Research and Statistics

RR 787 A simpler State Pension: A qualitative study to explore one option for State Pension reform

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) commissioned TNS-BMRB and the Futures Company to undertake qualitative research to explore perceptions of a Single Tier State Pension system.

The specific aims of the research were to explore:

  • whether the single-tier system was considered to be fairer and/or simpler than the current system and whether it offered certainty with regard to the amount of entitlement
  • how the single tier might impact people’s planning and saving for retirement
  • how reactions to the above might inform future communications

    • Fieldwork took place between January and October 2011 and was conducted in 4 stages.

    This research is qualitative, but the findings complement other related research. For example, the 2012 Attitudes to Pensions survey, based on a sample of 1,949 adults in Great Britain, also showed that the current state pension system discourages saving and is too complicated. Findings from this show that 42% of respondents agree that income top-up discourages saving for retirement. Nearly two thirds (63%) of respondents felt that ‘sometimes pensions seems so complicated that I cannot really understand the best thing to do’ 1.

    The research informed policy development for the Single-Tier White Paper, which is also published on 14th January 2013 (The Single Tier Pension: a simple foundation for saving, CM 8528) 2. The research also informed illustrations for the White Paper, to make complex concepts more easily understandable.

    1. MacLeod, P et al (2012) http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2011-2012/rrep813.pdf

    2. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/pensions-reform/state-pension/

    January 2013 158 pages 297x210mm

    ISBN 978-1-908523-46-4

     

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