retiresavvy feedback thread: read the MNers opinion of the new portal from Skipton NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Skipton asked us to find around 50 Mumsnetters to check out their new website portal called “retiresavvy” and to report back to MN. Selected MNers are from a range of backgrounds and approaches to retirement planning.

Skipton say, “We believe retirement is one of the biggest social issues of today – in terms of improving people’s awareness of retirement planning and also helping then to understand other important issues that may affect them enjoying their retirements. Increasing life expectancy means retirement is no longer a relatively brief period – for many people retirement can last as long as their working lives and many are choosing to do it differently, with set retirement dates becoming less and less common.

Mums are among the hardest hit groups, as we know they often need to contend with all of the above and to also make room for career breaks or reduced hours to make time to be mums. Retirement’s no longer a subject for ‘oldies’, it’s something everyone should be considering, and the earlier the better.

For these reasons, we think retiresavvy is very relevant to Mumsnetters and – given a community forum is the beating heart of the site – we’d hugely value your opinions about our new site, including what you like about the site now, what you’d like us to do differently and things you’d like to read about on there in the future.”

Reviewers: please answer the following questions on the thread below.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

Q7 Any other comments?

Everyone who is selected and who gives feedback as required will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of choice (from a list). Standard Insight T&Cs apply.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

PS: Want to take part in a cutting edge social media campaign? Sign up to support retiresavvy on Thunderclap (best described as an online flash mob) and fight for the retirement you deserve! For more information visit retiresavvy's Thunderclap page.

Finishing off...

Q6: the forum, as others have said is young. I found it quite difficult to navigate on my phone - I kept clicking on what I thought was the topic only to be taken through to a user profile. Maybe fat fingers on my part, but a little irritating. I also thought that the hierarchy of forum topics was also quite difficult to navigate. I wouldn't turn to a forum for financial advice, and so I found it a slightly odd concept.

Q7: I definitely need to think through my overall provision, but I am not sure I am any further forward from looking at the site. However it has prompted me to do that.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

I'm 33, self employed and I don't think I'll be able to afford to retire!

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

The articles are fine on the PC but not great on mobile devices. They are quite punchy and bitesize, and give a good level of information.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I like the financial planning parts but I'm not interested in the rl stories or interviews. Information on guaranteed pension credit would be helpful for some people too.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

The design feels very bland and boring, I think it needs more colour and a bolder design style, not so old...

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

Not really no.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

Again, not easy to navigate on a mobile device. I'm not really that keen on forums tbh...

Q7 Any other comments?

Thank you for the chance to participate.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date.

I am 46 and full employed with a public sector pension and some other small investments.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

Yes - I did not feel patronised, or talked down to but, equally, it was not too technical.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I quite like the real stories but was more interested in the hard facts.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I really liked the look of the site and the style. DH was quite keen too.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I don't really bother with this. Prefer to get my information through reading but others might find this useful.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

I love Forums (Mumsnet) and only glanced at this section but this is a place I will, no doubt, return to.

Q7 Any other comments?

It is good to be able to check your own planning against a site with experts on it.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date
I'm 33, work full time and have a collection of pensions - one from each place I've worked for the past 10 years! The family home is mortgaged, but is planned to be paid off by DH and my mid-50s.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?
I found them a bit vague. I would prefer the articles to be more fact heavy and break down the basics in simple terms into easily digestible bullet points. Like what the different types of pensions are, what your options are in terms of paying in and taking out of pensions, with pros and cons, etc.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?
I'm more interested in the facts, but a few case studies and examples are useful to help make sense of them. A "How much money will you have?" tool could be useful, where you put in your salary (and projected salary), pension contributions, proposed retirement age, etc and it gives a vague idea of what that might equate to and whether you're investing/saving enough.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?
I found all the grey a bit depressing. Given that some of the articles are talking about how life begins with retirement and with the right planning you can have the means to really enjoy yourself, the design makes it feel like you're only preparing for your own funeral!

I also found "Approaching Retirement" a bit broad. It sounds like that's where I should be looking, but at my age I don't really think of it as 'approaching' retirement. More like preparing for retirement, or laying the groundwork. I figure I'm going to be working for as long as I've lived so far - so it feels like a pretty long time yet!

