What is a pension pot?
A pension pot is the total amount of money you and your employer contribute to your pension scheme throughout your working life. Designed to provide retirement income for later life, your pension pot also includes any growth it may have made over the years.
In addition to your pension pot, you may also be eligible for the State Pension, which will contribute towards your overall retirement income. Currently you need to be at least 67 years of age - you can check here.
In this guide we explain your options for generating the best income from your pension savings. If you want to see how much retirement income you could get, use our pension pot calculator.
How much do I need in my pension pot?
According to the Retirement Living Standards, the amount required for a minimum standard of living is £14,400 for an individual and £22,400 for a couple. That is almost £3,000 higher than the full state pension payment of £11,502.
What’s more, for a moderate standard of living that offers greater security and flexibility, an individual and couple would require £31,300 and £43,100 respectively, or £43,100 and £59,000 for a comfortable lifestyle that allows you to be more spontaneous with your money.
What are my pension pot options?
When deciding how to use your pot, you are free to choose any of the following pension income options. Whichever you select, it’s important to understand the rules and tax implications involved:
- Take a tax-free lump sum - Withdraw up to 25% of your pension pot as a tax-free lump sum
- Defer your pension - Leave your pension pot untouched for now and continue to work
- Buy an annuity with some or all your pension pot to give yourself a guaranteed income
- Use pension drawdown to invest some or all your pension pot to give yourself a more ‘flexible’ income.
- If you have several pension pots, you may to consolidate them
- Combine these options if you have enough in your pension pot to do so
- Cash in your whole pension pot - you can find more information on this option in our 'frequently asked questions' section.
Our expert says: Its worth noting that whilst financial advice comes at a cost, the International Longevity Centre, reported that on average those who paid for advice were £48,000 better off. Many advisers offer the first consultation for free. So, if you’re not sure whether you need advice, you can make an appointment to find out what they can do for you.
How much will my pension pot give me?
The amount of income your pension pot will generate will depend on your age and appetite for risk. You also need to consider your life expectancy, to gauge how long you think you’ll need your pension to pay out for.
The average life expectancy for a 65 year old today in the UK is 85 years old for a male and 87 for a female. Which means half the UK population who reach 65 can expect to live longer than these averages.
Therefore choosing the best pension option based on life expectancy, when you don’t know how long you’re going to live can be a complex decision. Which is where speaking to a specialist pension income adviser like Age Partnership could help.
Try our pension pot calculator
Please use the calculator to find out how much income your pension pot will provide - enter your details and within 2 minutes you will have a detailed quote of the income your pension pot could provide you.
Why use our pension pot calculator?
Free to use and no obligation
It costs nothing to calculate your pension pot and there’s no obligation to go any further if you don’t want to.
Free access to Age Partnership’s Pension Income Service
Use our pension pot calculator to get automatic access to Age Partnership’s Pension Income Service and the help of their retirement income specialists.
Your choice of pension advice or guidance only
Age Partnership’s experts can give you pension advice and recommendations or guidance only if you’re comfortable making your own decisions.
Compare annuities and drawdown options from leading providers
You can nominate how much cash you'd like to take up front and then compare annuities and other pension income options from many of the UK’s leading providers.
Get the best deal or receive £100 from Age Partnership
Age Partnership will find you the best pension income deal or give you £100 if you find a better like-for-like quote.
Pension pot FAQs
- What is a good pension pot?
- What is the average pension pot in the UK?
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According to official figures, the average UK pension pot ranges from £37,000 to £95,000; the reason for this large range is that younger people usually have smaller pots, but as you get closer to retirement and have paid more in to your pension, the size of your pot is significantly larger.
The Department for Work & Pensions states that the average single pensioner receives approximately £349 a week, just over £18,000 a year. (After taxes and housing costs).
- When can I withdraw my money from my pension pot?
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You can usually start making withdrawals from your pension pot at the age of 55.
It's possible that you could start taking your pension earlier if you need to retire due to ill health or disability, but you would need to check the terms set by your pension provider.
If you’re getting close to retirement age, watch out for pension scams. Fraudsters could offer you spurious advice about withdrawing and investing your pension. In particular, be wary of anyone suggesting that you could start withdrawing your pension before your 55th birthday.