders and associated internal governance.	Triggered by future high-volume complaint campaigns.

Action 5 measure:

• We will review the efficacy of any new process of handling complaint campaigns to ensure handling is appropriate. If relevant, we will feed insight into action 3.

Action 5 deliverables and further detail:

• We will deploy learning to any high-volume complaint campaigns on specific issues if and when they arise. Where a campaign is identified, we will engage with all appropriate stakeholders to ensure awareness of any revised approach.
• This action will be considered complete and will be kept under review.

Action 6 – investigate whether learnings can be applied to other DWP services

Action 6	Input	Oversight	Status and timeline
DWP will investigate whether any of the learnings in actions 1 to 4 are potentially scalable, which means that they could be applied to other DWP services.	Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group are responsible for considering this action and ensuring it is taken forward.	Lead: Directors for State Pension and Complaints policy. Potentially scalable activities to be reported into the Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group.	Not started. By April 2027.

Action 6 measure:

• That findings are communicated to comparable functions across DWP on scalable activities that are delivering improvements or are generating robust feedback.

Action 6 deliverables and further detail:

• Findings assessed and shared across the department through Retirement Services Senior Oversight Group. ^{[footnote 15]}
• The action can be considered complete once this is fulfilled.
• Where potentially scalable activities are identified, responsibility will fall to the impacted business areas to confirm next steps.^{[footnote 16]}

1. MaPS provides debt advice, money guidance and pension guidance. It is a statutory organisation that operates under DWP oversight and is referred to as a DWP Arm’s Length Body. ↩

2. For example, we are currently running a communications campaign to signpost people to the ‘Check your State Pension age’ tool available on GOV.UK. See the action plan in chapter 2 for detail. ↩

3. Government response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Investigation into Women’s State Pension age communications and associated issues - GOV.UK. ↩

4. Government response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Investigation into Women’s State Pension age communications and associated issues - GOV.UK. ↩

5. For example, in the private pensions space, DWP has recently legislated for Guided Retirement in the Pension Schemes Act 2026, which will require defined contribution pension schemes to provide default pensions, ensuring individuals do not have to make complex decisions to receive a sustainable income in retirement. ↩

6. Written evidence submitted by the Department for Work and Pensions [ PPCM0068]. ↩

7. Pensioners’ Incomes: financial years ending 1995 to 2025 - GOV.UK. ↩

8. GCS Evaluation Cycle - UK Government Communications. ↩

9. Letters were sent to those with a transitional State Pension age of between 66 and 67, from 2016 to 2018. ↩

10. For further information visit Your Money - Midlife MOT. ↩

11. MoneyHelper is a free impartial guidance service delivered by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) on behalf of Government. ↩

12. Sign up to Touchbase. ↩

13. DWP has a duty to use public money responsibly. For further information, see the guidance on ‘Managing public money’. ↩

14. This is with the exception of Action 6. ↩

15. Action 5 is already DWP wide. ↩

16. We cannot assume that potentially scalable activities will be taken forward by other business areas, as this is dependent on their priorities, and cost and capacity considerations. ↩