Pension Resilience Benchmarks: The Marketing Opportunity Hidden in Plain Sight

Recent analysis from Hargreaves Lansdown has revealed a staggering variance in pension outcomes that presents both challenges and unprecedented opportunities for financial advisers. Depending on the benchmark used, between 16% and 79% of UK households are on track for pension resilience—a 63 percentage point gap that could transform how you position your advisory services.

This dramatic disparity isn’t just a statistical curiosity; it’s a wake-up call that reveals fundamental confusion in the retirement planning landscape and creates a powerful opportunity for advisers to differentiate themselves through clarity and expertise.

The Benchmark Reality: Where Confusion Creates Opportunity

The Shocking Statistics That Change Everything

The variance in pension adequacy assessments reveals the extent of market confusion:

• Living Pension minimum threshold: Approximately 79% of households appear “on track”
• PLSA’s comfortable standard: Only 16% meet this benchmark
• PLSA moderate benchmark: Fell by 13.9 percentage points since 2019
• PLSA minimum benchmark: Dropped by 25.9 percentage points over the same period

These aren’t minor statistical variations—they represent fundamentally different client realities and create massive opportunities for advisers who can navigate this complexity effectively.

Why This Matters for Your Practice

This benchmark confusion directly impacts every client conversation you have about retirement planning. When clients receive conflicting messages about their pension adequacy from different sources, they become paralysed by uncertainty or make poor decisions based on incomplete information.

For advisory firms with effective brand positioning and messaging, this confusion represents a competitive advantage. By becoming the firm that clarifies rather than confuses, you position yourself as an essential partner rather than just another adviser.

The Hidden Factors Driving Retirement Inequality

Homeownership: The 71 Percentage Point Advantage

The research reveals that homeowners significantly outperform renters across nearly all benchmarks. In some measures, homeowners’ resilience rates are 71+ percentage points higher than renters—a gap that’s widening as younger generations face increasing barriers to property ownership.

This creates specific opportunities for client segmentation and targeted communication. Advisers can develop specialised propositions for:

• First-time buyer advice: Helping younger clients navigate the property-pension balance
• Rental property investors: Supporting clients building property portfolios for retirement income
• Lifetime renters: Creating strategies that acknowledge higher income requirements

Income-Linked Inequality: A Tale of Two Planning Approaches

The research shows that lower-income households perform relatively better under government-subsidy-inclusive benchmarks, whilst wealthier clients show larger gaps under absolute standards due to escalating lifestyle expectations.

This insight enables sophisticated client education programmes that address different concerns for different wealth segments:

• Lower-income clients: Focus on maximising state benefits and building basic resilience
• Higher-income clients: Emphasise lifestyle maintenance and the risks of inadequate private provision

Turning Benchmark Confusion Into Marketing Gold

Strategy 1: Become the Benchmark Translation Expert

Rather than adding to the confusion, position your firm as the expert who translates complex pension adequacy measures into personalised, actionable plans.

Implementation through content creation:

• Develop a signature “Benchmark Reality Check” methodology
• Create interactive calculators showing how different benchmarks affect client outcomes
• Produce regular content explaining new benchmark developments

Strategy 2: Leverage Technology for Competitive Advantage

The research highlights how different benchmarks create different client realities. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate technological sophistication.

Implementation through digital tools:

• Develop multi-benchmark pension adequacy reports
• Create scenario planning tools showing various retirement outcome possibilities
• Implement CRM integration to track and communicate benchmark changes

Strategy 3: Build Thought Leadership Around Retirement Reality

With thought leadership and PR strategies, position your firm as the voice of clarity in retirement planning confusion.

Content opportunities:

• Publish research on local retirement adequacy trends
• Host webinars explaining benchmark implications
• Develop white papers on personalised retirement planning approaches

Practical Implementation: Five Strategies That Work

1. Clarify What “On Track” Actually Means

The Problem: Clients receive mixed messages about their retirement readiness from different sources.

The Solution: Develop a signature communication approach that acknowledges benchmark differences whilst providing clear, personalised guidance.

Implementation: Create standardised client communication materials that show:

• How their position varies across different benchmarks
• Which benchmarks are most relevant to their circumstances
• Specific actions to improve their position

2. Tailor Advice to Individual Circumstances

The Problem: Generic benchmarks don’t reflect real-life variations in circumstances, expectations, and needs.

The Solution: Move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches to create truly personalised retirement strategies.

