3.6 million Britons have lost track of their pension savings
The more old pensions you have, the easier it is to end up losing one.
Tracing pensions from years ago can be a hassle. Over 3.6 million Britons
admit they have no idea how many pensions they have and risk paying more
in fees than necessary, according to new research
The number of workers with small pension pots of under £1,000 has surged dramatically in recent years, as auto enrolment has allowed millions of people to benefit from workplace pensions for the first time.
PAYING FEES TO MULTIPLE PROVIDERS
However, with the average employee now
changing jobs 11 times[2] in their working life,
people are increasingly building up many small
pots and are often losing track, misplacing
paperwork or forgetting about previous
schemes they are invested in.
The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) predicts the number of small pots will triple by 2035 to 27 million. Although the government’s Pension Dashboard will allow people to see all of their pensions in one place when it comes into eect in a few years’ time, it will not solve the problem of savers paying fees to multiple providers across all their pensions.
CONSOLIDATE SMALL PENSION POTS
While savers already have the option of combining their pensions, one in ten (10%) have no idea how to do this, while 12% say it’s just too much hassle. As a result, more than two-fifths (44%) say they’ve never bothered to track down savings from a previous employer.
Almost three-quarters (72%) of Britons now support the introduction of a new system that would automatically consolidate small pension pots as they move jobs, reinforcing strong support from the industry for the change. This would make it easier for people to manage and keep track of their retirement savings, while making the system more ecient and eective for the UK’s 33 million pension holders.
COMPARE THE FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Even if you have not had that many jobs, you
may still have a number of dierent pensions
to keep track of. Pensions can be confusing,
but there is an alternative way to help keep on
top of them. Pension consolidation may allow
you to combine some or all of your defined
contribution pensions in one place.
Consolidating your pensions means fewer
statements to keep an eye on, along with fewer
and potentially lower management charges.
However, not all pension types can or should
be transferred. It’s important that you know and compare the features and benefits of the plan(s) you are thinking of transferring. It can be a complex decision to work out whether you would be better or worse o combining your pensions, so it’s essential to obtain professional financial advice.
HELPING YOU STAY ON TRACK
FOR THE FUTURE YOU WANT
Deciding whether to combine your pensions
can be a complex decision and is not for
everyone. Whether you want to consolidate
into an existing pension you have with us, or
you want to combine your existing pensions
in a new pension, we are here to help. Speak
to us today and make sure your plans are on
track for the future you want.
A PENSION IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT NOT NORMALLY ACCESSIBLE UNTIL AGE 55 (57 FROM APRIL 2028 UNLESS PLAN HAS A PROTECTED PENSION AGE). THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENTS (AND ANY INCOME FROM THEM) CAN GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP WHICH WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE LEVEL OF PENSION BENEFITS AVAILABLE. YOUR PENSION INCOME COULD ALSO BE AFFECTED BY THE INTEREST RATES AT THE TIME YOU TAKE YOUR BENEFITS.
THE TAX IMPLICATIONS OF PENSION WITHDRAWALS WILL BE BASED ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, TAX LEGISLATION AND REGULATION WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. YOU SHOULD SEEK ADVICE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS AT RETIREMENT.