Matthew Rankine: Why auto-enrolment's success is only half the battle

Sleepwalking towards disaster

clock • 3 min read

While it would be remiss not to raise a seasonal glass to the success of auto-enrolment, writes Matthew Rankine, a lifejacket is worthless if you do not know how to put it on

When auto-enrolment was introduced, a little over five years ago, it was described as a lifesaver for the millions of workers who were projected to end up relying solely on the state pension upon retirement. And it would be remiss not to raise a seasonal glass to the success of the scheme - after all, nobody can argue it is a bad thing that nearly nine million Brits have been dragged into pension saving. That success risks fostering a dangerous complacency, however, that simply ‘having a pension' is the same as being on course for the retirement you want. We all know this is just not ...

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 Retirement

Royal London introduces CRP framework to help advisers

Royal London introduces CRP framework to help advisers

Support when developing retirement income strategies for clients

Jenna Brown
clock 29 January 2026 • 1 min read
Just Group sees fall in retirement income sales as takeover approaches

Just Group sees fall in retirement income sales as takeover approaches

Brookfield Wealth Solutions to takeover during first half of the year

Isabel Baxter
clock 20 January 2026 • 2 min read
Shifting pension rules 'eroding trust' and 'hindering' retirement confidence

Shifting pension rules 'eroding trust' and 'hindering' retirement confidence

Speculation on rules hitting confidence across every age group

Sahar Nazir
clock 17 November 2025 • 2 min read