Market volatility is back in the headlines, and if you've noticed your pension balance moving up and down, you're not alone. From tariffs to geopolitical tensions, there's no shortage of reasons to feel uneasy. But before you rush to make any changes, it's worth understanding how volatility actually works and why, more often than not, staying put is the smartest move.

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, Maike Currie as they discuss:

• what market volatility is and what drives it;
• why pension pots are more resilient than you might think, and how quickly markets have historically recovered;
• why keeping up contributions during a downturn can actually work in your favour; and
• how to check whether you're in the right plan for your life stage.

00:49 What's market volatility?

03:21 How far can a pension balance fall?

05:25 The investor upside of a market downturn

08:32 How quickly can markets recover?

09:55 Pension plans for different life stages

To learn more about investing and stock markets, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• Bonus episode: How much can you contribute into your pension each year? (Podcast)
• E39: Trump, tariffs and what it all means for your pension (Podcast)
• Markets and tariffs: what's going on and what it means (Blog)
• Switching plans in volatile markets: what to know (Blog)
• The power of regular contributions in volatile markets (Blog)
• Understanding market volatility and pensions (Blog)
• What is the stock market? (Article)

• Bull and bear markets explained (Investopedia)
• Fed History Overview (Federal Reserve History)
• Our pension plans (PensionBee)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

Are you earning more than you were five years ago but still don't feel better off? You might be experiencing 'lifestyle creep'. The subtle way spending expands to quietly swallow every pay rise, bonus, and promotion. From Ocado upgrades and subscription sprawl to beauty routines that keep growing, lifestyle creep is surprisingly easy to fall into and remarkably hard to spot.

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss how to identify, resist, and even reverse lifestyle creep:

• Content Creator, Clare Seal;
• Co-Founder and CEO of Emma, Edoardo Moreni; and
• Head of Customer Success Team at PensionBee, Alex Langley.

01:38 What is lifestyle creep?

05:23 Trigger points and the psychology of spending more

09:41 Supermarket upgrades and the subscription trap

13:17 Being intentional and auditing your spending

16:05 The real pension cost of lifestyle creep

19:20 How to cut back without making life miserable

21:31 Building resilience and talking about money

26:12 Budgeting frameworks and tools that work

To learn more about lifestyle creep and how to manage your money, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee:

• E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
• 50-30-20: How the budgeting 'rule of thumb' is changing in the face of the cost of living crisis (Blog)
• How much should I pay into my pension? (Article)
• Six ways to put together your emergency fund (Blog)
• The power of 1%: how small pension increases can make a big difference (Blog)
• What is compound interest? (Video)
• Increasing your pension contributions (Video)

• Compound Interest Calculator (The Calculator Site)
• Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
• Subscription service statistics (Finder)
• The Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
• The Cost of Disengagement (PensionBee)
• UK financial outlook 2026 (YouGov)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Follow Clare Seal (@clare.seal) on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

Follow Emma App (@emma_finance) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

In this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer Nigel. Now 76 and retired, he spent decades commuting into Central London, raising two children, and telling himself he'd sort his pension "someday". A bad experience with an active fund manager and an IFA changed all that - and a tip from his son led him to PensionBee.

We unpack Nigel's pension journey with pensions expert Dani Skerrett from PensionBee, covering the tax benefits of saving into a pension, when a financial adviser is (and isn't) worth it, how to think about how much you actually need in retirement, and what life in drawdown really looks like day-to-day.

00:48 Meet Nigel

03:19 The tax benefits of saving into a pension

06:47 Should you use a financial adviser?

12:11 How much do you actually need for retirement?

16:12 Nigel's life in retirement

To learn more about the topics discussed in this bonus episode, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• E43: Who wants to be a pension millionaire? (Podcast)
• E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
• 4 smart ways to use your ISAs in retirement (Blog)
• Independent Financial Adviser fees on pensions (Article)
• What is a crystallised pension? (Article)
• What is flexi-access drawdown? (Article)
• What is the 4% rule for withdrawals in retirement? (Article)

• Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
• Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
• Taking money from your pension just got simpler with Automatic withdrawals (PensionBee)
• The new State Pension (GOV.UK)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

Premium Bonds and Cash ISAs are two of the most popular savings options in the UK, but which one is right for you? With interest rates fluctuating and the cost of living still a real concern, it's more important than ever to make your savings work as hard as possible.

