Pension outlook · worked example
Will I have a £750k pension at 55?
On the median £40k salary for your age, paying just the auto-enrolment minimum of about £225 a month, you'd build roughly £335k by 67. To reach £750k you'd step up to about £2,400 a month (£2,175 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.
To reach £750k by 67
Aim for this much in total monthly contributions (you + employer) — or close the gap with pay rises, a better employer scheme, or starting sooner.
£2,400/mo
£2,175 more than the minimum
You don’t save your way to £750k — you grow it
Of the £335k pot built by 67, about £194,800 is money you put in and roughly £139,823 is investment growth — 42p 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 55Not yetPaid in£162kPot value£162k
- Age 60Not yetPaid in£176kPot value£222k
- Age 65Not yetPaid in£189kPot value£298k
- Age 67Not yetPaid in£195kPot value£335k
An average earner your age lands near £335k by 67. The table below shows what a little extra each month does.
What a bit more each month does
To land on £750k by 67 you’d aim for about £2,400/month in total contributions — £2,175 more than the average earner your age. Employer top-ups and pay rises help close that.