The Pension Confident Podcast

On this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer Becca. Auto-enrolled into her first workplace pension without a second thought, she assumed retirement saving would always just happen in the background. Then she went self-employed, and for eight years, it didn't happen at all.
We explore the self-employed pension gap with the help of pensions expert Dani Skerrett, Head of Content Marketing at PensionBee, covering everything from why Auto-Enrolment leaves millions of freelancers and sole traders behind, to the surprising cost of those years of disengagement. We also share how contributing just £30 a month can make a difference of thousands of pounds by retirement.
 
Episode breakdown
00:34 Meet Becca
03:30 The self-employed pension gap
06:19 What stops self-employed people saving?
09:43 The cost of disengagement
14:26 Becca's belief in teaching kids about money
 
Further reading and listening
To learn more about the topics discussed in this bonus episode, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:
E8: How to teach kids about money (Podcast)
E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
E40: The ADHD tax - how much is it costing you? (Podcast)
6 pension tips for sole traders (Blog)
How to manage pension contributions from multiple incomes (Blog)
Private pensions for the self-employed (Article)
What is Making Tax Digital and how can sole traders prepare? (Blog)
What pension can I get if I'm self-employed? (Article)
 
Other useful resources
Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
Working for yourself (GOV.UK)
 
Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:
The Pension Confident Podcast
The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube
Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

In this bonus episode of The Pension Confident Podcast, we cover the key pension contribution rules and limits for the new 2026/27 tax year, and what they could mean for your retirement savings.
Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, Maike Currie, as they break down everything you need to know about:
how much you're allowed to pay into your pension this tax year;
the contribution limits that apply based on your annual income;
making the most of government top-ups; and
what the updated rules could mean for your long-term finances.
 
Episode breakdown
01:00 What's the annual allowance?
04:55 Pension Lifetime Allowance scrapped
05:42 Exceeding your annual allowance
06:46 Using your carry forward allowance
 
Further reading and listening
To learn more about pension contributions, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:
Bonus episode: "I stopped paying into my pension for 20 years" (Podcast)
Bonus episode: What does the 2026/27 tax year mean for your finances? (Podcast)
E43: Who wants to be a pension millionaire? (Podcast)
How to check your pension contributions (Article)
How to use carry forward to make big pension payments (Blog)
Making pension contributions (Article)
Pension carry forward rule (Article)
What tax changes are coming in April 2026? (Blog)
 
Other useful resources
Abolition of the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) (GOV.UK)
Carry forward: increase your annual allowance for pension savings (MoneyHelper)
The annual allowance for tax relief on pension savings (MoneyHelper)
The Retirement Living Standards (Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association)
 
Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:
The Pension Confident Podcast
The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube
 
Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

Becoming a landlord with Buy-to-Let properties has often been seen as a way to build long-term wealth. But with brand new rules, higher taxes and more paperwork, it's becoming harder to turn a profit.
Did you know that since 2022, the rental sector is the only area of the housing market to have lost value? So, are Buy-to-Lets still a good bet? And where does this leave existing landlords trying to make sense of a changing market?
Today, we're breaking down the real story behind Buy-to-Lets and what you need to know before you think about jumping in.
Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss Buy-to-Lets:
Buy-to-Let Landlord and Content Creator "Property Empress", Anna Pearce; and
Mortgage Adviser, Michael Annis.
 
Episode breakdown
01:23 What's happening to the property market?
04:56 The Renters' Rights Act explained
09:06 Are landlords really leaving the market?
11:35 Understanding rental yields
16:28 Eligibility rules for Buy-to-Let mortgages
20:22 Stamp Duty on second properties
22:36 Building a property portfolio
25:44 The risk and reward of buying at auction
 
Further reading and listening
To learn more about property, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee:
E4: Should you pay more into your mortgage or pension? (Podcast)
E22: Why is renting so expensive? (Podcast)
Buying a property: the basics (Video)
Buying a property with someone (Video)
How to downsize for retirement (Blog)
How to use your property to fund your retirement (Blog)
Property inheritance (Video)
Renting a property: the basics (Video)
Renting in retirement: 3 things to consider for a secure future when you don't own your home (Blog)
 
