Pension Reality

The auto-enrolment minimum won't give most people the retirement they imagine. See what your pension is really on track to deliver — and the gap.

The 8% minimum builds far less than the "comfortable" retirement standard

You

State pension age is 67
Add up old workplace pensions — use the gov.uk Pension Tracing Service if unsure

Your contributions

Total contribution (you + employer) 8%
8% (min)15%30%
8% is the legal minimum (5% you + 3% employer). A common guide: contribute half your starting age — so from 30, aim for 15%.
Auto-enrolment only counts earnings between £6,240 and £50,270

Growth & state pension

5% is a common moderate assumption after charges, in real terms (i.e. after inflation — consistent with the rest of this tool, which works in today's money).
Check your forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension
Your projected retirement income
—
per year, including state pension
How that compares (PLSA standards, single person)
PLSA Retirement Living Standards 2026, single person. Your projected income marked in green. Note: PLSA figures are after-tax; your figure above is before tax, so your real-world position may be slightly below what's shown here.
Your numbers
Pension pot at retirement—
Income from pot (4% a year)—
State pension—
Total annual income—
That's per month—
Years of contributions—
Your pot growing to retirement
Contributions plus compound growth over time
Closing the gap —
What this means Enter your details above.
For illustrative purposes only. Not financial advice.
Figures in today's money, before inflation. Investment growth is a real (after-inflation, after-charges) rate. State pension £12,548 and PLSA standards per 2026/27 data. Real outcomes depend on investment returns, contribution changes and future policy. Speak to an FCA-regulated adviser for personal guidance.