E50: Starting a pension from £0 at 50 years old with Hannah Martin, Simonne Gnessen and Sarah Durber

An estimated 7 million people aged over 50 in the UK have no private pension savings at all. Here's the reality: if you're one of them, it can feel too late to start. It isn't. Whether it's career breaks, the cost of living, a divorce, or simply never getting round to it - millions of people reach 50 with little or nothing put away. So how do you go from £0 to a pot that actually makes a difference?

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss starting a pension from scratch at aged 50:

Founder of Rich Retiree, Hannah Martin; Founder of Wise Monkey Financial Coaching, Simonne Gnessen; and VP Customer Success at PensionBee; Sarah Durber.   Episode breakdown 01:41 When did our panellists start saving?

03:31 Why so many people reach 50 with no pension

06:56 The real cost of opting out

11:16 Pension Sharing Orders and divorce

13:11 How to start from £0 at 50 years old

17:27 Making the most of your workplace pension

19:26 How contributing just a little more adds up

26:26 Property, side hustles, and creative retirement strategies

Further reading, listening and watching: To learn more about building your pension later in life, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast) How much should I pay into my pension? (Article) Pension Sharing Order (Article) What is compound interest? (Blog) Six ways to put together your emergency fund (Blog) I'm 40, is it too late to start a pension? (Blog) How to grow your pension in your 40s and 50s (Blog) The power of 1%: how small pension increases can make a big difference (Blog) What is compound interest? (Video) What happens to my pension during a divorce? (Video) Increasing your pension contributions (Video)   Other useful resources The Cost of Disengagement (PensionBee) The Carer's Pension Gap (PensionBee Pension Calculator (PensionBee) Almost 7 million over-50s have no private pension (Pensions Age) The Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK) Pension sharing orders slump despite growing number of divorces (Pensions Age) Four out of five Brits plan to downsize to fund retirement (MoneyWeek) Rent a room in your home: the Rent a Room Scheme (GOV.UK) Proposed benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 (GOV.UK) Compound Interest Calculator (The Calculator Site)