Retirement planning becomes more personal for UK savers

Workplace pensions remain the primary source of retirement guidance for UK savers, with pension tools, calculators, and educational resources playing a central role in supporting retirement decisions. Yet our latest Global Retirement Savers Survey suggests awareness of these resources remains a major challenge.

Nearly one-third (31%) of UK savers say their workplace pension either does not offer common retirement education resources — such as online tutorials or group sessions — or they simply do not know what support is available. The issue is even more pronounced among women (39%) and lower earners (45%).

The findings may disappoint many employers, trustees, and pension providers, who have invested heavily in improving pension communications and member engagement in recent years. Despite these efforts, engagement with available resources remains limited for many savers. As the UK industry explores new forms of targeted support, the findings suggest more personalised and accessible guidance may be needed to help savers engage with the support already available.

At the same time, human advice continues to matter. Despite the growth of digital tools, 28% of UK savers in our survey say they rely on a financial adviser, rising to 50% among higher earners. While this is higher than broader UK advice usage figures often cited across the general population, it likely reflects the profile of retirement savers captured in the survey, who tend to be more financially engaged and higher-earning.

The findings also suggest that digital support alone may not be enough, with 42% of savers identifying one-to-one consultations as the most helpful form of retirement education. Demand for formal advice may become even more important as upcoming inheritance tax changes on unused pensions, due from April next year, increase the need for pension tax planning support for many households.

For advisers, employers, and pension providers, the challenge is no longer simply making savers aware of available resources, but ensuring they receive the right type of support for their individual circumstances – whether through digital guidance, targeted support, or formal financial advice.

Sign up to access the full Global Retirement Savers Survey results and explore how UK savers are redefining retirement expectations and financial wellbeing.