Despite 53% of employees saying they thought about their pension a fair amount or a great deal in 2025, only 17% expect to actually review or increase their pension contributions in the next 12 months, according to new research by PensionBee.
The provider surveyed 1,000 UK adults and found that while 52% of respondents said they expected to review or make changes to their pension in 2026, only 20% have a plan to do so and 32% have not yet taken any steps.
A third (33%) admitted that reviewing their pension is not a priority at the moment due to day-to-day money worries. While 55% plan to save more money in general, only 14% will focus on improving their pension.
The top three financial priorities for the year ahead are building short-term savings (45%), saving for specific purchases (45%), and managing everyday finances (44%).
More than a third (35%) said paying down debt is a priority, 31% have included it in their new year’s resolutions, and 23% would use spare money to reduce what they owe.
Lisa Picardo, chief business officer UK at PensionBee, said: “For many, the immediate pressure of high living costs makes it difficult to prioritise the future over today’s needs, but others are left behind by structural gaps in the system. Without urgent action tomorrow’s retirees are on track to be poorer than today’s.”
“The current auto-enrolment framework excludes millions of self-employed, low earners, and those juggling multiple part-time jobs. We need to expand auto-enrolment to include them, getting them into the habit of saving and helping all those who can benefit from employer contributions where possible. While the cost-of-living crisis continues to weigh on people’s appetite and ability to save for their future, there’s nothing stopping the government from taking steps to make pension saving easier to manage, to help ensure everyone has a fighting chance of a comfortable retirement, regardless of how they work.”
