[SPONSORED CONTENT]
In this episode, Pete Glancy joins Robert Cochran to unpack Part 1 of the Scottish Widows UK Retirement Report. Now in its 22nd year the report reveals that 31% of UK adults (12.2 million people) are on track for pension poverty – an improvement from 39% (15.3 million) in 2025, impressive but still fragile.1 Drawing on insights from the National Retirement Forecast, they explore how retirement outcomes are shaped by savings habits, income sources and rising living costs, and why readiness across the UK remains uneven.
The conversation also looks at what’s driving the recent improvement, including falling short-term energy costs and changing savings behaviours, as well as the ongoing risks facing future retirees. They discuss the potential impact of policy changes, including how increasing auto-enrolment contributions from 8% to 12% could reduce pension poverty to just 13%, alongside the role of the new UK Pensions Commission in shaping long-term reform.1
Listen to the podcast now: 2026 Scottish Widows Retirement Report – Part 1
Read the latest news, expertise and thought leadership from Scottish Widows’ workplace pensions experts – here.
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