about
pensions
Clear, independent pension guidance
A defined contribution (DC) pension is a pot built from your contributions, your employer's contributions and tax relief, then invested — unlike a defined benefit pension, there's no fixed promised income. What you eventually get depends on how much went in and how those investments performed over time. These guides explain how a DC pot grows through contributions and compounding, what your money is actually invested in, and how master trusts such as NEST and The People's Pension run most workplace schemes today.
A defined contribution (DC) pension is the type of workplace pension most people in the UK now build up, especially since auto-enrolment began in 2012. Rather than promising a fixed income, a DC pension is simply a pot: your contributions, your employer's contributions, and tax relief go in, the money is invested, and what you eventually have depends on how much was paid in and how those investments performed over time. That makes understanding the mechanics genuinely useful — how the pot grows, what your money is actually invested in, and how the master trust arrangements that run most workplace schemes actually work. These guides cover each of those areas in plain English, so you can make informed decisions about your own contributions and investment choices rather than leaving everything entirely on autopilot.
How a DC pension pot grows
Contributions, tax relief and compounding investment growth — how the three combine over a working life.
Investment options explained
What your default fund actually invests in, and when it might make sense to choose your own.
Master trusts — what are they?
Why NEST, The People's Pension and similar shared schemes run most UK workplace pensions today.