28 September 2026
Confidence that pensions will provide enough to live comfortably in retirement remains low, while an increasing number of savers say they do not know whether they are on track, according to Trafalgar House’s 2026 Trust & Confidence Survey. *
Just 24.4% of people agree that their pension will enable them to live comfortably in retirement, down from 26.3% in 2025. Only 4.6% strongly agree that their pension will be sufficient, compared with 6.8% last year.
More than a third of people (36%) continue to disagree that their pension will provide a comfortable retirement. At the same time, uncertainty is growing. The proportion selecting ‘Don’t know’ has risen from 15.8% to 17.1% this year.
Taken together, more than one in five respondents (22.5%) either do not know or prefer not to say whether their pension will enable them to live comfortably in retirement. This suggests a growing number of savers are unsure whether their current pension savings will meet their future needs.
Daniel Taylor, Director at Trafalgar House, said: “These findings raise an important question about what we mean by retirement adequacy. Having money in a pension is not the same as knowing whether you have enough to support the retirement you want. The fact that only 24.4% of people believe their pension will enable them to live comfortably, while more than a third disagree, shows how few savers feel confident that their pension will be enough.
“Just as concerning is the growing number of people who say they simply don’t know. This suggests many savers lack a clear view of what their pension could provide in retirement – or what they need to do to improve their position.”
Taylor added: “This has implications for how the industry communicates with savers. It is not enough to tell people what their pension is worth today. They need to understand what that could mean for their future – whether they are on track, what level of income they might have in retirement and what choices they have if they are not.
“Trust is an important foundation, but confidence comes from understanding. Clear, relevant information can help savers understand whether their pension is likely to be enough – and, where it is not, what they can do about it.”
ENDS
