How to get a pension when you're self-employed in the UK

When you work for yourself, nobody's quietly paying a pension contribution into your name every month. There's no auto-enrolment letter waiting in the post, no HR department nudging you along. It's just you – and it's easy to keep meaning to sort it out and never quite getting there.

This guide walks through the real options for self-employed pensions in the UK: what they actually cost once tax relief is factored in, and exactly how to open one. If pensions have been sitting on your to-do list, this is where you start.

Why so few self-employed people have a pension

Pension saving among the self-employed has collapsed over three decades, and it isn't because people don't care about retirement. Only 20% of self-employed workers earning over £10,000 a year pay into a private pension, down from 60% in 1998, with just 0.5 million of 2.3 million eligible workers currently saving into one (Institute for Fiscal Studies, Pensions Review, September 2024). More than half, 52%, have no private pension savings at all.

This isn't a personal failing. Employees are auto-enrolled by default, so saving happens unless they opt out. Self-employed people have to choose a provider and set up contributions themselves, alongside running payroll, chasing invoices and doing their own tax return. The system was built around employment, and it shows.

What your pension options actually are

You have two building blocks: the State Pension, which everyone qualifies for regardless of how they work, and a private pension, which you set up yourself. The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, or £12,548 a year for 2026/27, requiring 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions (gov.uk, The new State Pension: what you'll get). Fewer years mean a lower payout, so it's worth checking your forecast.

For the private side, most self-employed people choose a personal pension, a stakeholder pension, or a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) for more control over investments. Providers like NEST, PensionBee and Penfold are built with self-employed workers in mind, with payment schedules that flex around irregular income.

Why tax relief and your tax return make this easier than it feels

Every pound you put into a personal pension is topped up by the government. Pay in £80 and your provider claims basic rate tax relief, turning it into £100 in your pot at no extra cost to you (HMRC pension tax relief guidance). Higher and additional rate taxpayers can claim further relief through Self Assessment, up to the annual allowance of £60,000 for most people, depending on earnings that year.

The most useful thing you can do is attach pension saving to a moment you already sit down with your finances. You complete a Self Assessment return every year regardless, which makes it a natural point to actively decide on contributions, rather than something that quietly never happens. Use that same January session to review, open or increase your pension. You're already looking at your numbers, so it costs nothing extra to make one more decision while you're there.

What this means specifically if you're a self-employed woman

The gap is sharper again for self-employed women, particularly around maternity leave. Research from PensionBee, published in March 2026, found that 62% of self-employed women have not calculated how maternity leave would affect their long-term pension, and nearly half reduce or stop contributions altogether during this time, often because household expenses take priority when income drops. If you're planning a family, or juggling a business around one, this is worth working out in advance rather than in the middle of it.

From Lucy, co-founder of Welleness

I built my business the way most self-employed women do, by putting everything back into it first and telling myself I'd sort my own pension out once things were more settled. Things are never quite settled enough.

What changed it for me was simply looking at the numbers properly for the first time, and seeing what a few years of not contributing costs over a working life. It wasn't shameful, just information I hadn't had in front of me. You don't need it all figured out to start, just one decision now, and letting compounding do some of the work.

If you run your own business, don't let the fact that nobody is doing this for you be the reason it doesn't get done. You're allowed to build something for your future while you build something for your clients.

What you can do now

Check your State Pension forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension to see your qualifying years and any gaps worth filling.

Compare two or three self-employed pension providers, such as NEST, PensionBee or Penfold, and open one before your next Self Assessment deadline, even with a modest monthly contribution.

Add a recurring calendar note for the week you file Self Assessment each year, to review and increase your pension contribution while your finances are already in front of you.

Frequently asked questions

Can I actually have a pension if I'm self-employed?

Yes. You won't be auto-enrolled, but you can open a personal pension, stakeholder pension or SIPP with any major provider, and you'll still get the State Pension with enough qualifying NI years.

Do I get tax relief on my contributions?

Yes. Basic rate relief is added automatically, so £80 becomes £100 in your pot. Higher and additional rate taxpayers can claim more through Self Assessment.

How much should a self-employed person be putting into a pension?

There's no single right figure, but a common adviser starting point is a percentage of income roughly equal to half your age, adjusted for what your business can sustain.

What happens if my income drops for a while?

Personal pensions are flexible. You can pause, reduce or increase contributions as income changes, though a long pause will affect what you build up over time.

Here is what one Welleness member said after completing her financial health check.

"WOW! I am blown away and actually really grateful. This landed at just the right time for me. I'm at an odd point financially, definitely want to take more control, really anxious about having taken a number of years out of investing in my pension and taking a hit to my income. So I'm really grateful to you for developing this because I think it is SO needed." Jude, Welleness user

If reading this has made you wonder where you actually stand, our free financial health check takes less than five minutes and gives you a clear picture across six areas of your financial life, pensions included. No judgement, no jargon, just clarity.

This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. For guidance specific to your situation, speak to a regulated financial adviser.