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, Maike Currie as they discuss:

• how Premium Bonds work, including the odds, limits, and why there's no guaranteed return;
• how Cash ISAs compare on interest rates, access, and tax efficiency; and
• who should consider which option, and whether holding both makes sense.

00:45 How Premium Bonds work

02:41 The catch with Premium Bonds

05:05 How Cash ISAs work

07:00 Tax considerations

07:35 Which is right for you?

To learn more about Premium Bonds and Cash ISAs, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• How does inflation affect pensions? (Blog)
• Inflation Calculator (Calculator)
• What are Premium Bonds? (Article)
• What is a Cash ISA? (Article)
• What to do when interest rates rise (Blog)
• E29: Pensions vs. cash - which is best? (Podcast)

• Premium Bonds prize rate and odds (NS&I)
• Tax-free interest on savings (GOV.UK)
• Barclays Equity Gilt Study 2025 (Barclays)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

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.

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

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)

• 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)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Follow Rich Retiree (@rich.retiree) on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Pinterest.

Follow Wise Monkey Financial Coaching (@simonnegnessen) on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

On this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer Becca. Auto-enrolled into her first workplace pension, she assumed retirement saving would always just happen in the background. Then she went self-employed, and for eight years, it didn't happen at all.

We explore the self-employed pension gap with the help of pensions expert Dani Skerrett, Head of Content Marketing at PensionBee, covering everything from why Auto-Enrolment leaves millions of freelancers and sole traders behind, to the surprising cost of those years of disengagement. We also share how contributing just £30 a month can make a difference of thousands of pounds by retirement.

00:34 Meet Becca

03:30 The self-employed pension gap

06:19 What stops self-employed people saving?

09:43 The cost of disengagement

14:26 Becca's belief in teaching kids about money

To learn more about the topics discussed in this bonus episode, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• E8: How to teach kids about money (Podcast)
• E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
• E40: The ADHD tax - how much is it costing you? (Podcast)
• 6 pension tips for sole traders (Blog)
• How to manage pension contributions from multiple incomes (Blog)
• Private pensions for the self-employed (Article)
• What is Making Tax Digital and how can sole traders prepare? (Blog)
• What pension can I get if I'm self-employed? (Article)

• Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
• Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
• Working for yourself (GOV.UK)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

In this bonus episode of The Pension Confident Podcast, we cover the key pension contribution rules and limits for the new 2026/27 tax year, and what they could mean for your retirement savings.

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, Maike Currie, as they break down everything you need to know about:

• how much you're allowed to pay into your pension this tax year;
• the contribution limits that apply based on your annual income;
• making the most of government top-ups; and
• what the updated rules could mean for your long-term finances.

01:00 What's the annual allowance?

04:55 Pension Lifetime Allowance scrapped

05:42 Exceeding your annual allowance

06:46 Using your carry forward allowance

To learn more about pension contributions, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• Bonus episode: "I stopped paying into my pension for 20 years" (Podcast)
• Bonus episode: What does the 2026/27 tax year mean for your finances? (Podcast)
• E43: Who wants to be a pension millionaire? (Podcast)
• How to check your pension contributions (Article)
• How to use carry forward to make big pension payments (Blog)
• Making pension contributions (Article)
• Pension carry forward rule (Article)
• What tax changes are coming in April 2026? (Blog)

• Abolition of the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) (GOV.UK)
• Carry forward: increase your annual allowance for pension savings (MoneyHelper)
• The annual allowance for tax relief on pension savings (MoneyHelper)
• The Retirement Living Standards (Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

Becoming a landlord with Buy-to-Let properties has often been seen as a way to build long-term wealth. But with brand new rules, higher taxes and more paperwork, it's becoming harder to turn a profit.

Did you know that since 2022, the rental sector is the only area of the housing market to have lost value? So, are Buy-to-Lets still a good bet? And where does this leave existing landlords trying to make sense of a changing market?

Today, we're breaking down the real story behind Buy-to-Lets and what you need to know before you think about jumping in.

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss Buy-to-Lets:

• Buy-to-Let Landlord and Content Creator "Property Empress", Anna Pearce; and
• Mortgage Adviser, Michael Annis.

