The Vanguard Retirement Outlook: Assessing the retirement readiness of UK baby boomers

04 August 2025 04 August 2025

30 minute read

The Vanguard Retirement Outlook: Assessing the retirement readiness of UK baby boomers

Our research assesses the retirement readiness of UK baby boomers across different income groups and highlights some of the steps these individuals can take to improve their preparedness for retirement.

Only 40% to 50% of UK baby boomers are retirement ready. The remainder are expected to fall short of the savings they need to sustain their current lifestyle in retirement or achieve a moderate standard of living.
Individuals with DB pensions are more than twice as likely to sustain their current lifestyle in retirement than those without, and four times as likely to achieve a moderate standard of living.
Highlighting the importance of financial advice in retirement planning, wealthier baby boomers who sought professional financial advice in the past year, have a greater likelihood of being retirement ready.
Baby boomers have several levers at their disposal that can improve their likelihood of retirement readiness. These include releasing home equity, delaying retirement by a couple of years and spending a bit less in retirement.

Vanguard Research

The Vanguard Retirement Outlook: Assessing the retirement readiness of UK baby boomers

Our research assesses the retirement readiness of UK baby boomers across different income groups and highlights some of the steps these individuals can take to improve their preparedness for retirement.

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