Target on the Thames 2026: Solving The Mystery Of Bad Data

Earlier this month, Target hosted its annual Target on the Thames event – bringing together professionals from across the pensions industry.

This year’s theme, “Solving The Mystery Of Bad Data”, highlighted an issue that many schemes are still facing. Taking inspiration from Agatha Christie’s famous novels, the event explored the impact that poor data can have on schemes, as well as their members.

With talks from The Pensions Regulator, Hymans Robertson, Wood Plc. and the Money and Pensions Service, each session covered a different aspect of the overall theme, with the recurring message that good data is crucial for efficiency.

Our Key Takeaways from the day:

The Mysterious Affair of Scheme Data – The Pensions Regulator

– Dashboard connection is just the start of the journey

– Good data must be complete, accurate, consistent and usable

– Data should be treated as a strategic asset, not an operational afterthought

– Think data value, not just dashboard matching

Cards on the Table: Why Fixed Price Still Matters – Hymans Robertson & Target

– Cost certainty supports better decision-making

– Fixed-price tracing goes beyond address verification

– Regular data maintenance improves accuracy over time

– Better data leads to better dashboard matching

Crooked House: Who’s Behind the Door? – Wood Plc. & Target

– Wood Plc. achieved a 98% data accuracy score

– Spouse Append helped reduce reliance on assumptions

– Around 70% of members’ marital status was confirmed

– Better spouse data reduces future admin burden and costs

‘And Then There Were None’ – No Schemes Left to Connect to Dashboards – Money and Pensions Service

– 70 million pension records connected & nearly 1,500 schemes and providers connected

– On track for October connection deadlines

– Data quality remains critical to dashboard success

– Now is the time to act, engage, and connect

The talks provided a fresh perspective and sparked lots of conversation throughout the day. The session from the Money and Pensions Service, in particular, created a discussion around Pensions Dashboards and the key dates that schemes should have on their radar. There were also plenty of opportunities for networking, alongside a ‘Murder on the Thames’ quiz which brought the mystery theme to life. One of the more surprising discoveries from this was that Target’s Client Relationship Manager, Ellie, had previously worked in a prison, which became an interesting talking point.

The case may be closed now, but the overall message lives on: accurate, complete, and well-maintained data is key. Target is incredibly grateful to everyone who attended and, despite the scorching London heat, helped make the event a success once again.

We look forward to welcoming you again next year for another unmissable day.