Published Tuesday 17th February 2026
Published Tuesday 17th February 2026
Research undertaken in December 2025 by Get Britain Pension Ready revealed a concerning divide in retirement confidence between different types of workers.
Self-employed workers are more than twice as likely (22%) as employed workers (9%) to believe they will never be able to retire.
Over half of self-employed workers (50%) make no monthly contributions to their pension or retirement savings, compared to employed workers (9%).
Employed workers are three times more likely to maintain regular monthly pension contributions (61%) than their self-employed counterparts (20%).
While workplace pensions offer employed workers the benefit of employer contributions that boost retirement savings, new research reveals self-employed workers face a starkly different reality when it comes to pension planning.
Research from Get Britain Pension Ready, a campaign to help everyone be informed and feel confident in the financial options available to them at retirement, found that self-employed workers are more than twice as likely (22%) as employed workers (9%) to believe they will never be able to retire, highlighting a concerning divide in retirement confidence between different types of workers.
Between September and November 2025, the House of Commons, reported that there were 4.39 million self-employed workers across the United Kingdom. Meaning that nearly 1 million self-employed Brits don’t believe that retirement is a realistic possibility for them.
When it comes to saving regularly, self-employed workers are over five times more likely to report making no monthly contributions to their pension or retirement savings (50%) compared to employed workers (9%), almost double the national average of 27%.
In contrast, employed workers are three times more likely to maintain regular monthly pension contributions (61%) than their self-employed counterparts (20%). Among self-employed workers not making regular contributions, rising cost of living (43%) and fluctuations in monthly income (34%) were cited as the leading barriers.
“Going self-employed has come with its many benefits, but it’s also had a big impact on my pension. When working full-time I benefited from consistent employer contributions, whereas now my retirement savings have taken the back seat to more pressing expenses.
“If I could give my younger self any advice on pension planning, I’d say start educating yourself and put money away, even if it’s minimal, as early as possible. It’s all the more important when you’re working independently and all the pension savings are down to you.”
Neusha, a 39-year-old self-employed Leadership Development Coach and Facilitator from Brighton
The research also uncovered a significant information gap. When asked if enough pension information specific to their employment status exists and is readily available, nearly half of employed workers (44%) agreed, compared to only 28% of self-employed workers.
This lack of accessible guidance appears to impact long-term planning. Just 31% of self-employed workers report having planned for financial security in retirement, compared to 52% of employed individuals.
“Self-employed workers face a double disadvantage. Not only do they miss out on employer contributions - which is effectively free money that compounds over decades - but they're also navigating retirement planning with far less information and support tailored to their circumstances.
“The irregular income many self-employed people experience makes consistent saving challenging, but without the safety net of employer contributions, it's even more critical they find ways to build retirement savings when they can."”
Sarah Lloyd, CEO at Annuity Ready
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has noted that data suggest that since the turn of the 21st century, the number of self-employed people in the UK has undergone a steady increase from around 3.25 million individuals in 2000 to around 5 million in 2020.
“This is a growing group of British workers that make up nearly 15% of our workforce, it’s important we’re giving them the information and support they need to plan for retirement,” says Sarah. “Your type of employment should not be a barrier to that.”
The research revealed that 75% of employed Brits have a workplace pension versus just 24% of self-employed workers. Among those who had previously opted out of workplace pensions but later opted back in, employer contributions were the leading motivator (35%), underscoring the significant value of matched contributions that self-employed workers cannot access.
The Get Britain Pension Ready campaign is urging all workers, regardless of employment status, to take their retirement readiness quiz to identify knowledge gaps and access free educational resources.
Research was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Annuity Ready and surveyed 2,000 adults living in the UK in December 2025.