01:23 What's happening to the property market?

04:56 The Renters' Rights Act explained

09:06 Are landlords really leaving the market?

11:35 Understanding rental yields

16:28 Eligibility rules for Buy-to-Let mortgages

20:22 Stamp Duty on second properties

22:36 Building a property portfolio

25:44 The risk and reward of buying at auction

To learn more about property, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee:

• E4: Should you pay more into your mortgage or pension? (Podcast)
• E22: Why is renting so expensive? (Podcast)
• Buying a property: the basics (Video)
• Buying a property with someone (Video)
• How to downsize for retirement (Blog)
• How to use your property to fund your retirement (Blog)
• Property inheritance (Video)
• Renting a property: the basics (Video)
• Renting in retirement: 3 things to consider for a secure future when you don't own your home (Blog)

• Do I need a Buy-to-Let mortgage? (MoneyHelper)
• Guide to the Renters' Rights Act (GOV.UK)
• Leasehold vs freehold: what's the difference? (MoneyHelper)
• Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
• Mortgage fees and costs when buying or selling a home (MoneyHelper)
• Private rent and house prices, UK: March 2026 (ONS)
• Renting out your property: guidance for landlords and letting agents (GOV.UK)
• Stamp Duty calculator (MoneyHelper)
• Stamp Duty - everything you need to know (MoneyHelper)
• Tenants' rights and responsibilities explained (MoneyHelper)
• What is the landlord licensing scheme? (UK Landlord Tax)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Follow Anna Pearce (@propertyempress) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Follow Michael Annis on LinkedIn.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

On this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer, David. He spent years quietly accumulating pension pots across various employers without paying them much attention. That all changed when an unexpected cancer diagnosis forced him to confront his finances head-on, and think hard about what would happen to the people he loves if he wasn't around.

We unpack the decisions David has navigated, from consolidating old pots and rethinking his investment risk to naming beneficiaries and having long-overdue conversations with his family, with the help of pensions expert Dani Skerrett, Head of Content Marketing at PensionBee. Plus, we share how increasing your contributions by even 1% or 2% can make a staggering difference to your retirement pot.

00:43 Meet David

04:19 Assessing his investments and consolidating

09:38 Hindsight on workplace pension contributions

14:41 The diagnosis that changed everything

17:02 Preparing his family for the worst

18:54 David's dream retirement

To learn more about the topics discussed in this bonus episode, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee:

• Episode transcript (Blog)
• E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
• Estate planning - PensionBee's Milestone Moments (YouTube)
• Pension beneficiaries (Article)
• Pension rules after death (Article)
• Six money conversations you need to have with your family (Blog)
• Writing a will (Article)

Other useful resources

• Financial Lives 2024 (Financial Conduct Authority)
• How do I write a will and how much does it cost? (MoneyHelper)
• Combine your pensions (PensionBee)
• Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
• The £500,000 cost of neglecting your pension (PensionBee)
• Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
• The new State Pension (GOV.UK)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

In this bonus episode of The Pension Confident Podcast, we cover some of the key changes from the new 2026/27 tax year and what they could mean for you and your finances.

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, Maike Currie, as they unpack the changes impacting:

• the National Minimum and Living Wage;
• statutory sick, parental and bereavement pay;
• frozen earnings bands and savings limits;
• the State Pension and personal pensions.

01:09 What is the tax year?

02:25 Minimum and statutory pay for workers

04:08 The State Pension and 'triple lock'

06:20 Frozen thresholds on earnings and savings

10:46 Pension contributions and compound interest

To learn more about the 2026/27 tax year, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• Episode transcript (Blog)
• 4 smart ways to use your ISAs in retirement (Blog)
• How to use carry forward to make big pension payments (Blog)
• What is the State Pension? (Article)
• What is the triple lock on State Pensions? (Blog)
• What tax changes are coming in April 2026? (Blog)

• Adoption leave and pay (GOV.UK)
• Maternity leave and pay (GOV.UK)
• National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (GOV.UK)
• Parental bereavement leave and pay (GOV.UK)
• Paternity leave and pay (GOV.UK)
• Shared parental leave and pay (GOV.UK)
• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) (GOV.UK)
• The basic State Pension (GOV.UK)
• The new State Pension (GOV.UK)
• The Retirement Living Standards (Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].