Pension outlook · worked example
Will I have a £200k pension at 50?
Yes. Starting from the £82k an average saver your age already has, and paying in the auto-enrolment minimum of about £225 a month on the median £40k full-time salary for your age, you're on track for roughly £258k by 67 — you'd pass £200k around age 62. About 50% 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 £258k pot built by 67, about £127,900 is money you put in and roughly £129,814 is investment growth — 50p 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 50Not yetPaid in£82kPot value£82k
- Age 55Not yetPaid in£96kPot value£120k
- Age 60Not yetPaid in£109kPot value£168k
- Age 62Not yetPaid in£114kPot value£190k
- Age 65Past £200kPaid in£123kPot value£229k
- Age 67Past £200kPaid in£128kPot value£258k
On these average figures you’d pass £200k around age 62 — and it keeps compounding after that.