Pension outlook · worked example
Will I have a £200k 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 £329k by 67 — you'd pass £200k around age 58. About 67% 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 £200k — you grow it
Of the £329k pot built by 67, about £108,900 is money you put in and roughly £220,560 is investment growth — 67p 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£36k
- Age 42Not yetPaid in£43kPot value£60k
- Age 47Not yetPaid in£56kPot value£91k
- Age 52Not yetPaid in£69kPot value£131k
- Age 57Not yetPaid in£83kPot value£182k
- Age 58Not yetPaid in£85kPot value£194k
- Age 62Past £200kPaid in£96kPot value£247k
- Age 67Past £200kPaid in£109kPot value£329k
On these average figures you’d pass £200k around age 58 — and it keeps compounding after that.