Will You Have Enough to Retire Comfortably?
Compare your private-pension projection with the 2026 UK Retirement Living Standards in today's money.
Editable example: £40,000 salary, £20,000 pension pot, born 1 January 1991, retiring at 67, with 5% employee and 3% employer contributions.
Assumptions, inputs and methodology
Pension Contribution Calculator — FAQ
Answers to common questions about how we project your pension and assess retirement readiness.
What does this calculator estimate?
It projects your private pension from your current pot and contributions, after assumed investment growth, inflation and annual charges. The pot, illustrative 4% income and 2026 Retirement Living Standards benchmark are all shown in today's money.
Which retirement income targets are used?
We use the 2026 UK Retirement Living Standards. Single: Minimum £13,900; Comfortable £45,400. Two-person household: Minimum £22,500; Comfortable £62,700. These benchmarks exclude housing costs such as rent or mortgage payments, so adjust them for your circumstances.
How do contributions work?
You can enter contributions as a percentage of salary or as a fixed annual £ amount. The calculator adds your employee contribution and your employer's contribution together.
How is salary growth handled?
Salary grows at 3% per year until the earlier of reaching your chosen salary peak age and the salary cap you set.
What investment growth do you assume?
We assume 5% investment growth per year before a 0.75% annual pension charge, with contributions added annually.
What is the 4% rule used here?
As a rule of thumb, we estimate a sustainable annual income in retirement as 4% of the projected pot.
Do you account for fees, taxes, inflation or state pension?
We use 2.5% annual inflation and a 0.75% annual pension charge so results are shown in today's money. We do not model tax relief, detailed tax rules, investment volatility, State Pension or other retirement income.
How are years to retirement calculated?
In Age mode we use your date of birth and your target retirement age. In Year mode we use the difference between your chosen retirement year and the current calendar year.
Is this financial advice?
For guidance and educational purposes only. Consider seeking regulated financial advice for decisions.