Spotlight
Employee workplace pensions in the UK: 2018 provisional and 2017 revised results
What's in the bulletin?
- Over three-quarters (76%) of UK employees were members of a workplace pension scheme in 2018, up from 73% in 2017; this is a 29 percentage points increase compared with 2012, when automatic enrolment was introduced.
- The number of employees with defined contribution (pension wealth dependent upon factors such as investment performance) workplace pensions has increased considerably in recent years; in 2018 the proportion of employees with workplace pensions of this type (34%) almost equalled that of defined benefit (which guarantee a specific retirement income, 36%).
- Both the public and private sectors saw a rise in the share of employees with a workplace pension between 2017 and 2018, with the private sector seeing the largest growth; 90% of public sector and 72% of private sector employees were participating in an occupational pension in 2018 with the gap between these sectors narrowing.
Pension wealth in Great Britain: April 2016 to March 2018
What's in the bulletin?
- Total private pension wealth in Great Britain was £6.1 trillion in April 2016 to March 2018 (42% of total wealth), up from £3.6 trillion (34% of total wealth) in July 2006 to June 2008, after adjusting for inflation.
- In April 2016 to March 2018, nearly half (48%) of all private pension wealth was held in pensions in payment, 37% in active pensions and 15% in preserved pensions; these proportions have been stable over time.
- The percentage of adults below the State Pension age actively contributing to a private pension has increased since July 2010 to June 2012, from 43% to 53%; this rise reflects increased participation in defined contribution schemes, likely to be a result of the introduction of automatic enrolment between 2012 and 2018.
Pension participation at record high but contributions cluster at minimum levels
The introduction of automatic enrolment in 2012 has led to a surge in defined contribution pensions, ONS data has shown.
Datasets related to Workplace pensions
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Pension type by age group and gross weekly earnings bands: Table P1
Annual estimates of the proportion of UK employees in each pension type and contracted-out status (prior to 2016), by age group and gross weekly earnings bands.
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Pension type by industry and gross weekly earnings bands: Table P2
Annual estimates of the proportion of UK employees in each pension type and contracted-out status (prior to 2016), by Standard Industrial Classification (including public and private sector breakdown) and gross weekly earnings bands.
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Pension type by occupation and gross weekly earnings bands: Table P3
Annual estimates of the proportion of UK employees in each pension type and contracted-out status (prior to 2016), by Standard Occupational Classification and gross weekly earnings bands.
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Pension type by size of business and gross weekly earnings bands: Table P4
Annual estimates of the proportion of UK employees in each pension type and contracted-out status (prior to 2016), by size of company and gross weekly earnings bands.
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Employee contribution bands by age group and pension type: Table P5
Annual estimates of the proportion of UK employees in employee contribution bands, by age group and by contracted-out status (prior to 2016) and pension type.
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Employee contribution bands by industry and pension type: Table P6
Annual estimates of the proportion of UK employees in employee contribution bands, by Standard Industrial Classification (including public and private sector breakdown) and by contracted-out status (prior to 2016) and pension type.
Publications related to Workplace pensions
Statistical bulletins
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Pension wealth in Great Britain: April 2016 to March 2018
Private pension wealth in Great Britain, April 2016 to March 2018, taken from the sixth round of the Wealth and Assets Survey.
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Employee workplace pensions in the UK: 2020 provisional and 2019 final results
Membership and contributions to workplace pension arrangements for UK employees by type, age, industry, public and private sector, occupation, and size of company. Compiled from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
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Occupational Pension Schemes Survey, UK: 2018
The nature of occupational pension provision in the UK providing summary data from the Occupational Pension Schemes Survey on membership of schemes and contributions paid.
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MQ5: Investment by insurance companies, pension funds and trusts: October to December 2018
Investment choices of financial institutions based on financial transactions (investments and disinvestments), including balance sheet data for short-term assets and liabilities, and income and expenditure data.
Articles
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Contracting out of Private Sector Defined Benefit Pension Schemes
The latest information on membership and contributions, by contracted out status, is presented for private sector defined benefit occupational schemes. The story focuses on 2013, but also provides active membership details for 2008 to 2013 inclusive.
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Pension Trends
Contributions to private (non-state) pensions. Private pensions considered are: occupational schemes for private sector and public sector employees; and personal pensions, including group personal and stakeholder pensions.