Talking pensions solidarity
Think tank: Fabian Society
Author(s): Sasjkia Otto
September 25, 2026
This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society explores public perceptions of dignity, security and fairness in the pension system.
In 2002, the government established a Pensions Commission to forge a new long-term consensus on retirement provision. Its work was a triumph of long-term consensus-building.
Two decades on, however, that consensus is due for renewal. Rising numbers of pensioners face low living standards, alongside inequities within and between generations. Without further reform, pensioners’ prospects could deteriorate.
With the second UK Pension Commission now well underway, this report draws on new polling by Survation to examine public attitudes towards pensions. Senior Researcher Sasjkia Otto explores how people perceive their own pension savings and retirement income, before turning to their views of the pension system as a whole, the values that underpin it, and the central challenges and trade-offs it faces.
