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Retirement is changing. Are your clients prepared?
Our latest research* of more than 5,000 UK retirees reveals how retirement is evolving, from rising family support and changing spending priorities to growing concerns about maintaining living standards and responding to policy uncertainty. Some of the key insights from the research include:
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£27,159 |
£4,522 |
|
60% |
69% |
Retirement is about more than covering the bills. It is about the life your clients want, the people they may want to support, and the choices they want to keep open.
Why we do this research
Retirement no longer looks the same. People are living longer, supporting family in different ways, and facing new financial decisions throughout later life.
We publish the Retirement Lifestyle Report to help both advisers and their clients better understand those challenges and contribute to discussions about improving retirement outcomes for current and future generations.
We also believe people benefit from long-term certainty around retirement policy, deserve rules that reflect how modern families support each other financially, and clear communication that helps people plan with confidence.
The insights influencing retirement conversations
The Retirement Lifestyle Report 2026 highlights the realities facing retirees today and the challenges advisers may need to help clients navigate tomorrow. Our research explores how people are funding retirement, supporting family, responding to policy uncertainty and balancing current spending with long-term financial security.
The findings highlight several areas where advice can help clients make informed decisions and avoid unintended consequences.
Family support is becoming a bigger retirement consideration
Retirees now provide an average of £4,522 a year in direct financial support to family members, an increase of 81% compared with last year. For advisers, this raises important questions around affordability, gifting strategies, inheritance planning and maintaining long-term financial resilience.
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Advice opportunity: Use gifting and family support discussions as a gateway into broader retirement and intergenerational estate planning conversations. |
Confidence today does not remove concerns about tomorrow
While 69% of individuals and 74% of households say they are satisfied with their retirement income, 60% remain concerned about maintaining their lifestyle over the long term. This highlights the gap between current financial comfort and future financial confidence.
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Advice opportunity: Help clients stress-test existing plans against future spending needs, inflation and changing circumstances. |
Retirement income is becoming more complex
Retirement income increasingly comes from multiple sources, including pensions, investments, savings, earnings and State Pension benefits.
Managing these sources effectively requires careful planning and ongoing review.
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Advice opportunity: Support clients in understanding how different income sources interact, particularly in relation to tax efficiency, and how decisions in one area may affect another. |
Policy uncertainty is influencing behaviour
Many retirees reported changing financial plans in response to government policies or proposals. Some have made decisions that may be difficult to reverse, including accessing pension savings or withdrawing tax-free cash earlier than planned.
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Advice opportunity: Provide clarity and long-term perspective when clients are reacting to headlines or anticipating policy changes. |
Why this matters for advisers
The findings demonstrate that retirement planning is no longer solely about income replacement. Clients are increasingly balancing:
- supporting family members
- managing multiple income sources
- navigating policy uncertainty
- maintaining lifestyle expectations
- planning for later-life needs.
The report provides evidence-backed insights that can help advisers identify emerging client needs and have more meaningful retirement conversations.
Return to advice opportunities.
Source: Retirement Lifestyle Report 2026. Consumer research was conducted by Censuswide among 5,002 UK retirees between 23 March and 7 April 2026, with follow-up polling conducted between 28 May and 11 June 2026. The findings were analysed by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).