Many of the country’s pensioners are denying themselves a better income in their retirement by not searching for the best options, a study has shown.
According to figures from Just Retirement, three out of four people cashing in their pension could find themselves struggling if they do not get to grips with their finances.
"Consumers spend up to 40 years of their lives saving for their retirement but when it comes to converting the money into a regular income via an annuity, there is a huge lack of understanding," noted Nigel Barlow, head of technical services at Just Retirement.
He also revealed how the study found that 79 per cent of over 55s had never heard of the Open Market Option, which enables them to find a better deal for their retirement.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics on health expectancy found that the British population has been living longer over the past 23 years.
They also show how life expectancy has been increasing at a faster rate for men than for women.