Pensions are a crucial part of retirement planning. Even if you have multiple sources of income to support you and your loved ones when you leave work behind, pensions offer a valuable, tax-efficient way to save.
Yet, a recent survey by Aviva has revealed a critical “knowledge gap” about UK pensions. While 53% of respondents claimed to be knowledgeable about pensions, 20% did not know what type of scheme they were signed up to and 57% were unaware that the government pays tax relief on pension contributions.
With the Pension Awareness campaign running from 15 to 17 September, it’s the ideal time to take control of your retirement savings.
Read on to discover four important facts that could boost your understanding of pensions and help you build financial security for later life.
1. How much State Pension you’ll receive depends on your National Insurance record
The State Pension provides a valuable source of income for many UK adults. If you’re entitled to the full new State Pension (for those who reach State Pension Age on or after 6 April 2016), you will receive £230.25 a week in 2025/26, which is equivalent to £11,973 annually.
Under the triple lock arrangement, the new State Pension will increase each year in line with whichever is higher of:
- Average earnings growth
- Inflation
- 2.5%.
However, the amount you’ll receive depends on your National Insurance (NI) record. You’ll typically need 10 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions (NICs) to receive any new State Pension and 35 qualifying years to receive the full amount.
The government website allows you to check your NI record online. If it looks like you may not have enough years of NICs to claim the full new State Pension, you may be able to pay voluntary contributions to fill any gaps in your record.
It’s important to note that you can only pay voluntary contributions for the past six tax years. For example, you have until 5 April 2032 to make up gaps for the 2025/26 tax year.
2. The State Pension is not paid automatically; you’ll need to claim it
You can claim your State Pension entitlement when you reach State Pension Age, which is currently 66 (2025/26), but will start to gradually increase from 6 May 2026.
The Pension Service should send you a letter around four months before you reach State Pension Age, explaining how to claim. You can do this in one of three ways:
- Online
- By phone
- By post.
You’ll be asked to provide certain information, such as your banking details and the date of your most recent marriage, civil partnership, or divorce. If you’re applying online, you’ll also need the invitation code from your letter.
If you’re still working or have other sources of income to draw on, you might choose to delay claiming your State Pension to increase the amount you receive. Your entitlement increases by the equivalent of 1% for every nine weeks you defer, as long as you defer for at least nine weeks.
3. Pension providers invest your money to help it grow over time
Research published by PensionsAge found that more than half of adults in the UK don’t know that their private and workplace pension funds are invested.
This is how pensions providers aim to increase the value of your savings over time. They’ll usually invest your money in a range of asset classes, such as bonds, cash, stocks, shares, and property.
If you have a defined contribution (DC) pension scheme, your retirement income will depend on how well these investments perform (in addition to how much you and your employer contribute).
Some pension schemes allow members to choose how their funds are invested. This could give you the flexibility to align your retirement savings strategy with your goals, values, and preferred retirement age. However, it’s wise to seek financial advice before changing how your pension funds are invested, to avoid costly mistakes.
Alternatively, you could leave your pension wealth in your provider’s default fund and entrust them to make investment decisions on your behalf. For example, they may automatically move your money into lower-risk investments as you approach retirement. While this “lifestyling” approach could protect the value of your pension wealth, it may not fit with you retirement plans.
A financial planner can help you weigh up the relative pros and cons of both approaches and create a pension strategy that works for you.
4. You can “carry forward” unused Annual Allowance for up to 3 tax years
When you pay into your workplace or private pension, you benefit from tax relief on contributions up to the Annual Allowance until you turn 75. For most people this is £60,000 in 2025/26 – your tax-efficient contributions are limited up to 100% of your earnings.
Your Annual Allowance may be lower if your income exceeds certain thresholds or you have already flexibly accessed your pension.
However, you can carry forward unused Annual Allowance from the previous three tax years. This may be especially useful, if you have surplus income or receive an unexpected windfall.
Let’s take a look at an example.

Assuming you have an Annual Allowance of £60,000 in 2025/26, you could carry forward your unused £40,000 allowance from the past three years and contribute up to £100,000 tax-efficiently this year.
As you can see, carry forward can be a valuable tax and retirement planning tool.
Get in touch
If you’d like help reviewing your pensions and taking control of your retirement savings, we can help.
Please email hello@bluewealth.co.uk or call us on 0117 332 0230.
Please note
The content of this newsletter is offered only for general informational and educational purposes. It is not offered as, and does not constitute, financial advice.
Blue Wealth Ltd is not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained within linked sites.
Blue Wealth Ltd is an appointed representative of Best Practice IFA Group Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.
The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax planning.
A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.
Workplace pensions are regulated by The Pension Regulator.
Approved by Best Practice IFA Group: 04/08/2025










