For some, retirement feels a lifetime away. For others, it’s right around the corner. Yet, whether you’re 30, 50, or already considering slowing down, one truth is becoming harder to ignore: most people are not saving enough for retirement.
According to the BlackRock Read on Retirement 2024 survey, 50% of UK Defined Contribution pension holders believe they can’t afford to save enough, while 51% admit they should be saving more to enjoy a comfortable retirement.
Those aren’t just statistics — they represent a looming financial crisis for millions. And the bigger problem? Many people don’t know how to fix it. Some hope their pensions will magically grow. Others believe they’ll downsize or “figure it out later.” But waiting is not a strategy.
The Hard Truth Behind Financial Insecurity
Imagine this: you’ve worked hard all your life. Your income has grown, your lifestyle has expanded, and you feel like you’re on track. Then the day comes when you’re ready to retire — only to discover you’re nowhere near where you thought you’d be.
According to a Scottish Widows study, 27% of respondents worry they’ll have to work longer than planned just to afford retirement. For many, that means pushing their careers well into their late 60s or even 70s. That’s not just a statistic — it’s a wake-up call.
The Lifestyle Trap: Living Rich, Not Building Wealth
One of the biggest mistakes high earners make is confusing a strong income with long-term financial security. As earnings rise, so do expenses — bigger houses, new cars, private schools, luxury holidays.
This is called lifestyle inflation. It feels sustainable while pay cheques arrive, but it does little to build lasting wealth. The question to ask is simple: if your income stopped tomorrow, how long could you maintain your lifestyle?
If the answer is less than “for years,” then the wealth you think you’ve built may not be as secure as it appears.
Overinflated Expectations: The Retirement Gap
Another challenge is expectation versus reality. Many people imagine a retirement filled with travel, leisure, and financial freedom — but the savings don’t add up to match the dream.
According to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), a “comfortable” retirement for a couple requires around £59,000 per year. Yet the average UK pension pot at retirement age is less than £120,000 — enough to fund just a couple of years at that lifestyle.
Without realistic planning, retirees risk disappointment when their pension income falls short.
The Squeezed Generation: 45–54 Year Olds
It’s not only young workers falling behind. The Phoenix Group survey (2023) revealed that 59% of those aged 45–54 feel uneasy about their retirement savings.
This age group should be in their strongest earning years, but often faces the most pressure:
- Paying off mortgages
- Supporting children through education
- Caring for ageing parents
- Navigating volatile investment markets
With retirement only a decade or two away, this is the time when planning becomes critical. Delays now are much harder to recover from later.
The Global Dimension: Why Expats Face Extra Risks
For expatriates, retirement planning is even more complex:
- Lost contact with pensions: Moving abroad often means pension paperwork goes to old UK addresses.
- Cross-border taxation: Income drawn from UK pensions may be taxed twice without the right planning (e.g. NT codes and Double Taxation Agreements).
- Inheritance rules: From April 2027, most UK pensions will fall within a member’s estate for IHT purposes, impacting expats who assumed pensions were always outside inheritance tax.
- Currency risk: A pension in sterling may lose value if your retirement spending is in euros, dollars, or dirhams.
Without specialist advice, expats can unknowingly erode their retirement income through taxation, poor structuring, and currency swings.
Retirement Insecurity: A Growing Economic Challenge
This isn’t just a personal issue. A widespread failure to prepare for retirement could have national consequences:
- Higher rates of pensioner poverty
- More reliance on state benefits
- Increased strain on healthcare and social systems
For governments, this trend threatens economic stability. For individuals, it could mean scaling back dreams, working longer than expected, or facing financial vulnerability in later life.
The Power of Financial Literacy
One solution stands out: financial education.
Teaching financial planning earlier in life can help people avoid common mistakes, such as over-relying on a single pension, misunderstanding investment risk, or ignoring tax implications. Yet even for those well into their careers, it’s never too late to build knowledge — provided action follows.
Unfortunately, many people don’t fully understand their financial position until it’s too late. At that point, opportunities may have already been lost.
Don’t Wait to Become a Statistic
The message is clear: the time to act is now. Procrastination only makes the challenge bigger. Whether you’re 30, 45, or already retired, there are steps you can take today to improve your financial outlook.
At Blacktower, we help clients across the globe create retirement strategies that work for their lives abroad. From consolidating pensions and navigating cross-border tax rules, to building investment portfolios aligned with your goals, our expertise can give you clarity and confidence.
Take Action Today
The best time to prepare for retirement was yesterday. The second-best time is today.
📞 Contact Blacktower’s cross-border financial planning team for a no-obligation consultation. Together, we’ll review your pensions, investments, and retirement goals, and help you build a strategy that secures your future.
Don’t leave your retirement to chance. Take control — today.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change. Always seek regulated financial advice before making any financial planning or investment decisions
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[AN2]https://www.scottishwidows.co.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/delayed-retirement.html
This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.
Living on the Costa del Sol comes with many benefits. But it’s not just the warm weather which makes it attractive to British expats or the fact that Blacktower has a team of expert financial advisers located in Marbella. No, there’s plenty more to Spain than it’s Sunshine Coast.
Given the financial and political situation in Britain and Europe right now it is likely that more and more British people will look to move their pensions out of Britain, with a QROPS in France possibly the most popular potential option.