Ray’s 37. He’s worked for the Environment Agency as a Hydrologist full time for the last 8 years and earns £37,000. He has just bought his first house. He’s starting to worry about his lack of future planning and thinks he needs more information.
He’s currently a member of the 50:50 Section so pays 3.4% of his salary in employee contributions; £105 per month. In October 2019 his pension was worth £1,888 per year.
Ray hasn’t made any retirement plans yet but is expecting to retire around age 65.
He chose the 50:50 Section because it meant paying in less of his salary each month. He also wants to know that the EAPF is investing his contributions responsibly.
Ray’s estimated pension at age 65 would have the same buying power today as an income of around £12,750.
What does this mean for Ray?
Based on his circumstances Ray may not be on track to receive the target level of retirement income (60% of his salary) that he may require. Ray needs to take action now. The sooner he makes changes, the more likely it is he can have a comfortable life at retirement.
What can Ray do?
There’s lots of information available for Ray in the contributing member hub. He could check what impact joining the Main Section will have on his monthly contributions and, as a result, his increased pension. He should also log in or sign up for the EAPF Online portal which gives online access to personalised pension information. It also provides further details about the EAPF, the option to update information or submit queries, together with an online mailbox to access annual pension statements. It also gives him the chance to nominate his family to receive any benefits that are payable should he die.
Joining the Main Section would increase his contributions to 6.8% which would mean his retirement income could be worth £24,000 per year.
Are you like Ray?
- Read our 'Paying into the Scheme pages
- Sign up or log in to the EAPF Online portal and view your annual pension statement
- Use our Budget Planner tool to give you an indication of likely lifestyle costs in retirement
Important Note
These figures are intended for illustration only and the level of income you need will vary depending on your circumstances. You should take independent financial advice if you are unsure. Most people will qualify for a state pension in addition to any workplace or personal pension savings. The full state pension is currently worth around £8,800 per year. More information on the state pension can be found at www.gov.uk/check-state-pension