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?
Not at all. At home I am busy with family, so this is the sort of information site I would browse in my lunch hour at work or read on my tablet on the bus. I wouldn't be able to see any video and would hate the information to be limited to that instead of a good old text article. It might even mean my work would block it!

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?
Again, I don't really feel I fit in the Approaching Retirement section. Like the rest of the site, I found the design a bit grey and drab - I'd have liked to see more colour and icons/graphics. Also, I realise that a lot of the visitors to the site may require larger text for ease of reading, but I found it a bit large for my preferences.

Q7 Any other comments?
A password with three numbers? Seems a bit excessive for a forum and information site. I can guarantee I will regularly forget the password I've chosen, because I had to add more numbers than usual!

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date
47. Part time employed. Have a few private pensions, not really considered a 'plan'.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

Very readable and accessible. I like the tone which is intelligent, not patronising. I visited the jargon buster which was excellent. The articles where a bit short, left me wanting more - have never said that before about pensions!

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on

Financial planning. Reminders, timelines. Some graphs and gizmos to put your own details into to get a clear idea of my personal situation.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I liked it. Professionally informal. A few more graphics or pics or diagrams would make it more visually appealing.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

Personally, no. I think I'd link to Facebook and Twitter, I'd expect them to post most days and I could then engage with those posts that interest me. I don't generally follow blogs.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

Great, although a bit sparse at the moment. Topic of the week?

Q7 Any other comments?

It's almost a shame this has been developed by skipton, as it feels less independent. However I think it's an excellent website, and could have real influence and benefit.

Thank you for inviting me to take part.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date
I'm 35, work part time but currently on maternity leave. I have a work pension which I have been paying into for 10+ years.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?
I found most of the articles easy to read and understand. In fact, maybe some of them were too simplistic. Some of them I felt could have had more detail and been a bit longer. Some seem to tell me things I already knew / had read on other websites / newspapers etc. so not overly informative.

Q3 In terms of the range of content what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?
Real life examples and case studies are always useful I think, especially if they cover people from all walks of life / different backgrounds so then there is a chance you could relate to one or some of them.
Maybe information on saving money / cutting outgoings etc. would be useful.

Q4 In terms of site design this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours theyve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?
I like the line drawings and the colours; nice and simple - easy on the eye.
I'm not keen on staged photos or too many flashing images / bright lights / colours etc.
Keep it clear and simple like it is.

Q5 Multimedia are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?
I'm not keen on podcasts / videos and generally avoid them so I wouldn't be a fan!

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?
I like forums, they are generally useful for getting advice and information so would be something I'd be quite likely to use.

Q7 Any other comments?
I like the idea of this and think it is a good, useufl thing. It definitely got me thinking about my retirement plans and pensions etc.

Thank you!

Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date
Early 30s. Currently a SAHP, not decided if I will return to work when the DC are older. I have a works pension (around 9 year's contributions) but don't entirely know what type, it must be either a defined contribution or a stakeholder. Don't expect it'll pay out much but it'll be something and it has over 3 decades to grow. DH has a very good pension and we will be mortgage free by our early-mid 50s so retirement planning is less of an issue for him at present than me. Our task for this year is to look at my pension situation as I'm conscious there is a big disparity between our pension provisions. Other than the above we just have a vague plan to save via ISAs etc. Retirement feels a long way off but it is on our financial agenda, just slightly in the background with young DC (which I imagine might be common on MN??).

Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?
I found them to be readable and enjoyable. The real life/blog style articles are around the right length. The more factual pieces are informative on the whole, if a little predictable in places, but some of the pieces could go into more detail in places I think. I also particularly like the jargon buster.

In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?
I am interested in the financial planning and real life stories the most. The former as a means to gather information on what I should be doing and thinking about for myself, and the latter just for general nosiness I guess :-) I would like to see a little more content aimed at those who are nowhere near retirement age yet, as the emphasis seems to be slightly more aimed at those who are about to retire more imminently.

In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?
It's ok. A little bit bland maybe (but then again really loud colours would hurt the eyes so it's hard to get the balance right). I definitely agree with the poster above who said that a clearer distinction between factual sections and the more blog/interview sections would be good. I like the line drawings, photos on sites like this always end up being a bit false/patronising.

QMultimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?
No, I prefer the content as it is.

Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?
It's fairly new, but once it gets going I think it will be good.

Any other comments?
The survey asked about thoughts on how much information on Skipton should be included on the site. I think seeing as Skipton run the site it's fine for their details to be on there somewhere obviously, and that doesn't stop it being a source of impartial general information. But I think the balance is about right having the link as it is. There's nothing more annoying reading an article on ISAs or whatever and then having a massive link at the bottom saying "hey why not now check out our ISAs by clicking here" :-)

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date
43, work part time (4 days a week). Started putting a bit aside in private pension when I was about 29 in addition to taking a salary sacrifice at the same time in lieu of a pay rise so my employer also contributed, but stopped contributing after a few years (it was Equitable Life which went a bit odd...) I was encouraged at the time to opt out of NI contributions into state pension but pted back in after reading things in financial press. Started a second pension, private again but am aware my contributions fall below what is recommended. Have a stocks and shares ISA which I'm viewing as a way to help pay off an interest only buy to let mortgage when the time comes (although again, don't pay enough in.....)

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?
Seem long but that's because of large text and bit gaps (see Q4 below). Content is accessible and informative. Other topics as well as finance which is good.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?
Financial planning, articles on comparable products/offers/types of pension savings would be useful, would prefer it if the website just stuck to retirement issues or savings issues as these are both linked.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?
From a visual point of view I would prefer the site to be a bit denser, it all seems a bit sparse and spread out. Whether the larger text size is aimed at older people with poorer eyesight or because there's not a lot of content at this stage I don't know.... I personally hate having to scroll down pages to familiarise myself with the contents of a page unless you are following a thread of some kind.
Like the line drawings but perhaps they take up too much room on the page?
Colour doesn't have enough impact. Not that it needs bright colours just a scheme that grabs you more.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?
Tend not to watch videos on the computer/smartphone/ipad, always tend to skip them. Listen to Radio 4 Moneybox podcasts occasionally - listen a lot to the radio before going to bed, can shut my eyes......

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?
Forums are good ideas, once real people start to ask questions etc on there that are a bit less staged, should be interesting

Q7 Any other comments?
Would there be someone with financial knowledge monitoring site, responding to issues etc or is this expected to take place through experienced forum members?

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

42, working part time, member of the NHS pension scheme for 12 years, another small final salary pension from a previous employment (scheme went bust, so get 90% of what I would have got via govt scheme - it's only around £1k a year). I'm assuming I'll stay in the NHS until retirement, and I'm assuming that will be aged c.68. I'm also assuming that I will go back to working full time again in the next few years.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

I thought the articles I read had the tone pitched about right. Some of them could have had more detail - I read the one about the importance of having a will, but would have liked more info about where to go, costs, diy options etc - maybe via a link for those who wanted more detail.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I didn't feel there was much that was aimed at me to be honest. I'd like to see more about public sector pensions and maybe clarifying the woefully complex official information we get. Maybe there's some stuff on there that covers this, but I couldn't easily find it.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I liked the line drawings - much prefer this to stock photos.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I'm not keen on video. I'd rather read than watch or listen.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

Potentially useful once it gets going. The great thing about busy forums like Mumsnet or MoneySavingExpert is that someone's always asked your question before, or is in the same boat and knows the answer. It takes a lot of time to get to that point though.

Q7 Any other comments?

I can see retiresavvy could be useful, but at the moment I can't see me using it much. I'll try to remember to come back to it when hopefully it'll have taken off a bit. It's such an important subject.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

Mid-40s. Working with dh (me part-time, him full-time) in our own limited company (IT) with one other employee. Can't increase hours due to caring responsibilities. I have a tiny pension (projected £1K a year) from a previous public-sector job. Our company pays into a private pension for me. However I don't make my own contributions, nor have we as directors made annual increases to the amount the company pays into our pensions - although we know that we should do this - as the money just isn't there day-to-day. We need it all for house and family. Other plans involve mortgage overpayments to have the house paid off within 5-6 years, and saving the monthly mortgage amount instead. However we'll probably need most of that to support our dds, currently teenage, at uni and beyond.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

I found them accessible and an excellent broad entry-level guide, covering a very good range of topics considering their simplicity. Would have preferred more links to more in-depth/complex information.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retire savvy?

