Retiring in turbulent times: what employees should consider

Recent market turbulence has been unsettling for many, especially for those planning to retire.

WEALTH at work, a leading financial wellbeing, retirement and workplace savings specialist, has outlined what employees who are approaching retirement will need to consider.

1. Work out costs in retirement

A good place to start is to work out how much will be needed to meet day-to-day living expenses (such as household bills) and discretionary expenditures (such as holidays and hobbies) in retirement. According to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA ), a single person will need about £14,400 a year to achieve the minimum standard of living (this would cover all a retiree’s needs plus enough for some leisure activities such as a week’s holiday in the UK and eating out occasionally); £31,300 a year for a moderate standard of living (one foreign holiday a year and more frequent eating out); and £43,100 a year for a comfortable standard of living (this would cover all a retiree’s needs plus two foreign holidays a year and some luxuries such as regular beauty treatments). For couples, it’s £22,400, £43,100 and £59,000, respectively.

2. Is retirement affordable?

People then need to think about if they have enough put aside to afford retirement. Or do they need to work a little longer or perhaps part-time? Many may be questioning this right now, especially if their pension has fallen in value due to market volatility. When doing your sums, don’t forget to consider longevity, in terms of how long you think you will live, as research has found that most people live longer than they expect. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that average life expectancy in the UK for people aged 65 will be 85 years for men and 88 years for women. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that when you retire, you are likely to be paying less income tax, no National Insurance (NI), mortgages and loans may be paid off, there will be no more pension contributions, and any children are likely to be financially independent. With these reductions in costs, the income needed in retirement is likely to be less than required during working life.

3. Track down all pensions

At least 4.8 million pension pots are considered to be ‘lost’ among the UK population, with 1 in 10 workers believing they could have lost a pension pot worth more than £10,000. One of the main reasons for this is because a person will have on average 9 jobs in their lifetime, so could easily end up with many different pension pots with several providers which can easily be forgotten about.

There are ways to locate lost pensions including using the Government’s Pension Tracing Service (www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details). If the company no longer exists, contact Companies House (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house), or charities can be found using the charity register (https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information). People should ask for up-to-date statements, so it is clear how much pensions are worth, whilst those with several schemes might also want to consider consolidating them.

4. Calculate all sources of retirement income

It’s important to work out the value of all savings and investments. Many people think of their pension as the only source of income in retirement. However, there are many assets such as ISAs and general cash savings, as well as other investments which can be used.

5. Check state pension entitlement

Some people don’t realise that you need a minimum of 35 years of NI (National Insurance) contributions to get the full State Pension payment. This can be difficult for those who may have taken a career break or time off for child or elderly care. It is possible to purchase NI credits to boost your State Pension income at a cost of £17.45 per week or £907.40 to fill a full year’s gap in your record*. But as of 5 April 2025, individuals will only be able to claim for 6 years of NI credit. Those who are approaching retirement can make an enquiry to find out what they are going to receive by requesting a State Pension statement using a form called a BR19, which is available online or by calling the government helpline on 0345 3000 168. Alternatively, if you have a Government Gateway account these details can be accessed online.

6. Consider delaying retirement or working part time

For those who are worried about the value of their pension falling due to market volatility, it could be beneficial to give their pension time to recover. So, it may be worth delaying retirement if this is an option. People could also consider making further pension contributions to boost their pot and taking advantage of tax relief while they can. However, if someone has already taken taxable withdrawals from their defined contribution pension beyond the 25% tax-free lump sum, the ‘Money Purchase Annual Allowance’ (MPAA) is triggered. This reduces the amount they can contribute to defined contribution pensions to £10,000 a year before incurring a tax charge.

7. Don’t pay unnecessary tax

Usually, only the first 25% of a defined contribution (DC) pension is tax free (the calculation for a defined benefit scheme will be different); the remaining 75% is taxed as earned income. Unfortunately, in recent years many have found themselves paying more tax than they need to. For example, some have taken their pension as a cash lump sum, not realising that it made them a higher rate taxpayer! People may be better off taking a smaller amount each year from their pension, keeping within their tax bracket, and then topping it up with withdrawals from an ISA, as this is paid tax-free.

8. Shop around

Before purchasing any retirement products, it is important that people shop around. For example, income drawdown charges can vary depending on the provider, the type of charges, and the size of your pension pot. Individuals should not only check charging structures, but make sure it suits their needs, and that they can withdraw cash as and when they need it.

9. Watch out for scams

Research from WEALTH at work identified the common financial scams that people lost money to between 2023 and 2024[1]. It found that 13% fell victim to a pension scam which offered fake promises of guaranteed returns or early access to their pension. Regulations came into force in November 2021 which means suspicious transfers can be stopped from ending up in the hands of a fraudster, as pension trustees and scheme managers now have new powers to intervene, but you still need to be on your guard. Whatever you’re planning to do with your retirement savings, it’s vital to check whether the company that you’re planning to use is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) https://register.fca.org.uk/. You can also visit the FCA’s ScamSmart website which includes a warning list of companies operating without authorisation or running scams www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart.

10. Don’t go it alone

It is vital that individuals fully understand their retirement options and are able to choose what is right for them. Getting financial education, guidance and investment advice at retirement can really help. Pension Wise, which is a service from MoneyHelper, and backed by government, offer free guidance appointments for those over age 50 to talk about their pension options. With 60% of employers offering or planning to offer pre-retirement planning for employees, the workplace is a great source of support. They may also offer access to an investment adviser which can be especially beneficial at retirement, as they will help someone look at all assets and work out the most tax efficient way for them to fund their retirement, before putting a bespoke plan in place.

Jonathan Watts-Lay, Director at WEALTH at work, comments; “The market turbulence is understandably concerning, especially for those who are due to retire soon. We spend many years saving for our retirement, so it’s important that employees receive the support needed for them to be able to make informed choices about their retirement plans. Many leading companies provide financial education, guidance and investment advice for their retiring employees to help them understand the key issues affecting them. This support is going to be needed now more than ever to ensure that people are able to retire with confidence.”