Billions in pension freedom cash 'flows into bank accounts'

£3bn 'languishing' in low yielding accounts

Jenna Towler
clock • 3 min read

People accessing their savings through pensions freedom are continuing to extract money from their retirement pots to put it into unfavourable bank accounts with £3bn transferred so far, analysis from AJ Bell has found.

The provider said its analysis showed £3bn of pension money was now "languishing" in low yielding bank accounts. It added people who had made such transfers now faced a tax "double jeopardy" on withdrawals and well as low returns.  The analysis also found just a quarter of the £17.5bn released via pension freedom had been spent on day-to-day living (£4.7bn) despite pensions usually being in place to support later life.  The investment platform said its statistics were based on a survey of 370 people who have accessed their pension flexibly since April 2015. It then applied the results...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Pensions

Govt ignores pension tax lock call as petition responses top 18,500

Govt ignores pension tax lock call as petition responses top 18,500

AJ Bell started petition; Govt forced to respond after 10,000 signatures

Jenna Brown
clock 23 October 2025 • 2 min read
How SIPPs and SSASs could help power the UK's energy goals

How SIPPs and SSASs could help power the UK's energy goals

'The role of pensions in supporting renewable energy deserves further consideration'

Caitlin Southall
clock 23 October 2025 • 4 min read
IHT on pensions: A moment in time for the profession to shine

IHT on pensions: A moment in time for the profession to shine

'Bringing pensions into the IHT net marks a structural change in how wealth is transferred'

Andrew Zanelli
clock 21 October 2025 • 4 min read