I don't personally relate well to real-life stories as I find them too specific. The featured person closest to my circumstances is still never quite a complete "fit" - and, since I'm not very financially savvy, I never know whether the differences might have a major significance for retirement planning. I prefer tools that you can use to select your own particular circumstances, that make projections from there.
Not very interested in fully non-financial information, although links to other sites of financial relevance to families (e.g. in our case about student finance) would be useful.
I particularly liked the jargon buster. Generally the site was toned well - friendly but not patronising and it didn’t feel like an “old” place.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I found it easy to navigate, simple and effective. The fact that it isn't too flashy and gimmicky inspires more confidence for a financial/retirement site. I prefer line drawings to photos.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

Due to terrible broadband where I live, I'm not in the habit of streaming or downloading much. I also personally relate better to the written word as it's easier to skim-read for relevance and then go back over what's been written.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

Not much content as yet. I tried to post a question and it was moderated as being unsuitable! Couldn't work out why as it wasn't too long and contained no known obscenities...
Small detail - the forum names “Preparing for Retirement” and “Planning for Retirement” are too similar. Also, intros to each one would be helpful.

Q7 Any other comments

The intro in the FAQs doesn’t take enough account IMO of parents who had their children at an older age. (This isn't my circumstance, though, so someone who knows better might disagree!) Basically, post-55 many people might still have dependent children, and this should be acknowledged more - especially now as we're expected to support children through uni and possibly beyond.
The phrase “paying grandchildren’s uni costs” is also misleading. Firstly, very few families could pay costs outright, so “contributing towards” is a better term. Also it’s generally accepted to be a bad financial move to pay uni costs up front. And finally, they're very likely to be your children, not your grandchildren!
At 55+ you may be faced with pressure to help your adult children at exactly the same time as you get access to your private pension fund. This may have huge implications for retirees. So generally I think the site needs to get a better handle on the current reality of family life for people at the younger end of retirement age.

Thanks for the chance to review this - it was interesting!

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date
42, currently SAHM, a couple of very poor pensions that I stopped contributing to a few years ago. Very much in need of a retirement plan.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?
Definitely very readable, there could have been a bit more depth for my liking although not too much as it could put people off. Maybe a link to further info on that topic for those that want it?

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?
I'm not too bothered about non financial sites, I can source articles like that elsewhere. I'm mostly interested in having access to jargon-free articles about financial planning and advice on how where to get further information. I'd love a resource for finding an IFA but I guess as a Skipton site this wouldn't be appropriate.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?
I like the simple style and clear layout. The colour scheme is a little bland but didn't put me off, and I like the drawings (not keen on stock photos on websites generally).

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?
I don't tend to use video as I'm often on my phone and surrounded by noise / chaos so it doesn't work for me. As an extra, yes short videos might be useful, but if they were put in place of articles / written info then I would probably simply not bother to access them.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?
A good idea but it really needs to be busy to be useful. Currently it looks a little meagre and it doesn't reflect well on a website if the forum isn't well used. Time will tell if it becomes useful.

Q7 Any other comments?
Overall a nice idea and a well laid out site, although I think it needs a bit more meat on it to be something that I'd use regularly. At the very least it's made me think (again) about sorting out my own retirement situation.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

I'm 55, working full-time, and starting to think a bit more seriously about retiring. I'd love to be able to retire when I'm 60, but I'm not really sure I'll be able to afford it. However, my mum died when she was only 66 - the age my state pension will kick in - and I'm very conscious of the fact that I'd like to actually have a retirement, and that we can't take it for granted that we will! That said, I also want to make sure that I have enough money to enjoy my retirement - no point retiring early if I then can't afford to do anything!

I had a number of different company pensions, which have been rolled into one where appropriate, and I'm just about to join my new company's pension scheme, so I know I will have some money from that to top up my state pension - just not sure how it will all work/how much I can plan on having each month.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

So far - and I haven't had much time to have a really good look - I thought the range and type of articles was good. A different range of subjects that might deal with a variety of different issues and questions. They were easy to read but also raised points I might not have considered. I liked the tone of voice, overall - it didn't seem dry and dull, like a lot of financial stuff can be! I'd say, so far at least, that the length of the articles was sufficient to whet my interest.

