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  • Universal Credit

    Find out how Universal Credit works and how to manage your payment
    Benefits if you have children

    Entitlements to help with the cost of pregnancy or bringing up children
    Benefits if you’re sick, disabled or a carer

    Understand what support is available for coping with ill health
    Benefits in later life

    You may be entitled for help with other costs on top of your State Pension
    Benefits and work

    Extra support if you’re working, self-employed, or you’ve lost your job
    Benefits to help with housing costs

    Support to help with rent or mortgage payments if you’re on a low income
    Problems with benefits

    What to do if something goes wrong with your benefits
    Benefits

    All Benefits guidance
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    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Banking and payments

    How to choose, use and manage bank accounts
    Budgeting

    How to budget, find the best deals and switch to save money
    Buying and running a car

    How to buy and finance a car, deal with problems with car finance, and cut running costs
    Credit

    Credit basics, applying for credit, credit ratings and problems with credit

    Insurance

    Insurance for cars, health, travel, and help with insurance

    Everyday money

    All Everyday money guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Compare bank accounts

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Tool

    Your options for borrowing money

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Becoming a parent

    Having a baby, returning to work, childcare costs

    Death and bereavement

    Wills, inheritance, sorting out estates
    Divorce and separation

    Sorting out money and homes, what if you have children, money after break ups
    Illness and disability

    Managing costs, extra financial support, help with work or study
    Long-term care

    Paying and getting funding, ways to pay, problems with care
    Student and graduate money

    Credit cards, bank accounts, student debts
    Talk money

    Difficult conversations, talking to teenagers, older people and partners
    Family & care

    All Family & care guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Divorce calculator

    Calculator

    Baby costs calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Mortgages and homebuying

    Mortgages, help buying, remortgaging, first-time buyers, help and support

    Renting

    Help renting a home and dealing with problems

    Homes

    All Homes guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Stamp Duty calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage affordability calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage repayment calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Help with the cost of living

    Budgeting, paying bills, finding extra financial support, coping with job loss
    Dealing with debt

    Bills, court fines, help with debts
    Money problems and complaints

    What to do about mis-selling, compensation and complaints

    Scams

    Spotting scams and what to do if you’re caught out
    Money troubles

    All Money troubles guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Debt advice locator

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    Tool

    Bill prioritiser

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Building your retirement pot

    How much do you need, ways to build your pot, transferring and merging
    Pensions explained

    Starting a pension, types of pension, understanding pensions
    Pension problems

    Complaints, financial help when retired, changes to schemes
    State Pension

    How it works, what you might get, National Insurance

    Taking your pension

    Ways to draw your pension, when can you retire, Pension Wise appointments

    Tax and pensions

    Tax allowances, tax paid on pensions, tax relief
    Pensions and retirement

    All guidance, including how to use the Pension Wise service
    Tools

    Appointment

    Book a Pension Wise appointment

    Calculator

    Pension calculator

    Tool

    Money Midlife MOT

    Tool

    Find a retirement adviser

    ALL TOOLS

    Book your free Pension Wise appointment

    Over 50? Get free, impartial guidance from our government-backed service. We’ll explain your options for taking money from your pension pots.
  • How to save

    Getting started, getting the most out of savings, problems

    Investing

    How to invest, types of investing, buying and managing
    Types of savings

    Help with meeting goals, tax-friendly saving, saving for children

    Savings

    All Savings guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Savings calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Employment

    Basics, benefits, tax and National Insurance

    Losing your job

    What to do, alternatives, redundancy pay
    Self-employment

    Starting out, insurance, tax, self-assessment

    Work

    All Work guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Redundancy pay calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Benefits
  • Everyday money
  • Family & care
  • Homes
  • Money troubles
  • Pensions & retirement
  • Savings
  • Work
  • Universal Credit Find out how Universal Credit works and how to manage your payment
    Benefits if you have children Entitlements to help with the cost of pregnancy or bringing up children
    Benefits if you’re sick, disabled or a carer Understand what support is available for coping with ill health
    Benefits in later life You may be entitled for help with other costs on top of your State Pension
    Benefits and work Extra support if you’re working, self-employed, or you’ve lost your job
    Benefits to help with housing costs Support to help with rent or mortgage payments if you’re on a low income
    Problems with benefits What to do if something goes wrong with your benefits
    Benefits All Benefits guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS
    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Banking and payments How to choose, use and manage bank accounts
    Budgeting How to budget, find the best deals and switch to save money
    Buying and running a car How to buy and finance a car, deal with problems with car finance, and cut running costs
    Credit Credit basics, applying for credit, credit ratings and problems with credit
    Insurance Insurance for cars, health, travel, and help with insurance
    Everyday money All Everyday money guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Compare bank accounts

