Average Pension Pot by Age
Explore the age-bracket pension figures and a separate model of withdrawals in retirement. Find your age to compare the benchmark with your own pot; the drawdown line is an illustration, not observed savings data.
Accumulation: ONS Wealth and Assets Survey Round 8, adjusted for 2026/27. Drawdown: modelled at £12k/year withdrawal with 4% growth.
What the median pot actually buys
The typical person approaching retirement has £120,000 saved. Here’s what that means in practice:
Where do you stand?
Enter your age and pension pot to see how you compare and whether you’re on track.
You’re ahead of 46% of people aged 35–39
Targets assume no further contributions, 2.5% growth after inflation to age 67, a full State Pension and 4% fully taxable withdrawals. Illustrative England, Wales and Northern Ireland income tax is allowed for; Scottish tax differs. Rent and mortgage payments are extra.
Whether you’re ahead or behind, these tools can help you plan your next move:
Average pension pot for ages 25-34 in the UK
For younger savers, the closest official-style age bands on this page are 22-29 and 30-34. In our 2026/27 adjusted DC pension dataset, the median pot is £4,800 for ages 22-29 and £15,500 for ages 30-34.
For exact-age searches such as “average pension pot age 27 UK”, there is no official single-age ONS figure in this dataset. Our age-27 page uses interpolation between the surrounding age anchors, giving an illustrative median of about £7,500.
Are you on track? Target pots by age
The PLSA defines three retirement living standards. Working backwards, here’s the DC pot you need at each age — and whether the median saver meets it.
| Age | Median | Minimum | Moderate | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22–29 | £4,800 | £15,301 | £228,768 | £383,077 |
| 30–34 | £15,500 | £17,745 | £265,300 | £444,252 |
| 35–39 | £28,000 | £20,077 | £300,163 | £502,630 |
| 40–44 | £43,000 | £22,715 | £339,607 | £568,679 |
| 45–49 | £64,000 | £25,700 | £384,234 | £643,409 |
| 50–54 | £92,000 | £29,077 | £434,726 | £727,958 |
| 55–59 | £120,000 | £32,898 | £491,852 | £823,617 |
| 60–65 | £152,000 | £38,152 | £570,398 | £955,144 |
Assumes 2.5% annual growth after inflation to age 67, no further contributions, and a 4% withdrawal rate. Spending is grossed up for illustrative income tax before deducting the full State Pension. Figures are in today’s money; rent and mortgage payments are extra. Green = median meets target. Red = median is behind.
| Age | Median | Mean | 25th %ile | 75th %ile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22–29 | £4,800 | £12,400 | £1,100 | £14,600 |
| 30–34 | £15,500 | £38,000 | £5,000 | £38,000 |
| 35–39 | £28,000 | £58,000 | £9,500 | £60,000 |
| 40–44 | £43,000 | £85,000 | £14,000 | £88,000 |
| 45–49 | £64,000 | £119,000 | £18,500 | £125,000 |
| 50–54 | £92,000 | £165,000 | £24,000 | £175,000 |
| 55–59 | £120,000 | £205,000 | £28,000 | £220,000 |
| 60–65 | £152,000 | £248,000 | £32,000 | £265,000 |
Source: ONS Wealth and Assets Survey Round 8, illustrative adjustments for 2026/27
The gender pension gap
Women’s median pots are ~40% smaller than men’s at every age.
22–29
36% gap
30–34
42% gap
35–39
43% gap
40–44
42% gap
45–49
43% gap
50–54
42% gap
55–59
44% gap
60–65
43% gap
Methodology & data sources
Primary source:ONS Wealth and Assets Survey (WAS) Round 8, covering April 2020 to March 2022 — the most comprehensive household wealth survey in Great Britain (~20,000 households).
DC pension wealth: Figures relate to defined contribution pots only — personal pensions, workplace DC schemes (NEST, auto-enrolment), and SIPPs. Defined benefit pensions are excluded.
2026/27 adjustments: Illustrative adjustments for ongoing auto-enrolment contributions and broad market returns since the survey period.
PLSA targets: Pensions UK (formerly PLSA) Retirement Living Standards 2026, single person outside London. Assume full state pension (£12,548/year) and 4% illustrative withdrawal rate.
Drawdown model: The chart’s drawdown phase assumes £12,000/year withdrawal with 4% annual growth on the remaining balance.
- •2026 spending benchmarks outside London. Rent and mortgage payments are extra; household bills and basic maintenance are included.
- •Illustrative 2026/27 England, Wales and Northern Ireland income tax; pension income only, fully taxable, no tax-free withdrawals or other allowances. Scottish tax differs.
- •Figures are illustrative estimates based on published ONS survey data, not exact individual statistics.
- •DC pension wealth only — defined benefit (DB) pensions are not included.
- •Actual pension pots vary enormously based on contribution history, investment returns, and fees.
- •Pot targets assume a full State Pension. Check your personal forecast: the NI record required depends on your history.
- •Past performance and survey data are not reliable indicators of future outcomes.
Estimates use 2026/27 tax rates. Scottish taxpayers are subject to different income tax rates and bands. The calculations assume your salary is your only source of income and do not account for benefits in kind or other taxable income.