Would you choose a trip to the dentist over an hour of retirement planning?

Millions of people are failing to get to grips with planning for retirement, Which? research has found.

The results of our public survey present a worrying picture of people deprioritising their pension because of the stress and confusion they feel about it. One in eight respondents even said they would rather go to the dentist than spend an hour planning their retirement.

Here we explore the common barriers to retirement planning and the simple steps you can take to get on top of it.

Retirement planning 'too stressful'

In December 2025, Which? surveyed 2,039 UK adults about retirement planning. Those not yet retired were asked whether they felt on track, and those already retired were asked whether they felt satisfied they’d saved enough for the standard of retirement they hoped for.

Anxiety and stress around retirement planning are leading millions of people to delay, with four in 10 reporting that they put off thinking about their retirement provision as it was too stressful, and almost half saying that they found the financial jargon around retirement planning confusing.

So daunting is the prospect of retirement planning that the majority of respondents (66%) said they’d prefer to attend to other tasks - even those commonly perceived as unpleasant or uncomfortable - over sitting down to sort out their pension. 

For example, a quarter reported that they would prefer to do a deep clean of the bathroom, while one in 10 said they’d prefer to make or update their will, and 7% would rather sit an exam.

Take charge of your retirement planning

Check your retirement income plans are ready with the specialists at Destination Retirement

Get started

Which? earns a commission to fund its not-for-profit mission if you buy a product via this service

Indifference about pensions

Some respondents in our survey simply felt retirement seemed out of reach, describing feeling ‘indifferent’ about retirement planning, with one saying, ‘I have no spare money, so it is what it is.’ 

Other participants reported being ‘too young’ or it being ‘too early’ to think about planning for retirement - yet the earlier you can start saving for retirement, the better chance you'll have of being able to afford the lifestyle you want when you stop working. 

Among those already retired, around four in 10 respondents said they wished they had started planning for retirement earlier.

• Find out more: how to boost your pension

How much should you be saving?

Our survey also found that half of UK adults who are not yet retired do not feel confident that they are saving enough for retirement. 

A similar number (48%) did not know how much money would be required to have a comfortable retirement.

Pensions UK has developed three retirement living standards to help address this problem. These reflect the annual amounts you’d need for a minimum, moderate and comfortable standard of living in retirement.

The latest figures show single-person households need £13,400 a year for a minimum standard of living, rising to £31,700 for a moderate standard and £43,900 to be comfortable. For couples, the equivalent figures are £21,600, £43,900 or £60,600.

Our calculations show that couples will need a combined pension pot of around £364,100 alongside their state pension to achieve Pensions UK's moderate living standard (£43,900 a year) if accessing their money via pension drawdown, or £343,900 if buying an annuity. 

The equivalent figures for those living alone are £366,750 if using drawdown, or £312,000 if buying an annuity.

• Find out more: how much will I need to retire?

4 simple ways to kickstart your retirement planning

There are some straightforward tasks that can help put your finances in a stronger position for the future. 

1. Track down lost pots

When you move to a new employer, your pension won't automatically follow you. This means that over time, you can build up multiple pension pots in different places. 

Start by making a list of the employers you've worked for in the past, and check if you have pension paperwork for each of them. If you can't find it, contact the relevant employer or the pension company that manages the scheme.

If you don't have their details, you can use the government's free pension tracing service. You simply need to enter the name of an employer or pension provider.

2. Combine your pensions

Once you've tracked down all your pensions, think about whether to bring some or all of them together in one place.

Not only can this make it easier to keep track of your retirement savings, but it can also save you money if you're transferring to a scheme with lower fees.

If you're an experienced investor, consolidating your pensions in a self-invested personal pension (Sipp) can give you more control over how your money is invested.

3. Check your state pension

You won’t get the state pension until you turn 66 (rising to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028), but it provides a key source of retirement income. 

A state pension forecast will give you an estimate of how much you could get – and when you'll qualify. It will also highlight any gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record that could stop you from getting the full amount.

If you have any gaps in your NI record (years where you didn’t pay National Insurance or qualify for NI credits), you can top up your state pension by making voluntary National Insurance contributions. 

It's important to check with the DWP Future Pension Centre first to make sure you will benefit from paying to fill in these gaps.

4. Book a Pension Wise appointment

A free guidance session from Pension Wise, part of the government-backed MoneyHelper service, will help you to understand your options before or at retirement.

Pension Wise offers hour-long appointments, which can be held face to face (at Citizens Advice offices), by telephone or online. You need to be 50 or over and have a defined contribution pension to be eligible. 

The session covers when you can access your pension pots, the different ways you can take money from your pension, how you'll be taxed on this income and how to spot scams.