One in six people with a partner are unsure who would inherit their pension savings if they were to die before accessing them*. While the majority - 65% - have nominated their spouse or partner as their named beneficiary, others have chosen different paths: one in five say they have selected another family member, while a small number say they are leaving their pension pot to a charity (4%) or a friend (3%).
However, a concerning proportion of respondents did not know who their beneficiary would be. In particular, people living with a partner but neither married nor in a civil partnership were especially likely to be unaware – 25% of these respondents didn’t know who would receive their pension.
Similarly, uncertainty was highest among the youngest (ages 16–24) and the oldest (79+) respondents, with 10% and 18% respectively unable to name a beneficiary.
