One in twelve (eight per cent) men said they will fall back on their spouse, while private pensions were favoured by nearly one in five (18 per cent) overall. Around 14 per cent of women said they would also be relying on their husband or partner’s income.

Fewer than one in five respondents said they expected their state pension to support them after they retire, showing a realisation that state contributions will be capable of supporting the average person’s accustomed lifestyle.

“Whilst it is interesting to see that a proportion of men are looking to their partners to help fund their retirement, the most encouraging finding has to be that the message about not relying on the state seems to be hitting home, particularly among the younger generation,” said David Lowe, pensions management director at Zurich.

“While property and other forms of investment are increasingly seen by many as alternatives to saving in a pension, the fact remains that the tax advantages available through pension saving schemes are second to none and should, in the vast majority of cases, form the bedrock of people’s retirement plans.”

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