Three quarters of pension savers have no 'pension will' in place

'Nomination saves time and angst'

Julia Bahr
clock • 2 min read

Three quarters (72%) of the UK's pension savers have never completed an expression of wish form, which nominates beneficiaries in the event of their death, according to recent research from Canada Life.

Among those aged 55 and over, 71% say they have not completed one of these ‘pension wills', the data showed. An up-to-date expression of wish form is held by the pension company, and in the event of a customer's death, it will help distribute the pension quickly and efficiently, according to Canada Life. The absence of an expression of wish form could result in delays to any beneficiaries receiving the pension, or worse still the potential for unintended beneficiaries receiving the pension. Andrew Tully, technical director at Canada Life said:"A huge number of UK workers have been ...

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

HMRC updates on information sharing for IHT on pensions

HMRC updates on information sharing for IHT on pensions

Second technical note

Alex Levy
clock 01 September 2026 • 2 min read
IHT on pensions: New thinking on taking income in retirement?

IHT on pensions: New thinking on taking income in retirement?

‘This has undoubtedly had a huge impact on planning for many clients’

Lisa Webster
clock 26 August 2026 • 3 min read
Pensions gender gap: A low-profile injustice that deserves more attention

Pensions gender gap: A low-profile injustice that deserves more attention

'Pensions are one of the few financial products where time is the single biggest driver of outcome'

Jessica Cook
clock 24 August 2026 • 4 min read