Research and analysis

Attitudes to Pensions: The 2012 survey (RR813)

The purpose of the survey is to examine people's attitudes to financial preparations for later life and to decisions on leaving paid work.

Documents

Attitudes to Pensions: The 2012 survey (RR813): report

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Attitudes to Pensions: The 2012 survey (RR813): summary

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Details

The Attitudes to Pensions 2012 survey is the third in a series of surveys. The other surveys were carried out in 2006 and 2009. 1,949 adults over 18 were interviewed face to face. The respondents were randomly sampled from the population of Great Britain. The fieldwork was carried out between February and June 2012.

The purpose of the survey is to examine people’s attitudes to financial preparations for later life and to decisions on leaving paid work. The survey includes insights into how beliefs affect actual and intended behaviour.

The research findings will feed in to several high profile policy developments involving State Pensions and private pensions. The survey will be used as a benchmark for single tier State pension reform. Findings will inform policy work to improve consumer trust, confidence and engagement in pensions, as part of the reinvigorating private pensions work.

Research from external sources is largely in agreement with the Attitudes to Pensions findings. The DWP research found that one in five (19%) have no resources for later life. The Scottish Widows Pensions Index reports that 22% of those who could be preparing financially for later life are not preparing [1].

  1. The Scottish Widows UK Pensions Report Eighth annual report on the state of retirement savings across the nation May 2012

Updates to this page

Published 1 November 2012

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