A third of 45-54s say mortgage costs prevent retirement saving

The most commonly cited reasons for not saving are the cost of living (63%) or insufficient income (39%). However, more specifically 36% of people say mortgage or loan repayments leave little money left over to save.

Even at ages 55 to 60, just 12% of people said there was no barrier to them saving with over a quarter (27%) saying mortgage or loan costs were a major barrier.

The barriers were even greater for women with only 9% of women, compared to 15% of men aged over 45 saying there were no barriers towards them saving more.

Steven Cameron, Pension Director at Aegon, said: "For those in their 20s and 30s, it may be tempting to put off retirement saving, hoping to become free of pressing financial commitments, but that day may never come, with mortgage repayments and family financing no longer just for the under 45s.
 
“Escalating property prices mean people are taking on larger mortgages which won’t be repaid until later ages. We’ve seen some mortgage providers increase the age at which a mortgage can be repaid to 80 or later. People are also starting families later, and increasing tuition fees coupled with a challenging employment environment for younger people mean parents often face supporting their children for longer than previous generations.
 
“Deferring pension saving in the hope of a financial boost in your 40s is an increasingly risky strategy. Starting saving even modest amounts from an early age and regularly increasing this a little at a time can make a huge difference to achieving the retirement people hope for. For example, someone who starts saving £80 a month from their take-home pay at 25 could end up with a retirement pot worth £232,000 at age 65 versus a pot of around £52,000 for someone who starts at 45.”