Have you ever wondered exactly how much money you’ll need to retire? Well, there’s no need to question anymore, because we have the answer for you. Heads up though, you might not like it.
Based on the current retirement age of 66, or earlier if you’re lucky, investment management company Fidelity has revealed the recommended amount of savings you’ll need by age 30 to achieve financial freedom after retirement.
Note that said age will rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028. It’s then scheduled to increase again to 68 between 2044 and 2046.
How much do you need to save by age 30?
To be able to pack in work for good and live a comfortable life, you’ll need to have saved one times your annual salary by your 30th birthday, according to Fidelity. To explain, if you’re on £30k by 30, that’s how much you’ll need to have stashed away in the bank. If you’re on £40k, that’s what you should have saved. If you’re on £50k, you’ll need around that amount to maintain your lifestyle. You get the picture.
Sounds daunting, right? Especially when the majority of our wages go on rent or mortgage, bills and food. The news gets worse if you live in London, as the average tenant spends roughly 44.5% of their take-home pay on rent.
So, if you decide to pursue this retirement fund route, it means you can say goodbye to holidays, meals out, or any other simple pleasures for the foreseeable.
Also note that the longer you’re in your job, you’ll likely be climbing the ladder and chasing better pay. So be mindful that whenever your salary increases, you’ll have to increase the amount you put into your savings each month.
How much do I need to save each month to earn £30k by 30?
Of course, it all depends on your current age, salary, and how much you have in the bank right now.
But say you’re 21 with no savings and have a goal of reaching £30k by the time you’re 30. This means you have nine years to save. Every year, you’ll need to deposit £3,333.33. That equates to £277.78 monthly.
How much do Brits have saved on average for their age?
Metro recently found out the average amount of savings Brits have by their age. If you’re looking to save £30k by 30, or the exact amount of your wage, be it higher or lower, these benchmarks will make it easier for you when calculating your monthly savings deposits.
18-24: People between the ages of 18 and 24 have £3,636 in their savings on average. 59.9% of this category have less than £1,000, while just 3.8% have over £10,000.
25-34: In the 25-34 age bracket, the savings number jumps slightly to £3,748. Plus, 59.2% have less than £1,000, and 8.6% have over £10,000.
35-44: If you’re aged between 45 and 54, the standard amount of savings you have put away is £9,402. In this demographic, the percentage with less than £1,000 falls to 44%, and people with over £10,000 also increases to 15.5%.
55-73: Granted, some people in this age bracket are state pension age or older. But in terms of savings, on average, this age group has £18,245 stashed away, while 37.9% have less than £1,000. Finally, 27.5% have over £10,000.
Now you’ve seen the average savings, you’ll likely have to save a little less monthly to reach your goal. That is, if your current finances align with the above. But again, if we’re going by the £30k by 30 mark, those between 18 and 24 should theoretically only need to save £26,364.
For 25 to 30-year-olds, based on the average savings, the amount you’d need to save is £26,252.
How much is the State Pension?
As of April 6 2025, the new State Pension increased by 4.1%. So, those eligible for the full amount will receive £11,973 per year. That’s just £230.25 per week. This is compared to £221.20 a week for the 2024/25 tax year.
To qualify for this, you’ll need 35 years of National Insurance Contributions.
Those receiving the basic State Pension will get less. For the 2025/26 tax year, this number is £176.45 a week. That equates to £9175.40 per year.
People earning the basic State Pension will usually need 30 years of National Insurance contributions.
If you have at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record, you typically get a portion of the State Pension. Those with gaps in their National Insurance record will be able to make voluntary contributions to increase their State Pension amount.
How much do you need for a comfortable retirement?
In 2022, researchers at Loughborough’s Centre for Research in Social Policy created a set of three retirement living standards, detailing exactly how much money pensioners need to maintain each one.
The three standards are: minimum, moderate and comfortable. The higher you are on the scale, the easier your retirement will be financially.
For a comfortable retirement, you’ll have zero money woes. But, to achieve this stress-free life, the research revealed you’ll need to save £43,100 per year for one person and £59,000 for a couple. For a single person with a full State Pension to be retired for 15 years, the ‘comfortable’ lifestyle requires savings of £473,970 overall.
A weekly grocery shop in this camp equates to £130, while a more generous £80 per couple can be spent on meals out every week. Still, only one small second-hand car is required, rather than one each for a couple.
However, this allows for more luxuries like regular beauty treatments, two European holidays a year, and other pricey leisure activities like theatre trips.
Find out the money margins for minimum and moderate retirement lifestyles here.
