Divorce and pensions: should all married couples have a plan?
Having worked at the BBC and in commercial radio before joining Which?, James produces our always-on podcasts, and oversaw the launch of our member-exclusive podcasts in 2025.
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The number of pensioners getting divorced is on the rise, but hardly any of us actually understand what happens to our pensions when a marriage ends.
In this episode, Which? pensions expert Holly Lanyon reveals the results of a Which? Survey which shows that just 3% of married couples have talked about what would happen to their pensions if they got divorced – compared to 50% who had spoken about what would happen upon death.
Holly explains the different options for how pensions can be split on divorce, including pension sharing and pension offsetting, and why it’s so important for married couples to understand the rules.
Holly shares some more data that shows that the number of pensioners in poverty is on the rise, with divorced retirees – particularly women – making up a greater number than married couples.
Plus, James Buchan from the Which? legal team outlines the logistics of how a divorce works, and how it can affect your will and power of attorney.
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