The Pensions Policy Institute has launched its 2026 DC Asset Allocation Survey to inform its DC Future Book report.
The survey collects information from UK DC schemes and providers on areas including scheme size, member pots, default investment strategies and asset allocation. Asset classes identified include equities, bonds, cash, property, private markets and other alternative assets.
The PPI 2026 DC Future Book will look to utilise the survey’s findings for data collection.
As the pensions industry continues to respond to the Mansion House Accord and the recently introduced powers included in the Pension Schemes Act, the survey data will also look to help build a comprehensive evidence base of valuable new insights into how DC asset investment has evolved.
Shantel Okello, PPI policy researcher and lead author of the DC Future Book, says: “With the UK DC market responding to significant sector developments over the past year, data for this research will be critical to providing a timely update to the evidence base on emerging investment trends, and a clearer picture of the current DC market.
“To deliver this work, we need industry input, so we strongly encourage DC schemes and providers to get in touch, help build the findings needed and support industry collaboration. The broader the participation, the more comprehensive picture we can build of the UK DC market.”
The survey will also look to provide insights into the distribution of assets across different investment classes, the use of default investment strategies, trends in investment allocation across the DC market, the differences in investment approaches between schemes and providers, and the extent to which DC assets are invested in areas such as equities, bonds, cash, property, private markets and alternative assets.
Survey responses help inform analysis of the size and structure of the DC market, asset allocation trends and changes over time, investment strategies adopted by schemes and providers, and emerging developments in pension investment and retirement saving.
The survey will close on 29 July, and is sponsored by State Street Investment Management and Scottish Widows. The DC Future Book will be published later this autumn.