Day: 21 July 2025

Self-employment gives you freedom, but it also means you’re flying solo when it comes to planning for the future. Unlike PAYE workers, you don’t have access to a company pension scheme or employer contributions. That means it’s entirely up to you to take charge of your retirement savings.
Without an employer sorting out your pension, planning for the future is entirely up to you. And while retirement might seem far away now, the decisions you make today could mean the difference between scraping by and retiring comfortably.
In this article, we’ll break down why having a pension is essential if you’re self-employed, the different pension options available to you, and how starting early can make a big difference to your long-term financial security.

All pension plans come with charges, but the size and type of these fees can vary significantly depending on the provider. That’s why it’s so important to know exactly what you’re paying, because even small charges, if they’re too high, can quietly eat into your long-term savings.

Over time, excessive fees can severely impact your returns, meaning you could end up with far less in retirement than you expected.

In this article, we’ll break down the most common fees, help you figure out if you’re paying too much, and show you how to plan efficiently. While you can’t avoid fees altogether, you can take control and make sure they’re not costing you more than they should.