As the site grows, I guess it will get better. I have noticed a bit of repetition creeping in - e.g. Rosemary who talks about her over-50s training is quoted several times, and the copy is often the same, which I found a bit irritating.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I like the magazine type of approach - i.e. offering a range of different types of pieces, although I agree with a PP that it should be clear when articles are 'a day in the life' kind thing, as opposed to a piece by a financial specialist. However, it's important that it doesn't become too trivial.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I very much liked the site design. As someone who researches design (in more general terms - not websites specifically), it's something I'm very aware of - I thought that it was a very good balance between looking serious and credible, via the typographic style and simple colour palette - but also accessible and something to draw you in, via the line drawings. But they stopped short of being 'cartoony', which could undermine the seriousness of intent of the site.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

Not really. I'd rather read stuff and I'd rather see it all on the page. Links to other locations or sites irritate me - I want it all there in front of me!

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

I have only had a quick look at this, but didn't really find anything I want to participate in yet. I do, though, think that it could be a very useful resource as I get further into my own research. My only concern would be the quality/accuracy of advice given by other posters. It's an incredibly complex area, and so much depends on one's individual situation.

It's also a difficult one, because unless it gets off the ground and gains a critical mass, there will be no point in posting - but that's a difficulty for any new community.

I think it's a very good idea to have it there though.

Q7 Any other comments?

I like the fact that there didn't appear to be any obvious selling from Skipton - and I would hope that this would be the case/continue to be the case.

I think it's a great idea!

My age is 37 I am a mum to 3 children I work part time and I am currently on maternity leave. I have worked for my current employer for 15 years and they only last year started to have a company pension. I am worried about my retirement apart from the last year I have no pension in place.

I found the website informative and easy to read, all the different areas where highlighted well and easy to understand

I like the idea of being to financially plan my future as I currently rent a home and would love to save for a deposit, I think including all different types of saving would be a good idea as everything you do is for now is helping towards our retirement.

I liked the easy use of the website everything boxed I found very helpful and it stood out but I found the colours very washed out.

Videos to me don't make any difference I like to read

I liked the forum easy to use with the questions at the top, normally on forums I can't find anything to what I need but it wasn't like this at all.

Thank you for letting me take part in viewing this website and I hope it works as it helped me and would hopefully help me more in the future

1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date. Age 32, work part-time, have a pension with my employer but only invest the minimum amount, 5% of my salary is paid in by my employer.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short? I thought there would be more articles, I also felt I didn't fall into the categories since I am not approaching retirement but, 'starting to plan for retirement' would be applicable to myself as a younger reader and perhaps older readers too who don't have much of a pan in place.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (e.g. non financial sites would you like to see on retire savvy? I would find all of these things interesting, I found the article on the stay at home dad interesting, although I would have preferred a bit more detail and perhaps some information on their budgeting. I would also find some more factual information helpful, such as information on switching your pension, types of pension available, how a couple should each plan for their retirement separately.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos? I would like some photos, I found it a little bit confusing as to where I should be starting on the site, as mentioned above a category which would have fitted my situation more would have been 'starting to think about retirement'. I like the style, the fonts, sketches and photos as they are.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there? I prefer to read with photos of the people who have written the article, that way I can make a judgement (rightly or wrongly) whether I feel the writer is like me.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area? I have tried to register however, have not received the email to validate my registration as yet and the site doesn't allow me to log in.

Q7 Any other comments?
I think the site has some extremely valuable content and is very useful. I would however, like to see it aimed at younger readers too.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

36, SAHM/student, I have nothing planned for my retirement at all.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

The articles are readable and accessible. They are short enough to read if you are only vaguely interested in the subject, but on the couple of occasions where I was interested in a particular subject, they seemed short and lacking in information. For example - I liked the Parents and Their Invisible Futures article, as it reflected my situation as a non-earner, but the bit I wanted to hear about was skimmed over - the author mentioned opening a private pension at the age of 41, but didn't say anything else about it. I'd have like to have heard more about how that had worked as a SAHD, and a rough idea of what kind of pension pot is achievable if you start at that age.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I was expecting more practical advice on what I should be doing now to plan for my retirement. The site is more focussed on imminent retirement/already retired. I was interested in a few of the articles, but would have liked external links to the practical side of things. The one external link I followed wasn't working, the Skipton Building Society's retirement planning calculator from the Five Key Questions article.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I liked the site design and the line drawings. It was clean and unfussy, easily navigable. On the homepage I was expecting more choices in the tabs than 'approaching retirement' or 'already retired'. I am neither of those things and it told me the site wasn't really for me. It took a bit of digging around to find articles that were relevant to me, if I wasn't looking at it for MN I wouldn't have bothered going any further than the homepage.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I wouldn't be interested in video or podcasts on this topic.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

Again, the only choices to enter the forum were 'approaching retirement' or 'already retired', so I was put off.

