PensionBee Warns Britons to Prepare for 100-Year Life as Centenarian Population Surges

By Lauren Towner · 29 July 2026

In brief: PensionBee warns that rising UK longevity requires a shift in retirement planning, recommending pension consolidation and flexible drawdown to fund a potential 30-year retirement as centenarian numbers grow.

Key facts
Centenarians in UK	15,172
People aged 90+	581,400
PensionBee Assets	£8.6 billion

Press Release: PensionBee Warns Britons to Prepare for 100-Year Life as Centenarian Population Surges | Featured Image by FF News

Quick Summary

PensionBee is helping savers prepare for a 100-year life as new ONS data reveals a 16% rise in Britons aged 90+. By focusing on pension consolidation, flexible drawdown strategies, and phased retirement, individuals can mitigate the risk of outliving their savings in a 30-year retirement.

How Can You Prepare for a 100-Year Life?

Longevity risk management is now the primary challenge for UK retirees. With over 15,000 centenarians currently in Britain, the traditional 20-year retirement model is obsolete. Savers must now stress-test finances for a 30-year horizon to avoid running out of capital. Key strategies include:

Increasing contributions early to leverage compound interest.
Consolidating old pots to simplify management and reduce fees.
Utilizing tax relief to maximize the total retirement fund.

What Are the Best Retirement Income Strategies?

Flexible drawdown vs. annuities remains a critical decision for those facing longer lifespans. A 'flex then fix' approach is gaining popularity, allowing for early-retirement flexibility followed by the security of a guaranteed income. PensionBee highlights that inflation protection is vital, as purchasing power can erode significantly over a three-decade retirement. Regular reviews using a pension calculator ensure that savings remain on track despite market volatility.

Why is Phased Retirement Becoming Essential?

Phased retirement models allow individuals to ease into their post-work years while maintaining a supplementary income stream. By reducing hours or consulting, savers can delay pension withdrawals, allowing their invested capital more time to grow. This shift from an "abrupt transition" to a gradual exit from the workforce is a practical response to increased British longevity and the shift toward defined contribution schemes.

FF NEWS TAKE:

This announcement moves the needle by highlighting the critical longevity gap in UK retirement planning. As PensionBee shifts the focus from simple accumulation to decumulation strategy, they are addressing the most significant systemic risk in modern fintech: capital exhaustion. For the industry, this signals a need for more sophisticated AI-driven forecasting tools that account for the very real possibility of a 100-year life.

Frequently asked questions

How many people in the UK are living to 100?

According to ONS figures from mid-2025, there are now 15,172 people aged 100 and over in Britain. This represents a significant increase of more than 20% compared to 2015, signaling a major shift in national longevity that requires updated retirement planning.

What is the 'flex then fix' pension strategy?

The 'flex then fix' approach involves using flexible drawdown in the early years of retirement to keep funds invested and accessible, followed by purchasing an annuity later in life. This strategy aims to provide a balance between early-retirement flexibility and late-retirement income security.

How does living to 100 affect my pension savings?

Living to 100 means your retirement could last 30 years or more, significantly longer than the 15-20 years many plan for. This increases longevity risk, requiring your money to work harder for longer through consistent saving, long-term investing, and careful management of withdrawals.