How people think about older age and pensions
Very soon, important reforms will take effect which expand consumer choice around access to pension savings in an already complex landscape.
With 80,000 people already seeking face to face help from Citizens Advice about their pensions each year, we have explored how people think about older age and pensions and what support they need to take control of their retirement.
Our qualitative research confirmed what Citizens Advice clients often tell our advisers. We found that people find making pensions decisions hard, and many struggle to do it themselves. We found that people do not think about pensions in isolation - rather, they think about them in the context of their current and future financial circumstances and personal priorities.
And we found that people often think most seriously about financial decisions and plans, including pensions choices, at important financial moments in their lives. In the future, it is essential that the user is put at the centre in the provision and promotion of information, advice and guidance about pensions.