Implementation:

• Use client feedback systems to understand individual retirement expectations
• Develop client experience strategies that acknowledge different life circumstances
• Create planning processes that factor in homeownership status, income trajectory, and lifestyle expectations

3. Strengthen Professional Relationships

The Problem: Other professionals may be giving clients conflicting information about retirement adequacy.

The Solution: Build referral generation strategies based on shared understanding of benchmark complexity.

Implementation:

• Educate solicitors, accountants, and other professionals about benchmark differences
• Create joint educational programmes for shared clients
• Develop referral relationships based on expertise in retirement planning complexity

4. Differentiate Through Digital Innovation

The Problem: Most advisory firms struggle to communicate complex pension concepts effectively.

The Solution: Use technology to make complex information accessible and engaging.

Implementation:

• Create personalised client videos explaining individual retirement scenarios
• Develop email marketing campaigns that educate about benchmark developments
• Use analytics and reporting to track client understanding and engagement

5. Build Authority Through Expertise

The Problem: Clients can’t distinguish between advisers who truly understand retirement complexity and those who don’t.

The Solution: Demonstrate deep expertise through consistent, high-quality communication about retirement planning realities.

Implementation:

• Develop social media content strategies that position you as the local retirement expert
• Create video marketing content explaining complex concepts simply
• Build online reputation as the adviser who understands benchmark complexity

The Competitive Advantage: Why This Matters Now

Market Timing Creates Opportunity

With resilience dropping across most benchmarks since 2019, there’s never been a more important time for clear, expert guidance. The research shows that:

• PLSA moderate and minimum standards: Significant drops in household achievement rates
• Living Pension and expenditure benchmarks: More stable but still declining
• Overall trend: Increasing complexity requiring professional guidance

Client Demand for Clarity

As benchmark confusion increases, clients increasingly value advisers who can provide clarity rather than complexity. Firms that position themselves as benchmark translation experts will capture disproportionate market share.

Regulatory Environment

With ongoing pension reforms and changing adequacy measures, the regulatory environment favours advisers who demonstrate deep understanding of retirement planning complexity.

Implementing Your Benchmark-Based Marketing Strategy

Phase 1: Foundation Building (Months 1-3)

Develop core capabilities:

• Staff training on different benchmark methodologies
• Technology implementation for multi-benchmark analysis
• Brand positioning around retirement clarity

Create essential content:

• Benchmark explanation guides
• Interactive tools for client meetings
• Staff communication training materials

Phase 2: Market Education (Months 4-6)

Launch educational initiatives:

• Client education programmes on retirement reality
• Professional networking with other advisers and professionals
• Content marketing campaign on benchmark complexity

Build digital presence:

• SEO-optimised content about retirement planning
• Social media engagement around pension topics
• Email campaigns for existing clients

Phase 3: Market Leadership (Months 7-12)

Establish thought leadership:

• Webinar series on retirement adequacy
• Media appearances and PR opportunities
• Industry conference speaking opportunities

Scale impact:

• Referral programmes based on expertise
• Lead generation campaigns targeting confused prospects
• Advocacy programmes showcasing client success

Measuring Success: Key Performance Indicators

Client Engagement Metrics

• Increased attendance at retirement planning meetings
• Higher completion rates for comprehensive retirement reviews
• Improved client satisfaction scores for retirement advice

Business Development Metrics

• Increased referrals from other professionals
• Higher conversion rates from initial consultations
• Growth in assets under management from retirement planning clients

Market Position Metrics

• Recognition as local retirement planning expert
• Media mentions and speaking opportunities
• Professional awards and industry recognition

Conclusion: The Time to Act is Now

The pension resilience research reveals a market crying out for clarity and expertise. With benchmark confusion creating a 63 percentage point variance in retirement adequacy assessments, there’s never been a better opportunity for advisers to differentiate themselves through genuine expertise and clear communication.

The firms that thrive will be those that embrace this complexity, invest in the tools and training needed to navigate it effectively, and position themselves as the essential partners clients need to achieve retirement security.

The question isn’t whether this opportunity exists—the research proves it does. The question is whether you’ll seize it before your competitors do.

For financial advisory firms ready to transform benchmark confusion into competitive advantage, contact Aspina to discuss how our marketing strategies can help you capture this unprecedented opportunity.

Ready to turn pension planning complexity into your competitive advantage? Explore our services designed specifically for financial advisers, or get in touch to discuss your specific marketing challenges.