Almost two-thirds (63%) of UK adults are concerned about running out of money in retirement, according to research from investment, protection and retirement specialist LV=. This worry highlights the increasing importance on advisers to evidence more sustainable income solutions as retirement durations extend beyond traditional expectations.
The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reinforces the scale of the challenge. A woman aged 66 can expect, on average, to live to around 90, while a man of the same age is expected to live to approximately 87. With a significant proportion of retirees potentially set to live longer, advisers must plan for retirements lasting 20 to 30 years or more, reinforcing the need to manage longevity risk, sequencing risk and long-term withdrawal sustainability.
These concerns are widespread. The research shows that three in five (62%) adults are worried about having sufficient income to meet regular living costs in retirement, while a quarter (26%) are reportedly anxious about their future. Alarmingly, under one in five (19%) fear they may never retire at all. At the same time, ongoing market volatility and inflationary pressures continue to undermine confidence, with 23% of retirees concerned about their savings being devalued by low interest rates and inflationary pressures.
The findings reflect a broader shift in retirement advice, with the need for greater emphasis on structured, outcome-focused planning, rather than standalone investment solutions. As responsibility on advisers continues to increase, particularly under greater regulatory scrutiny, delivering resilient and repeatable decumulation strategies has become central to modern retirement advice.
In response, some advisers are increasingly adopting blended, on-platform approaches that bring together investment, tax and income decisions. The use of smoothed solutions, such as LV= Smoothed Managed Funds, helps to reduce the impact of short-term market volatility. Alongside multiple tax wrappers and model portfolio service (MPS) strategies within a single platform structure, this supports more consistent income planning while maintaining flexibility as client needs evolve throughout retirement.
Longer-term risks are also having an influence on advice conversations. According to the findings, two thirds (67%) of UK adults cite the potential cost of long‑term care as a key retirement concern, which could prompt advisers to place greater emphasis on income resilience and adaptability over multiple decades, rather than short‑term performance alone.
LV= Platform Services is designed to support advisers in delivering outcome‑led retirement planning and risk‑managed decumulation, with growing emphasis on platform capabilities that integrate investment, tax and income decisions.
As the only mutual organisation in the market with an integrated platform offering, LV= Platform Services highlights how this structure can provide advisers with greater flexibility and optionality when adapting retirement strategies across different stages of clients’ lives.
Gwen Haggo, LV= Savings and Retirement Sales Director, said:
“The scale of concern around retirement income highlights why advisers are looking beyond short‑term performance.
A blended, on-platform approach can help manage longevity and sequencing risks more effectively, while giving clients confidence that their income strategy has been designed for the full retirement journey – providing invaluable peace of mind for clients and supporting them to live financially confident lives both into and throughout later life.”
