Pension outlook · worked example
Will I have a £150k pension at 32?
Yes. Starting from the £17k an average saver your age already has, and paying in the auto-enrolment minimum of about £220 a month on the median £39k full-time salary for your age, you're on track for roughly £260k by 67 — you'd pass £150k around age 56. About 58% of that is investment growth, not money you save — you don't need a big income, you need time.
You don’t save your way to £150k — you grow it
Of the £260k pot built by 67, about £108,900 is money you put in and roughly £150,652 is investment growth — 58p in every £1 comes from compounding, not a bigger salary.
Here’s the scenario
A typical earner your age, built from ONS national medians — not a high flyer. Everything is in today’s money.
How the pot builds up
- Age 32Not yetPaid in£17kPot value£17k
- Age 37Not yetPaid in£30kPot value£34k
- Age 42Not yetPaid in£43kPot value£56k
- Age 47Not yetPaid in£56kPot value£83k
- Age 52Not yetPaid in£69kPot value£115k
- Age 56Not yetPaid in£80kPot value£145k
- Age 57Past £150kPaid in£83kPot value£154k
- Age 62Past £150kPaid in£96kPot value£202k
- Age 67Past £150kPaid in£109kPot value£260k
On these average figures you’d pass £150k around age 56 — and it keeps compounding after that.