How to save for retirement if you can't auto-enrol in a pension

If you’re self‑employed, on a low income, or working in a job that doesn’t meet the criteria, you might miss out on automatic pension enrolment. That means no employer contributions and no effortless tax relief. But don’t assume you’re stuck; you’ve still got options if you want to save for retirement.

Retirement might feel miles off, but most people need more than they think to live comfortably in later life. The sooner you start saving, the more time your money has to grow, which means you won’t have to put in as much later. And having your own pot gives you freedom and security when you eventually step back from work.

People with disabilities and women most likely to have small pension pots

A recent Pensions Policy Institute report published in January 2026 reveals that many people have little to nothing in pension savings.

The median pension wealth for people with disabilities across all age groups is £0. That means, on average, if you have a disability, you won’t have any savings at all. Single mums didn’t fare much better, with the median pension pot for a single mum being just £3,108 while women as a whole had an average pension pot of around £14,000. Men, on the other hand, had pension pots of around £30,000.

Lower employment levels, lower incomes and fewer career opportunities were cited as reasons why some groups struggled to save more than others.

So, if you’re lagging behind on pension savings and money is tight anyway, you might be wondering if there’s any way you’ll ever get to retire. Here are a few things you can do if you want to save for retirement even if you don’t have a workplace pension or a massive income.

Check whether you can be enroled in your employer’s pension scheme

If you’re part of your workplace pension, you get tax relief and your employer needs to contribute to your pension too. Basically, if you’re not part of the company’s pension scheme, you could be leaving money on the table.

Not everyone is eligible, but admin errors happen, so it’s worth double-checking the official rules before assuming you can’t join.

In 2026, to be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension, you must:

• Be aged 22 up to State Pension Age (currently 66, due to go up to 67 by April 2028)
• Earn at least £10,000 a year
• Be classed as a worker

There are some exceptions even if you meet the criteria, but it’s worth asking your HR department if you think you might be eligible.

Can you join your workplace pension if you earn less than £10,000 per year?

If you make less than £10,000 per year, you can still ask to join your workplace pension. If your earnings fall between £6,240 and £10,000, your employer must pay contributions once you opt in, even though you weren’t auto‑enrolled. If you can get employer contributions, it’s almost always worth it. It's free money for your future.

Make sure your National Insurance record is accurate and fill any gaps

Think of the State Pension as the foundation of your retirement. Most folks rely on it, and you need enough qualifying National Insurance years to get it.

To get the full State Pension, you usually need 35 qualifying years. Fewer years = a smaller weekly amount.

If you’ve had gaps, maybe from low earnings, caring responsibilities, unemployment or being self‑employed, you might be able to plug them with:

• Voluntary National Insurance contributions

or

• National Insurance credits for certain life events

You can check your National Insurance record and State Pension forecast online via the government website. This shows how many qualifying years you’ve built up and if you’ve got any gaps you can fill.

If you don’t think you’ll be able to make up the gaps over time, you can usually pay extra to fill them. There’ll be more information on this tailored to your specific situation when you check your NI record.

Look at SIPPs and other private pension options

If you can’t auto-enrol for whatever reason, you can still save for retirement through Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) or personal pensions.

These can be a great option because:

• you get automatic government tax relief on your contributions
• many providers offer low minimum deposits, you don’t need to sling in loads of cash to start
• lots of pensions are managed for you so you don’t need to make complicated investment choices

There’s many app-based ready-made private pensions available now, and it’s worth starting small rather than not starting at all. Putting in £20 a month now beats putting in £200 “someday”.

That’s because of compound interest. Think of it this way – over time, your pension earns returns (though your capital is at risk), those returns also earn returns, and then the cycle repeats.

Over long periods, this snowballs your pot. The earlier you start, even with small amounts, the more years your money has to grow on top of itself.

Plus, you build up a habit. It’s much easier upping your contributions down the line when you’ve already started saving and have more money than starting from scratch when you feel like you’re making enough.

Saving for retirement starts today

Not everyone gets the boost of a workplace pension, and that can make saving for later life feel harder than it should.

But if you check what you’re entitled to, keep your National Insurance record in good shape, and put away what you can through a private pension, you’re still building a solid foundation.

Do it bit by bit, stay consistent, and you’ll give yourself far more choice when work eventually takes a back seat.