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.