The Pensions Ombudsman publishes Corporate Plan for 2026/27 backed by new three-year DWP funding settlement

The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) published its Corporate Plan for 2026/27 on 5 May 2026, alongside a new three-year funding settlement from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) covering 2026/27 to 2028/29¹. The settlement allows TPO to expand its frontline casework teams by 20% in 2026/27¹. TPO's agreed budget for 2026/27 is £15.23 million¹.

The plan follows two years of an Operating Model Review programme. TPO says case closures in 2025/26 rose by 14% on the previous year, and that since the programme began in 2023/24 it has increased the number of cases closed by 63%¹. Demand rose by 58% over the same period¹.

TPO says the funding supports a sustained drive to reduce a long-standing backlog and cut waiting times for people with complaints about their pensions¹. It says the investment will create dedicated specialist teams to tackle complex and longstanding cases, and describes this as the beginning of a three-year initiative to reduce the historical caseload that has caused extended waiting times¹. It adds that challenges remain and that reducing the backlog will take time even with new investment and efficiency improvements¹.

TPO also says it will invest in technology, launching an internal AI pilot to help caseworkers progress cases more quickly, with decision making remaining grounded in the professional judgement of caseworkers and ultimately the Ombudsman¹. It says improvements to the online application journey will help applicants understand earlier whether TPO can assist them, reducing the volume of invalid applications¹.

TPO is a non-departmental public body funded by DWP, and its grant-in-aid is recovered from the general levy on pension schemes administered by The Pensions Regulator¹. It states that it is impartial, that its service is free at the point of delivery, and that its Determinations are legally binding and enforceable in court¹.

Why it matters for households

The plan concerns people who have complained about a pension and are waiting for a decision. TPO says the extra funding is intended to reduce the backlog and waiting times, and that specialist teams will handle complex and longstanding cases from 2026/27¹. It also says reducing the backlog will take time¹, so no date has been given for when waiting times might fall.

The service remains free to use at the point of delivery, and TPO's Determinations are legally binding and enforceable in court¹. The cost of the body is met through the general levy on pension schemes, which is recovered from schemes rather than from complainants directly¹.

What happens next

The funding settlement runs from 2026/27 to 2028/29¹. TPO says the 20% expansion of frontline casework teams applies in 2026/27, and that the AI pilot and changes to the online application journey form part of the plan¹. No further dates for these measures have been reported.

More on complaining about a pension and on pensions generally.