What Pensions Administration Standards Association does

Pensions Administration Standards Association (PASA) is a UK Community Interest Company (CIC), company number 6597097, founded in 2015 to drive standards in UK pensions administration. Rather than a software platform, PASA operates as an industry standards body, offering a comprehensive Standards and Accreditation framework, an extensive open-source guidance library, and a portfolio of working groups (DC Governance, Data, Digital Admin, Dashboards, GMP Equalisation, Cybercrime & Fraud, Transfers, De-Risking, CDC, Identity Management, Engagement & Communications, and others). Its core commercial offering is the independent PASA Accreditation Programme, which is recognised by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as evidence of good administration. PASA also runs the Expert Partner programme (anchored by PwC, Deloitte, Isio, Crowe UK, Origo, Lumera, Equiniti, Procentia, and Heywood) and the annual PASA Conference, alongside podcasts, webinars, consultation responses, and an open-source content library. There is no proprietary technology product; PASA's deliverable is institutional knowledge, accreditation authority, and convening power.

PASA serves four primary stakeholder groups: (1) trustees of occupational pension schemes (DB, DC, CDC, Master Trust) who use PASA Standards and accreditation to evidence governance quality; (2) employers sponsoring schemes who require assurance on administration standards; (3) third-party and in-house pension administrators who rely on PASA Accreditation and guidance to demonstrate service quality and compliance; and (4) UK regulators and policymakers (TPR, FCA, DWP, HMRC) who use PASA's industry-developed frameworks to inform supervisory guidance. Membership comprises trustees, administrators, employers, insurers, and software providers across financial services, retail, and the public sector, with named members including BBC Pension Scheme, Universities Superannuation Scheme, Shell, Tesco, NHS Business Services Authority, Willis Towers Watson, BP Pensions, Premier, LCP, Cadbury Mondelez Pension Trust, and Convera.

The organisation is member-funded through recurring corporate membership fees, with governance provided by a Board chaired by David Fairs and including President Kim Gubler (and a separately listed President Margaret Snowdon OBE in the source data) and Operations Director Lucy Collett. As a CIC, PASA reinvests in its standards work rather than distributing profit. Its distribution channels are direct corporate membership (domestic), an open-access website for guidance downloads (global reach), domestic events and conferences, and accreditation services; geographic focus is the United Kingdom only. The business model is fundamentally a subscription/membership business monetising accreditation status, content authority, and industry convening power rather than a transactional or technology-licensing business.

Name

Pensions Administration Standards Association

Legal name

Pensions Administration Standards Association CIC

Website

https://pasa-uk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PASA is a UK Community Interest Company (founded 2015) that sets standards and provides independent accreditation for the UK pensions administration industry. It serves trustees, employers, administrators, and regulators through open-source guidance, working groups, and an accreditation programme recognised by TPR and DWP.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pension Industry Standards and Accreditation

NAICS

Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Pensions & Retirement Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAA)

Keywords

• Pensions administration standards
• Industry accreditation services
• Regulatory guidance publications
• Pension scheme governance
• Professional working groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: PASA operates as a Community Interest Company (CIC) generating revenue through corporate membership fees. The organization provides accreditation services and industry standards to members including trustees, employers, administrators, and pension scheme providers.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PASA operates as an independent standards and accreditation body for UK pensions administration. It develops and maintains the PASA Standards framework, accredits organisations against those standards, and publishes practical guidance across topics such as data quality, pensions dashboards, digital administration, GMP equalisation, cybercrime and fraud, transfers, and de-risking. Its members include trustees, employers, third-party administrators, software providers, and advisers; accreditation is recognised by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the DWP.

