It can be easy to disengage when you see the statistics about how much you’ll need for a comfortable retirement, especially when you’re working hard and the demands of life, both financial and family, take precedence. It can make saving enough into your pension feel completely unattainable.

The pandemic shifted priorities for a lot of families – making memories, enjoying life and spending time together now feels more important than ever. In some cases, this is reinforced by expectations of an inheritance from Baby Boomer parents, but this is not something you can rely on. With changing tax rules around pensions and Inheritance Tax, you may inherit less than you expect, or later than you expect, making it even more important to stand on your own two feet financially.

At the same time, the pensions landscape itself is constantly evolving. Government changes to salary sacrifice, rising life expectancy, the likelihood of working for longer and an increasing State Pension age all mean retirement planning is very much a moving target. While retirement may still be some way off, you really can’t afford to switch off from your future needs. Making provision now will make a meaningful difference.

Heard it all before?

Perhaps a closer look at the numbers will help put things into perspective. For a comfortable retirement, you would typically need an annual income of around £60,600 as a couple and £43,900 as an individual (PLSA 2025). When you consider the average UK pension pot currently stands at just £32,700 and that 14.6 million Brits are under-saving for retirement (DWP 2025), it becomes clear that there may be a significant gap to fill. 

These figures are general guidelines; your personal retirement needs may differ significantly.

Break it down

The key starting point is understanding exactly where you are now. Only by getting a clear picture of your current pension position can you begin to address any shortfall and put a plan in place to close it. 

The good news is that this doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Breaking it down into simple, achievable steps can make everything feel far more manageable. Start by gathering all your pension information in one place – current workplace schemes, old employer pensions and any personal plans. We can review whether you’re contributing enough, check how your money is invested, what it’s invested in and think about what you actually want your retirement to look like.

This is where expert support can really help. We can join the dots between your

contributions, investments, tax position and long-term goals, and build a plan that fits around your life and affordability. You don’t need to do everything at once. Start with a review, make one small change and build from there.

One shot

This is about you – your life, your priorities and your future. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to pensions or retirement, because everyone’s circumstances are different. You only get one opportunity to build the retirement you want, and after working hard for decades, you deserve to enjoy that time to the fullest.

*The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. The past is not a guide to future performance and past performance may not necessarily be repeated. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate Will writing, tax and trust advice and certain forms of estate planning. Tax legislation and rates can change, and their application depends on individual circumstances.