Ross Kemp urges people to strengthen their pension to ‘gain some serious pounds’

TV star Ross Kemp is urging people to pay attention to their pensions in a new campaign.

The actor and presenter takes part in a fitness workout for the Pay Your Pension Some Attention campaign, encouraging people to “gain pounds” for the future.

Kemp, known for playing Grant Mitchell in EastEnders, making hard-hitting documentaries and hosting quiz show Bridge Of Lies, said: said: “A lot of us care about getting fit for the future – that’s why we hit the gym, eat better and try to sleep more.

“But your pension is part of that too. With an easy three-step training plan, you could strengthen your pension and gain some serious pounds. Do your future self a favour and pay your pension some attention.”

Research for the campaign found that nearly a fifth (19%) of people prioritise getting fit and healthy over saving for later life.

Over the past 12 months, 37% of people have made a healthy lifestyle change, such as altering their diet or improving their sleep, but only 29% have organised their finances for later life, according to the survey.

The research indicated that UK adults typically check their fitness progress more often than their pension balance.

Pension Attention is an industry-led campaign coordinated by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Pensions UK.

Financial coach Bola Sol, who is also backing the campaign, said: “Planning for retirement is a lot like getting fit, you can get the best results by starting early and sticking with it.

“Although many people are enrolled in a workplace pension scheme, some lose track of old pots and don’t pay into them regularly. If you do one thing today, take some time to track down any pensions you may have paid into in previous jobs.”

Helen Mitchell, spokeswoman for the Pension Attention campaign said: “While most working people in the UK have at least one pension, many don’t know much about them, and some have even lost track of them completely.

“We’re asking all UK adults to check where their pensions are, what they have saved, and how much they might need for retirement.”

People can track down old pensions by digging out paperwork, contacting previous employers or using the Pension Tracing Service.

Pensions minister Torsten Bell said: “Most people check their fitness apps more than their pension balance, but both are important for a healthy future.

“We’re ramping up the pace of our pension reforms to make saving easier and ensure you get the most from every pound you’ve saved. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to take a few minutes out of their day to check their pension and plan for their retirement.”

Pension Attention commissioned OnePoll to question 2,000 people across the UK in August.

The campaign is backed by Aviva, Fidelity, Legal & General, NatWest Cushon, Nest, Pru, People’s Pension, Royal London, Scottish Widows, Standard Life, and Vanguard.

David Meliveo, chief commercial officer of People’s Partnership, provider of the People’s Pension, said: “With over 11 million people now saving into workplace pensions through automatic-enrolment, it’s more important than ever that savers engage to strengthen their pensions – understanding what they’ve got, where it is and how it can shape their future retirement.”

Simon Ellis, director of workplace pensions at Aviva, said: “Pension freedoms gave people more choice – but with choice comes responsibility. Less than half of mid-retirees feel confident their private pension will last a lifetime.

“It’s not just about how much you save but how well you understand and manage it. Paying your pension some attention now – knowing what you’ve got, how it’s working for you, and whether you’re on track – can make all the difference later.”

Robert Cochran, a retirement expert at Scottish Widows, said: “Taking steps to check in on your pension app can have a much greater impact on your long-term finances, just as small daily habits improve our wellbeing.

“We’ve had almost a million views of our pension mirror which uses gamification to encourage people to connect with their pensions. The stratospheric increase in pension app downloads shows that it’s possible to bring fun and tech to help people get a better retirement.”

Those behind the campaign have three tips for getting on top of pension savings:

1. Stretch your mind back to any past employers or pensions.

2. Check your form by logging into your pension accounts to see how much you have got.

3. Work out how much you might need for the future.