Product overview

PASA is a Community Interest Company (CIC) dedicated to driving standards in UK pensions administration. Rather than a software platform, PASA operates as an industry standards body offering a comprehensive Standards and Accreditation framework, extensive guidance publications, and expert working groups. The portfolio consists of the core accreditation program for organisations demonstrating compliance with PASA Standards, supplemented by specialized guidance suites covering data quality, pensions dashboards, digital administration, GMP equalisation, cybercrime and fraud, and trustee-administrator relationships. PASA also runs an Expert Partner programme connecting members with specialists across key domains, organizes annual conferences, and publishes podcasts and webinars. All guidance is open-source and available free to members and non-members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PASA Standards and Accreditation Framework Comprehensive framework for setting and certifying standards in UK pension administration, including independent accreditation recognising organisations that demonstrate compliance with PASA Standards. For pension trustees, employers, third-party administrators and in-house administration teams seeking TPR/DWP-recognised evidence of good administration.
• PASA Accreditation Programme Independent accreditation service that validates an organisation's compliance with PASA Standards, providing TPR and DWP-recognised evidence of good administration. For third-party and in-house pension administrators.
• PASA Guidance Publications Open-source library of practical guidance documents covering data quality, dashboards, DC governance, transfers, GMP equalisation, cybercrime and fraud, identity management, de-risking, engagement and communications, CDC, Consumer Duty, and career pathways. For trustees, administrators and advisers seeking practical administration guidance.
• PASA Dashboards Toolkit Series of practical guidance notes supporting schemes and providers with pensions dashboards compliance, including data matching conventions, warnings, unavailable codes, and survivor benefits. For schemes, providers and administrators preparing for pensions dashboards.
• Dashboards Monitoring Compliance Guidance Guidance to help schemes, providers and administrators monitor ongoing compliance with pensions dashboards requirements. For schemes, providers and administrators preparing for pensions dashboards.
• Survivor Benefits Dashboards Toolkit Note Dashboards Toolkit note addressing industry questions regarding the application of survivor benefit indicators within dashboards value data. For schemes, providers and administrators preparing for pensions dashboards.
• PASA Digital Admin Guidance Part 3 - Implementing Saver-Centric Digital Administration Third part of the Digital Admin Guidance series, focused on implementing saver-centric digital administration. For trustees, administrators and advisers pursuing digital administration transformation.
• Default Retirement: The Operational Challenge Facing Administrators Paper exploring the operational challenges facing administrators as default retirement solutions are introduced. For administrators, trustees and advisers planning for default retirement solutions.
• Contingent Spouse Pension Data and Calculation Approaches Guidance Data Working Group guidance focusing on Contingent Spouse Pension (CSP) construction and the role of data quality. For administrators calculating contingent spouse pensions.
• Trustee-Administrator Lifecycle Series Four-part trustee-administrator life-cycle series providing practical frameworks for trustees to structure oversight and support informed discussions with administrators. For trustees overseeing scheme administration.
• Trustee-Administrator Oversight Scorecard Practical oversight tool that helps trustees structure oversight and hold more informed discussions with administrators. For trustees overseeing scheme administration.
• Managing Administration Through Buy-In and Superfund Transitions Guidance Practical guidance to support trustees, administrators and advisers navigating the operational realities of Buy-in and Superfund transactions. For trustees, administrators and advisers executing de-risking transactions.
• Data Readiness for Buy-ins and Buyouts Guidance Updated and expanded guidance on data readiness for buy-ins and buyouts, detailing data elements insurers typically consider critical. For trustees, administrators and advisers supporting de-risking transactions.
• GMP Equalisation Guidance Suite Comprehensive guidance suite on GMP equalisation covering administration, anti-franking, communications, conversion, data, methodology, reconciliation and rectification, tax, and transfers. For administrators and advisers working on GMP equalisation projects.
• PASA Expert Partner Programme Programme connecting members with expert partners across specialised domains including dashboards, transfers, cybercrime and fraud, data, digital admin, and de-risking journey management. For members seeking specialist expertise in these areas.
• PASA Annual Conference Annual industry conference bringing together pensions professionals, regulators and experts to discuss administration standards through keynote speeches, panels and networking. For UK pensions administration professionals.