Q7 Any other comments?

I don't know why I was chosen to review this site as it really doesn't feel like I am a target demographic for you.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

Aged 58, working full time and have no plans to retire and can't imagine what I might do with myself if I was retired.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

The articles are fairly short so some extended articles with more information are needed. More heavyweight articles are needed but in plain English.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I am not very interested in interviews as most people do not have the same lives so would be irrelevant. However, stories from people who feel they could have planned better for their retirement, and what they would have done differently and also how to plan for retirement with easy on the eye statistics and a step-by-step guide would be useful.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

Firstly, I love the light bulb above 'retire'. I like the font used in the titles, the layout, the colours and the pages are easy on the eye but as the site becomes more busy, it could all merge and become too complicated to look for anything. I like line drawings. I'm not too keen on photos.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I'm not too keen on video content or a podcast because that turns the site into something else I think.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

The Forum is a great idea and I really like that as, like Mumsnet, you can get ideas and advice from each other based on similar experiences.

Q7 Any other comments?

I found the website really interesting and would definitely visit a site such as this.

1. Aged 35, and currently working pt (on maternity leave at the moment) I have a good number of qualifying years of NI, and am subscribed to a good work pension which I have been in for about 10yrs.

2 I liked a lot of the articles and found them very interesting. Their length and depth are useful for provoking thoughts about retirement and planning, but you would then need to look else where perhaps for more in depth research. Very readable and accessible.

1. I like reading peoples personal accounts, so I can compare my provision to others. More figures form people would aid this comparison. Perhaps some more links to in depth information for people who want to access it.

4 like the site, its simple, but perhaps could do with a tad more of an injection of colour. 5 personally I am more drawn to reading articles than podcasts or videos,but if there were documentaries that would be of interest to do with this topic, links would be great. 6 I like the access to a wide array of opinions and experiences that forums can offer. This gives people the opportunity to compare figures, and share experiences. 7 links to calculators to work out a rough guide as to how much people should have put away would be personally useful. Information on wills and other financial things could be useful, as once you start thinking about one aspect it starts you off on a journey!

Q1 Age 44. currently unemployed/ stay at home Mum.
Started a policy at 30 but froze it at 34 when first child appeared. It does worry me that have no pension in place but we are mortgage free so think of the house as a pension.

Q2. I thought the articles were ok. Informative and not too complex but depends on the market you are aiming at. For me I would have liked something more detailed. Also at 44 I would have proffered a 'planning retirement' rather than 'approaching retirement' button. I didn't feel the article on 'vote for free childcare' too appropriate. As a parent of two primary school aged children, it's not of interest. Likewise unless It's aimed at grandparents, I'm not sure who would benefit.

Q3 As above, I think the target audience (like my 76 yr old mum) would prefer a slant on how to spend savings on her grandchildren rather than articles about childcare. I liked best the real life stories. I also enjoy quizzes online - I hoped the 'how prepared are you for retirement?' Would give me a series of questions and a more tailored answer. I didn't feel it gave me more information thanI'd find elsewhere.

Q4 As a former design agency employee, I found the website colours and style rather bland and uninspiring. sorry! Even if it's aimed at an older age group it needs to be bolder in colour as my dad would have loved this site if in larger text/ bolder colours.

Q5 No, I'm not a huge fan of podcasts or video in this context.

Q6 I love the netmums forums and have found them invaluable in the past so the concept is great. There was very little on this site and mainly posted by one person. however if it could grow and include more categories, it has potential.

