The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is to launch a new ‘rapid response’ team to respond more quickly to reports and intelligence about companies or major restructuring plans.

The plan was revealed as the regulator launched its new corporate plan this week.

TPR says the plan, for 2019 – 2022, outlines how as part of TPR’s “more proactive and targeted approach hundreds more schemes will be contacted in the coming year”. 

Communications clarifying duties and TPR’s expectations will be sent to DB schemes, newly authorised master trusts, DC schemes and new employers with auto-enrolment responsibilities.

TPR says its new supervision team is “already building one-to-one relationships with larger schemes”.

It is supervising more than 20 schemes and this approach is being rolled out to many more.

“This will ensure TPR better understands the challenges schemes face and identifies potential future risk,” a statement read.

Meanwhile communications will be sent to more than a thousand schemes this year to monitor how savers are being treated when it comes to matters such as dividend payments to shareholders, length of recovery plans and efficient record-keeping.

The regulator warned action will be taken where standards are not met.

TPR says it will use a ‘rapid response’ team to respond more quickly to reports and intelligence about companies or major restructuring plans.

These actions were said to be an extension of “TPR’s grip to far more schemes than in the past”.

Charles Counsell, chief executive of TPR, said: “We are publishing this plan at a time of great change in both the pensions landscape and the way TPR works.

“By driving up participation in workplace pensions and holding those we regulate to account, we are protecting pension savers and the Pension Protection Fund and increasing confidence in pension saving.

“We are striving to deliver better retirement outcomes.”

Mark Boyle, chairman of TPR, said: “Trustees, employers and increasingly savers know we are taking a clear, quick and tough approach when holding to account those who fail to do the right thing by their scheme members.

“The past year has seen our first prosecution for fraud, our first custodial sentence, and the courts handing down the largest ever fine following a TPR prosecution.

“We have also seen a number of high profile cases being resolved, including Southern Water agreeing to pay £50 million into its pension scheme under a shortened recovery plan.

“This year our corporate plan goes further to define the key outcomes that we aim to achieve through our work, and how we will evaluate those outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness of our role.”