Pension basics explained

Why make retirement planning harder than it needs to be?

Making things simpler for you

There are so many pensions out there. All sorts of jargon is being used. The options you have to choose from seem endless. So it can be difficult to get your head around. 

But we want to make it easy. That’s why we’ve brought together some useful articles on the key things you need to know about pensions when you start making your retirement plans.

The value of your pension can go down as well as up and you may get back less than has been paid in.

How do I find a lost pension?

Tracking down pensions you're missing doesn't have to take a huge chunk of time. We'll show you how easy it can be.

What's pension tax relief all about?

Understand how pension tax relief works, what it's based on and the impact it has on paying into your pension.

What happens to your pension when you die?

If you’re thinking about how you can provide for your loved ones, find out if and how your pension can be passed on.

What is a pension?

Understanding how different types of pensions work may help you decide which one (or ones) might suit you.

Stop your pension from running out early

Before taking an income from your pension pot, make sure there's enough in there to see you through retirement.

Why pay into your pension early?

Sorting out your pension may not be at the top of your to-do list. But if you get things up and running sooner, it could work out better for you later.

Six simple tricks to help you boost your pension

Giving your pension savings a little push can make a big difference. Capital at risk.

Checking your National Insurance record for gaps

Discover how you can close the gap if you have missed contributions.

How many pensions can I have?

Learn more about how many different pension pots you can have and how to keep track of them.

6 stepping stones to help you cross the gender pension gap

The gender pension gap is the difference in pension income that different genders will get in retirement. See 6 steps that you could take to close this gap.

Take control of your pension

Start putting the pieces together for your future with our flexible self-invested Aviva Pension. Capital at risk.

Explore our Aviva Pension

Get up to speed with pensions

Saving for retirement doesn’t have to be complicated. We’ve made building your pension pot easy – starting from just £25 a month.