Have I Enough?
Have I Enough?
Open the planner

Pension outlook

Will I ever have a £400k pension?

For most people on a typical (median) UK salary, yes — and earlier than you’d think, because compounding does most of the work. Here’s what a median earner at each age is on track for by 67, paying just the auto-enrolment minimum. The younger you start, the easier £400k gets. Figures use ONS national medians (sources below).

£150k pension£200k pension£250k pension£300k pension£500k pension£750k pension£1m pension

Try it with your own numbers

Live

The real planner engine, running in your browser. Change your pot, monthly saving, growth and target and watch the pot you’d have by 67 — and the age you’d hit your target — update instantly.

Not yet — nudge it up£347k by 67

An extra £120/month, a little more growth, or starting earlier would get you to £400k.

Pot at 67
£347k
Hits target
Not by 67
You put in
£111k
Growth adds
£237k

Projected pot (today's money)

Pot
Open the full plannerAssumes contributions to 67 and growth above inflation. Illustrative only — not financial advice.

Where these figures come from

The default salary, contribution and existing-pot figures are UK national medians, not a prediction about you — your own pay, employer scheme, other pensions and returns will differ. Change any of them in the live tester above. Growth of 5% a year above inflation is illustrative, and all amounts are in today’s money. This is a planning tool, not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

Will I have a £400k pension at 30?

On the median £39k salary for your age, paying just the auto-enrolment minimum of about £220 a month, you'd build roughly £347k by 67. To reach £400k you'd step up to about £265 a month (£45 more than the minimum) — or get there through pay rises, more generous employer schemes, or starting a little sooner. Even then, most of the pot is compounding, not saving harder. The figures use national medians (not a promise about you): the ONS median full-time salary for ages 30–39 (£39k), the auto-enrolment minimum of about £220 a month (you + employer, 8% of qualifying earnings), the ONS median pot for someone your age who already saves (£13k), and 5% investment growth a year above inflation to age 67.

Do I need a high salary to get a £400k pension?

No. On the median £39k full-time salary for ages 30–39 (ONS), paying only the legal minimum, you'd build around £347k by 67. The reason is compounding: about 68% of the pot is investment growth rather than money you pay in. Starting earlier matters far more than earning more, because your early contributions have the longest to grow.

How much do I need to save each month for a £400k pension?

To reach £400k by 67 from age 30, you'd aim for about £265 a month in total contributions, versus the £220 auto-enrolment minimum on a median salary. A more generous employer scheme, salary sacrifice and pay rises help close that gap.

Is a £400k pension enough to retire on?

It depends on your spending and other income. A £400k pot plus the State Pension (about £11,502 a year from 67) might support a modest-to-comfortable retirement using the 4% guide. Use the free planner to test how long £400k would actually last at your target spending.

Are these numbers financial advice?

No. This is an illustrative worked example from a free planning tool using fixed assumptions (average pay, 5% real growth, pension access from 55). Your own pensions, employer, returns and career will change the result. Open the planner to run it with your real figures.