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Blog: Why compulsory pension saving is the only way to go

Carl Lamb
Written By:
Carl Lamb
Posted:
Updated:
10/12/2014

Making saving for a pension akin to paying for public services – a compulsory payment taken through a taxation like scheme – is absolutely the right way to go, argues adviser Carl Lamb.

As a nation fast facing approaching a pensions crisis, the government has a duty to take control and make people save towards their retirement.

The idea from think tank Policy Exchange that it should be compulsory to save towards a pension much like it is to pay taxes is absolutely right. Without doing so, a lot of people will continue to put off pension saving until it’s too late and the government will be burdened with a whole generation it can’t afford to pay for.

Policy Exchange issued a report in which it said a “help to save” scheme should be set up, whereby people were forced to save into a workplace pension, with an ideal contribution rate of 12% over the next five years.

Auto-enrolment has gone some way towards encouraging people to save but I back Policy Exchange’s views that the ability to let people opt out should be removed.

The state pension is not adequate to provide for people in their later years, especially in light of increasing life expectancy, and therefore the onus should be on the individuals themselves to make provisions.

While compulsory pension saving may be unpopular at first, it is the only way forward if we are to steer ourselves away from the retirement car crash we’re headed towards.”

Carl Lamb is managing director of independent advisory firm Almary Green