State pension alert: Most Britons forced to 'rely' on DWP payment in retirement despite reform fears

Most people continue to depend on the state pension in later life despite changes to the retirement age and calls to means-test payments

Most people continue to depend on the state pension in later life despite changes to the retirement age and calls to means-test payments

Most Britons admit to "relying" on the state pension in later life despite calls to reform the benefit, according to new polling.

A survey commissioned by Hargreaves Lansdown has found that roughly two in three people expect to depend on the state pension to at least some degree during their retirement years.

The research, carried out by Opinium in June 2026 with 1,500 respondents, revealed that nine per cent anticipate being entirely reliant on the benefit, while nearly one in five described themselves as heavily dependent on it.

A notable gender disparity emerged from the findings, with 68 per cent of women reporting some level of reliance on the state pension compared with 64 per cent of men.

Meanwhile, 14 per cent of those polled said they were uncertain about how much they would need to lean on the benefit in later life.

At present, the full new state pension stands at £241.30 per week, an amount that covers basic living costs for many but falls well short of replicating most people's working-life standard of living.

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "The state pension forms the very foundation of our retirement income, 66 per cent of people admit they will rely on it 'to some extent'.

"The level of reliance differs, with nine per cent saying they will be totally dependent on it while a further 19 per cent say they will rely heavily on the benefit to meet their needs in retirement."

The state pension age is set to reach 67 by 2028, with a further increase to 68 anticipated between 2044 and 2046.

An ongoing Government review could accelerate that timeline. Joint research conducted by Hargreaves Lansdown and Oxford Economics underscores just how central the state pension remains.

Their analysis found that 92 per cent of people are able to cover their essential retirement needs when the state pension is combined with personal pension savings.

Ms Morrissey said: "The state pension continues to do most of the heavy lifting."

On a more encouraging note, automatic enrolment into workplace pensions has significantly widened the number of people building up their own retirement savings.

Over time, this should reduce the proportion of individuals who are wholly or largely dependent on the state pension alone. However, for those who aspire to more than just meeting basic costs in retirement, additional steps to grow their pension pot are worth considering.

Ms Morrissey highlighted that even modest increases in pension contributions can yield substantial results over a career.

A worker starting at age 22 on a salary of £25,000 and paying in at auto-enrolment minimum rates throughout their working life could accumulate a pot of around £477,500 by the time they turn 68.

Ms Morrissey added: "This either gives them a larger pension when they reach state pension age or the option to retire a bit earlier."