Other useful resources
Do I need a Buy-to-Let mortgage? (MoneyHelper)
Guide to the Renters' Rights Act (GOV.UK)
Leasehold vs freehold: what's the difference? (MoneyHelper)
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
Mortgage fees and costs when buying or selling a home (MoneyHelper)
Private rent and house prices, UK: March 2026 (ONS)
Renting out your property: guidance for landlords and letting agents (GOV.UK)
Stamp Duty calculator (MoneyHelper)
Stamp Duty - everything you need to know (MoneyHelper)
Tenants' rights and responsibilities explained (MoneyHelper)
What is the landlord licensing scheme? (UK Landlord Tax)
 
Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:
The Pension Confident Podcast
The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube
 
Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.
Follow Anna Pearce (@propertyempress) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Follow Michael Annis on LinkedIn.
 
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

On this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer, David. He spent years quietly accumulating pension pots across various employers without paying them much attention. That all changed when an unexpected cancer diagnosis forced him to confront his finances head-on, and think hard about what would happen to the people he loves if he wasn't around.
We unpack the decisions David has navigated, from consolidating old pots and rethinking his investment risk to naming beneficiaries and having long-overdue conversations with his family, with the help of pensions expert Dani Skerrett, Head of Content Marketing at PensionBee. Plus, we share how increasing your contributions by even 1% or 2% can make a staggering difference to your retirement pot.
 
Episode breakdown
00:43 Meet David
04:19 Assessing his investments and consolidating
09:38 Hindsight on workplace pension contributions
14:41 The diagnosis that changed everything
17:02 Preparing his family for the worst
18:54 David's dream retirement
 
Further reading, listening and watching
To learn more about the topics discussed in this bonus episode, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee:
Episode transcript (Blog)
E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
Estate planning - PensionBee's Milestone Moments (YouTube)
Pension beneficiaries (Article)
Pension rules after death (Article)
Six money conversations you need to have with your family (Blog)
Writing a will (Article)
 
Other useful resources
Financial Lives 2024 (Financial Conduct Authority)
How do I write a will and how much does it cost? (MoneyHelper)
Combine your pensions (PensionBee)
Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
The £500,000 cost of neglecting your pension (PensionBee)
Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
The new State Pension (GOV.UK)
 
Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:
The Pension Confident Podcast
The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.
 
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].

In this bonus episode of The Pension Confident Podcast, we cover some of the key changes from the new 2026/27 tax year and what they could mean for you and your finances.
Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, Maike Currie, as they unpack the changes impacting:
the National Minimum and Living Wage;
statutory sick, parental and bereavement pay;
frozen earnings bands and savings limits;
the State Pension and personal pensions.
 
Episode breakdown
01:09 What is the tax year?
02:25 Minimum and statutory pay for workers
04:08 The State Pension and 'triple lock'
06:20 Frozen thresholds on earnings and savings
10:46 Pension contributions and compound interest
 
Further reading and listening
To learn more about the 2026/27 tax year, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:
Episode transcript (Blog)
4 smart ways to use your ISAs in retirement (Blog)
How to use carry forward to make big pension payments (Blog)
What is the State Pension? (Article)
What is the triple lock on State Pensions? (Blog)
What tax changes are coming in April 2026? (Blog)
 
Other useful resources
Adoption leave and pay (GOV.UK)
Maternity leave and pay (GOV.UK)
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (GOV.UK)
Parental bereavement leave and pay (GOV.UK)
Paternity leave and pay (GOV.UK)
Shared parental leave and pay (GOV.UK)
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) (GOV.UK)
The basic State Pension (GOV.UK)
The new State Pension (GOV.UK)
The Retirement Living Standards (Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association)
 
Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:
The Pension Confident Podcast
The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.
 
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].