Q7 can't put my finger on what is missing. I think for me, the website needs to be a bit more detailed and eye catching and I would like to hope in future a larger forum. However I do need to think about the future and plan so Think there is a place for websites like this.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date
40, self employed but earning a pittance. No pension but do have a buy to let which I am hoping to get an income from in retirement. DH has a fairly good occ pension.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?
Informative, and in plain English,yes. The content is straightforward and the articles a good length, though some link to further detail would be good.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?
I am interested in financial planning. A calculator would be good. I enjoyed the real life stories, though they are not objectively informative.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?
I really like the design of the site. It has a 'lifestyle' feel rather than a banking/finance look, which drew me in

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?
No, don't like video/podcast content

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?
I like the format of the forums, but I can imagine that itcould start to look a bit messy with 1000s of comments in future. Maybe button links to different forum areas/subjects?

Q7 Any other comments?
I really like Retiresavvy, but would like to see interactive calculator tools, and maybe info on how to access info on previous employer schemes

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

I am 50 next month and am a current stay at home mum. I am planning to return to work in a professional capacity after 10 years of scrappy part time or no paid work. I have quite a bit of retirement planning including paying into pensions and some ISA investments. I am a chartered accountant and am fairly well informed.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

The articles are interesting. More like blog style. However I personally no longer want to read the same superficial articles that you now get everywhere - particularly on .gov website and print media. So there should be more detailed articles as this is a retirement planning specific site. I am an informed intelligent investor and want to be treated as such. Articles on life changes will be useful eg divorce (I lost substantial assets this way), children (giving up highly paid work for poorly paid part time)

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

See comment to Q2. Case studies can be a useful way to illustrate advice but again everyone does this now - I receive lots of financial "magazines" (self promoting internal house magazines) and they all have case studies. So independence and contrary views could be useful. eg pros and cons of investing in far east/BRIC

Interviews - who with? If it is experts could be useful. General public -not really.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I liked the style - easy on the eye. Not brash colourful photos and whizzy which is a total pain to load up . I think the home page needs more structure - it is straight into articles.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

Funny, I don't normally like videos and podcasts but am just starting to see the benefits. That could work very well for this type of site. Having an expert talk about something relevant. I would say keep it short. I don't want to watch a lecture for a hour!

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

I do wonder how useful this will be. How will you monitor advertising and promotion from eg IFAs and boiler companies? How will you deal with incorrect advice from other users - it shouldn't really be allowed to remain but that will require heavy monitoring from yourselves.

Q7 Any other comments? Good start!

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date.

32, work 18 hours a week. 4 company pensions from current and previous jobs.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

They are accessible. I don't think they're complex. I was expecting it to be more complex if anything as pensions are a complicated subject.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I would like some more subjective information. More calculators, lists of things to do to plan. I liked the five priorites page as that was a good indication of where to start.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I really like the line drawings. It looks like a 'friendly' page, not too intimidating.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I rarely use content that needs sounds so videos etc would not suit me.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

The limited content makes it difficult to comment. I like the idea of a forum dedicated to pensions ideas though, it would be great if it grew.

Q7 Any other comments?

Reading some of the articles, I'm not sure if some of them still offer current info. In particular, info on the state pension which is always subject to change from the government. Maybe a disclaimer about info being correct at the time of print would be useful?

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

I’m 50, currently working part-time and have a local government pension.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

I found it hard to find my way around – the sections had odd and largely irrelevant titles and I couldn’t see anything that appealed to my situation directly.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I would want specific content about my type of pension, whether it is worth increasing contributions, what the alternatives are. Everything I read was a bit general/stating the obvious. Some clever tips and tricks and a glossary would be useful. I enjoyed the real life stories.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

First impression – colours were dull and did not appeal. The layout and navigation was unclear and the multiple fonts were horrible. I think they were looking for it to be friendly and non-corporate? The overall look was a mess, to be frank.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

Personally I do not watch videos, as they can’t be skipped through – I prefer to skim read text and extract what I want from it. It’s good to have a mix though, to cater for different learning styles.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

It has potential to be more useful than the site content, depending on who is attracted to contribute.

Q7 Any other comments?

It’s a great idea, but really needs to get down to the nuts and bolts rather than vague statements.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

45, work full time, I have a work (teachers') pension and some savings in ISAs and investments

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

I found the articles easy to read, not too dry or dull. It might have been useful to have some more detailed info available on the website, or links to articles that explored the issues in more detail.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retire savvy?

