Ask any pension scheme administrator what keeps them up at night, and you’ll hear a familiar list of challenges—from legacy data issues and compliance pressure to low member response rates. But inaccurate pension data isn’t just a regulatory headache—it directly impacts member communication, operational efficiency, and the ability to deliver accurate benefits. Data accuracy is more than box-ticking; it’s the foundation of trust and performance.

Under GDPR and other data protection regulations, we must all handle personal data securely and responsibly at every stage. The Pensions Dashboard project is another hurdle, putting pension schemes under pressure to get their data in order.

That’s where Datagraphic can make a difference. We provide a GDPR-compliant, secure process for capturing, digitising, and returning structured data. It can also minimise risks associated with manual handling.

We sat down with two experts working on different sides of the Aceni Inbound solution to cleanse and digitise data at scale, Paul and Adele. Paul works directly with pension schemes, and Adele is a data transformation expert, seeing the real-world challenges schemes are facing.

So let’s get into the practical realities of pension data and what it takes to get ready for a digital future.

The data challenges for pension schemes

Paul: “I speak to pension managers regularly, and the themes are consistent. Inaccurate contact details, missing National Insurance numbers, and mismatched records across systems. What’s changing now is the urgency—everyone’s aware that with the Dashboard coming, these issues can’t be ignored.”

Adele: “That lines up with what we see when data and paper documents arrive. We see legacy issues like inconsistent formatting, missing fields, or historical documents not digitised.”

Why inaccurate pension data matters

Keeping pension data accurate isn’t just about operational efficiency—it directly affects people’s lives. Therefore, accurate pension data matters to:

• Contact pension holders – Scheme administrators can stay in touch with members, communicate changes, and manage queries efficiently.
• Pay correctly, on time – Even a small data error can delay or miscalculate pension payments.
• Comply with regulations – Helps schemes meet legal standards, such as those set out by The Pensions Regulator.
• Prevent costly failures and penalties – Mistakes can result in fines, sanctions, or even legal action.
• Reduce financial and administrative errors – Less risk of overpayments, underpayments, or inefficient data management.
• Build trust in pension scheme members – Data is safe, and members’ benefits are handled responsibly.
• Plan better – Fund assessments, funding liability, and strategic planning decisions can be better informed.

Paul: “Clients often tell me the data issues aren’t just admin headaches—they affect trust. When members receive inaccurate statements or queries that take longer to resolve due to inaccurate or missing data, it puts a lot of additional pressure on our support team and their ability to provide quick responses.”

Adele: “The compliance risk is real. One small error—say, a wrong digit in a bank account—can escalate fast. It might delay a payment, cause a complaint, or flag a breach. The knock-on effects are serious.”

Why do we need clean data for the Pensions Dashboard?

With the Pensions Dashboard on the horizon, there is greater urgency around data accuracy. The Dashboard aims to give individuals a clear view of all their pension entitlements in one place. Therefore, correct data is essential to accurately identify and match pension holders across multiple schemes.

Common problems from inaccurate pension data include:

• Duplicate member records
• Missing personal information (e.g., NI numbers, dates of birth)
• Outdated addresses and contact details
• Historical data from paper records not digitised properly

Paul: “The Dashboard is a big concern for pension managers. Many are worried they won’t be able to match their data correctly across schemes.”

Challenges with paper-based responses

Many pension schemes still rely on paper-based communications when requesting updates from members. For example, name changes, new addresses, beneficiary updates, or confirmation of details. Asking members to return paper forms presents several challenges, however:

• Low response rates – People often lose, forget, or delay returning forms sent by post.
• Manual processing – Returned forms often require time-consuming, error-prone manual handling and data entry.
• Risk of data inaccuracy – Handwritten information can be hard to read, leading to mistakes during transcription and more inaccurate pension data.
• Storage and tracking – Managing and archiving physical responses adds an administrative burden and risk.
• Delays in data updates – Delays in receiving, processing, and uploading forms often leave outdated or incomplete records in the system for too long.

Paul: “You’d be surprised how many schemes still rely on paper forms to update member records. They know it’s inefficient, but feel stuck. They worry that members won’t engage digitally, or they just don’t have the internal bandwidth to handle a change.”

Adele: “Every time we receive paper responses, we see the risks: handwriting errors, missed fields, even forms that are mailed to the wrong address. Manual handling increases the chance of mistakes—and slows everything down.”

How Datagraphic digitises data capture

Adele explains the process: Datagraphic simplifies this entire process through its secure, GDPR-compliant inbound mail service:

• Processes incoming responses – Members send their completed forms directly to Datagraphic, where a dedicated team quickly receives and processes them.
• Identifies and captures changes – The team accurately digitises updates like new addresses or name changes.
• Converts information into structured data – They transform the details into clean, ready-to-import data files for your system.
• Boosts speed and accuracy – Automated workflows reduce admin time, improve accuracy, and keep your records up to date with minimal effort from your team.
• Protects sensitive data – Datagraphic designs the entire process to meet GDPR standards, ensuring privacy and compliance every step.

Adele: “Our inbound mail solution is designed for exactly this challenge. Members send forms directly to us. We scan, interpret, and digitise the data, turning it into clean, structured files ready for upload. It removes the bottlenecks and drastically reduces admin effort on the scheme side.”

Common challenges and how inbound helps

Final advice for pension schemes

With Datagraphic managing your inbound mail and data capture, pension managers can reduce risk, speed up updates, and finally move away from the inefficiencies of paper-based processes. Better data health improves customer experience, puts the scheme in a stronger position for Dashboard readiness, ensures long-term compliance, and supports GDPR obligations.

Paul: “If you’re stuck in paper-based processes or nervous about data quality, start small. Pick one workflow, like address updates, and try automating it. You don’t have to fix everything at once.”

Adele: “Clean, structured data isn’t just about ticking compliance boxes—it’s about protecting your members and your reputation.”

Ready to improve your pension data health?

Whether it’s address updates, change of details or cleansing legacy records, Datagraphic can help you digitise and streamline your data capture process—fast.

Get in touch to discuss how our inbound mail solution can improve the accuracy and security of your data.