Major Retirement & Investment Gaps: Strategic Marketing Opportunities for Financial Planners

Date: 15 September 2025
Author: Aspina Marketing Insights

Recent findings from Hargreaves Lansdown’s Savings and Resilience Barometer reveal a sobering reality: only 43% of UK households are currently saving enough for an adequate retirement. This substantial gap presents significant opportunities for financial planners to expand their client base, establish authority, and develop stronger professional referral partnerships.

Understanding the Scale of the Challenge

Retirement Adequacy Crisis

According to the research, just 43% of households are on track for “an appropriate retirement.” This figure combines the Pension Commission’s target replacement rate (approximately two-thirds of pre-retirement income) with a basic living wage pension benchmark, representing a more realistic assessment than previous metrics.

How Younger Generations’ Investment Appetite Creates Strategic Opportunities for Financial Advisers

Recent research reveals that younger generations are demonstrating a significantly stronger appetite for investing than older demographics, creating both immediate opportunities and long-term strategic advantages for UK financial advisers. However, capitalising on this trend requires understanding the unique characteristics, challenges, and preferences of Gen Z and millennial investors.

The Investment Appetite Gap Between Generations

Research from Stratiphy has revealed a stark generational divide in investment behaviour. Almost half (47%) of 18-34-year-olds in the UK have invested in the past 12 months, compared to just 23% of those over 55. This represents more than double the investment participation rate, indicating a fundamental shift in how younger generations approach wealth building.

Is Digital Transformation Reshaping Financial Advisory?

The UK financial advice profession stands at a critical turning point. New research from AdviserSoftware.com reveals a market driven by younger clients, digital preferences, and unmet demand for comprehensive support—creating unprecedented opportunities for forward-thinking advisory firms.

The Digital-First Generation is Driving Change

According to AdviserSoftware’s latest research, younger consumers (under 45) demonstrate significantly more interest in financial advice than older generations. The data, drawn from a survey of 4,000 consumers, reveals that 31% would prefer a digital advice solution today, whilst another 23% favour hybrid options combining human expertise with online interaction.