I am interested in financial planning. I liked the real life examples and found them very readable, however they were very similar to other articles I have read online (on blogs)

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I liked the site design, clear, not too fussy. I found it easy to navigate. The site loaded quickly and seemed glitch free.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I'm not really a fan of videos and podcasts so probably wouldn't use them. However I know lots of people do like them so I think there is probably a role for them on the portal.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?
At the moment it's difficult to comment because of the lack of users. however, once it is populated and being used I think it would be a useful place to discuss financial questions

Q7 Any other comments?
I like the fact the website didn't feel 'branded' or sponsored. I think that given time it could develop into a site that would be a very useful resource.

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date

Age 49, working part-time, local government employee so I have the benefit of a final salary LGPS pension but I'll probably have to work until I'm 70 or I drop down dead, whichever happens first.

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

The articles are easy to understand, short enough to skim through quickly and gather a few facts. If anything they are a bit too short. It would be good to have more links to click on to get more in depth information.

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retiresavvy?

I'm not that interested in the real life stories. They seem lightweight but I guess they make the information more accessible. I'm not interested in people's lifestyle choices following retirement. Some of it seems a bit pie in the sky. I want to know whether I will have enough to live on and keep myself healthy so I would prefer more expert information about retirement planning, how to finance retirement and how to get the best returns from current investments. I have no interest in celebrities or TV personalities etc. so I wouldn't bother reading interviews with them. The sections on pensions explained, spring cleaning your finances and investment risk would be really useful if they were expanded on.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I like the site design and I like the line drawings. I like that it is calm and there are few photos, videos, bright colours or pop up boxes to distract and annoy me.

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I wouldn't use a podcast and I don't like watching videos on the computer (I tend to get bored and want to fast forward them). I prefer plain text.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

It's easy to use and the set up is logical. I could find the right boards for my needs. It would be interesting to come back and see how it develops when there is more traffic on there.

Q7 Any other comments?

I understand that it aims to be a community and it's trying to be lots of things to lots of people but it needs to decide what overall look it's trying to achieve. I think it needs a bit more gravitas. At the moment it looks like the lovechild of the Financial Times and Woman's Weekly!

Q1 Please give your age, current working status and status of your retirement planning to date.

I am 57, and retired just over 2 years ago (this was planned)

Q2 Thinking about the articles on retiresavvy - do you think the content pieces are readable and accessible enough without being overly complex? Are they informative? What about the length of them? Too long or short?

The articles are quite varied and reasonably informative, but don't really stand out from everything else that's already available on other websites. There is no USP for the website in my opinion. It needs one!

Q3 In terms of the range of content – what interests you? eg financial planning, real life stories, interviews etc? What would you be interested in seeing more of? What sorts of things from other (eg non financial sites would you like to see on retire savvy?

Need more info on pensions and finance management and planning and how to live wealthily. It's all a bit generic and "tame" so far. Needs to be bit more snappy and savvy.

Q4 In terms of site design – this is under review, what did you think worked/ doesn't work – What would you expect to see on the homepage? Does the range of colours they’ve chosen grab you/ your DH/DP? What about the art style – do you prefer line drawings or maybe photos?

I'm afraid I found the site far too GREY. It doesn't exactly grab you on first visiting it. Seems a bit drab and I don't like the typeface used. It is easy to navigate and seems very accessible, just needs oomphing up a bit to make it more professional. On the homepage it needs to state the purpose of the site, but I don't think you know what it actually is yet!

Q5 Multimedia – are you keen on more video on the portal or maybe a podcast etc? if so, what sorts of things would you like on there?

I never click on podcasts but don't mind the occasional video as long as it is something that is best explained using the video media. I prefer well-designed and laid out text, with links to more detailed info.

Q6 Forum: please let us know what you thought of this area?

It is ok so far, but obviously in its infancy. Again, you will need to define and limit what it is all about, or you'll end up with far too many topics and nobody using it...and how will it be policed??

Q7 Any other comments?

As others have already mentioned I feel the site lacks a defined identity and needs to decide what it is actually offering. Is it an "expert" or a generic retirement planning and support site with forums? I don't think it can be all things to all men as you need something to attract your targeted audience and I don't think it is yet apparent who the target is. As previously mentioned, you need a USP, ASAP!!