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Tool

    Your options for borrowing money

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS
    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Becoming a parent Having a baby, returning to work, childcare costs
    Death and bereavement Wills, inheritance, sorting out estates
    Divorce and separation Sorting out money and homes, what if you have children, money after break ups
    Illness and disability Managing costs, extra financial support, help with work or study
    Long-term care Paying and getting funding, ways to pay, problems with care
    Student and graduate money Credit cards, bank accounts, student debts
    Talk money Difficult conversations, talking to teenagers, older people and partners
    Family & care All Family & care guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Divorce calculator

    Calculator

    Baby costs calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS
    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Mortgages and homebuying Mortgages, help buying, remortgaging, first-time buyers, help and support
    Renting Help renting a home and dealing with problems
    Homes All Homes guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Stamp Duty calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage affordability calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage repayment calculator

    ALL TOOLS
    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Help with the cost of living Budgeting, paying bills, finding extra financial support, coping with job loss
    Dealing with debt Bills, court fines, help with debts
    Money problems and complaints What to do about mis-selling, compensation and complaints
    Scams Spotting scams and what to do if you’re caught out
    Money troubles All Money troubles guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Debt advice locator

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    Tool

    Bill prioritiser

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS
    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Building your retirement pot How much do you need, ways to build your pot, transferring and merging
    Pensions explained Starting a pension, types of pension, understanding pensions
    Pension problems Complaints, financial help when retired, changes to schemes
    State Pension How it works, what you might get, National Insurance
    Taking your pension Ways to draw your pension, when can you retire, Pension Wise appointments
    Tax and pensions Tax allowances, tax paid on pensions, tax relief
    Pensions and retirement All guidance, including how to use the Pension Wise service
    Tools

    Appointment

    Book a Pension Wise appointment

    Calculator

    Pension calculator

    Tool

    Money Midlife MOT

    Tool

    Find a retirement adviser

    ALL TOOLS
    Book your free Pension Wise appointment

    Over 50? Get free, impartial guidance from our government-backed service. We’ll explain your options for taking money from your pension pots.
  • How to save Getting started, getting the most out of savings, problems
    Investing How to invest, types of investing, buying and managing
    Types of savings Help with meeting goals, tax-friendly saving, saving for children
    Savings All Savings guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Savings calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    ALL TOOLS
    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
  • Employment Basics, benefits, tax and National Insurance
    Losing your job What to do, alternatives, redundancy pay
    Self-employment Starting out, insurance, tax, self-assessment
    Work All Work guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Redundancy pay calculator

    ALL TOOLS
    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions
Home
Cymraeg
  1. Home
  2. Pensions & retirement
Pensions & retirement

Pensions explained

Use our guides and tools to learn how a pension can help you save for retirement. We explain what you need to know, including: 

  • what a pension is 
  • the benefits of saving into a pension 
  • how different types of pension work
  • how to start a pension, including if you’re self-employed. 
Man with laptop writing notes

Articles

An overview of pensions

  • What is a pension scheme and how does it work?
  • Why should I save into a pension?
  • How to prepare and plan for retirement
  • How safe is my pension?
  • Pension scheme fees and charges explained
  • Pension statements explained: what your provider must tell you

Understand your employer’s pension scheme

  • How pension auto-enrolment works
  • Workplace pensions: how your employer’s pension scheme works
  • Defined contribution pension schemes explained
  • Defined benefit pension schemes: final salary and career average explained
  • Collective defined contribution pensions explained
  • Pension buyout policies: an insurer pays your pension instead

Set up your own pension

  • How to start your own pension
  • A guide to pensions if you’re self-employed
  • Personal pensions: set up your own private pension
  • SIPPs explained: self-invested personal pensions
  • SSAS pensions: small self-administered schemes explained
  • How a retirement annuity contract works

Join our Facebook group

Join our private Pensions and planning for the future Facebook groupOpens in a new window to share ideas and get support from our pensions community.

Free pensions guidance

Help from our pension specialists is impartial and free to use, whether that’s online or over the phone.

Phone us

0800 011 3797

 

Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Closed on bank holidays.

Submit a query

Use our online enquiry form

 

We aim to respond within five working days.

Chat to us

Use our webchat

 

Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Closed on bank holidays. 

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Looking for us? Now, we’re MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is the new, easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with MoneyHelper.

Continue to website
Looking for us? Now, we’re MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is the new, easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with MoneyHelper.

Continue to website
Looking for us? Now, we’re MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is the new, easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with MoneyHelper.

Continue to website
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