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Expert Provider for Data. Deloitte provides professional services including data analytics and pensions consulting expertise.
• PwCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Expert Partner for Data. PwC provides professional services including data consulting and analytics for pensions administration.
• IsiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2023Expert Partner for De-risking Journey Management. Isio provides specialist pension advisory services supporting schemes through buy-in and superfund transactions.
• OrigocoreTechnology or Integration · 9 April 2020Expert Partner for Dashboard and Transfers. Origo is a leading FinTech company providing digital platform solutions for pensions transfers and dashboards.
• Crowe UKcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 23 March 2020Expert Partner for Cybercrime and Fraud working group. Crowe UK is an audit, tax, advisory and risk firm providing forensic services expertise.
• KnowaminorOthersKnowa provides the technology platform powering PASA's board operations.
• EquiniticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on digital administration research including the 'Spanner in the works' white paper on data quality and automation. Equiniti is a leading pensions software and administration provider.
• LumeracoreTechnology or IntegrationPASA Expert Partners for Dashboards. Lumera provides pensions administration software and services.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• CFA Institute: CFA Institute is a global professional standards body for investment professionals, operating accreditation, codes of ethics, and continuing-education programmes. Comparable to PASA in the professional-standards/accreditation model, but for investment management globally rather than pensions administration in the UK.

Broad incumbents

• The Pensions Regulator (TPR): TPR is the UK regulator that oversees work-based pensions and explicitly recognises PASA accreditation as evidence of good administration. It is adjacent rather than directly competing, but operates in the same standards/oversight domain from a regulatory perspective and sets the compliance framework that PASA's accreditation supports.
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO): ISO develops international standards across sectors and operates a global accreditation ecosystem. Comparable to PASA as a standards-development and accreditation body, but at global cross-industry scope rather than UK pensions-specific, and through national-body member structures.
• Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA): IFoA is the UK's chartered body for actuaries, setting professional standards, qualifications, and conduct rules. Adjacent to PASA in setting standards for UK pensions professionals, but covering the actuarial profession broadly rather than administration specifically.
• British Standards Institution (BSI): BSI is the UK's national standards body, providing accreditation, certification, and standards across industries. It is comparable to PASA in operating a standards and accreditation model, but operates at vastly broader scope across all industries rather than specialising in UK pensions administration.

Direct peers

• Pensions Management Institute (PMI): PMI is the UK's professional body for pensions managers, providing qualifications, continuing professional development, and standards for individuals working in pensions. It is directly comparable to PASA in providing standards-setting and accreditation-like services to the UK pensions profession, although focused on individual qualifications rather than organisational accreditation.
• Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA): The PLSA is the leading UK trade association for pensions and lifetime savings, covering scheme providers, employers, and advisers. It is directly comparable to PASA in operating as a UK membership/industry body shaping pension policy and practice, although PLSA's scope is broader across investment, DC, and retirement policy rather than focused solely on administration standards.
• Society of Pension Professionals (SPP): SPP represents pension professionals working in administration, consulting, law, and investment, and provides thought leadership, events, and policy engagement in the UK pensions market. It overlaps with PASA in serving administrators and consultants through standards-adjacent industry activity, though SPP's remit is wider and focused on professional interests rather than administration-specific standards.

Regional players

• National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA): NAGDCA is the US association for public-sector DC plan administrators, providing education, networking, and best-practice resources. It is comparable to PASA as an industry association supporting pension administration, but operates in the US public-sector DC market rather than the UK DB/DC scheme market.
• Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST): AIST is the Australian peak body for superannuation trustees, providing policy advocacy, governance support, and trustee education. Comparable to PASA as an industry body serving pension/superannuation scheme trustees and administrators with standards and education, but operating in Australia rather than the UK.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pasatweets

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pensions Administration Standards Association