If you’re in your 40s/50s with no pension...

[ginandbearit71]

Can I ask, what’s your plan?

I’ve never earned enough to put into a pension - and it can’t just me me! Apart from slowly withering away on the state pension, what do other people do?

I own my own house but still have a relatively large mortgage on it I’m a single parent too and spare cash is limited.

They keep working.
They rent out a room
They cut back
They save what they can
They take money from their kids
They eat a lot of cheap food and heat only one room

You may have a large mortgage, but do you expect to pay it off before retirement?
Have you checked whether you’re on track to pay enough NI to get a full state pension?
If yes to both, then mortgage free with almost £9K a year tax free is not the end of the world. Rent a room out too, and you’ll add thousands - all also tax free, under rent a room allowance.

You can track your state pension here (start date and anticipated sum). Gov.uk/personal-tax-account