People born on or after 1996 are urged to make a few simple checks at work to ensure they’re on top of any money that they should be owed. Although it may seem years away, taking action now to prevent issues or mistakes can make it much easier when the time comes to retire.

Anyone aged 30 or younger can typically expect to retire at around 68 in the UK (as of March 2026, but this may change following any review of the State Pension age). Looking ahead and planning for that period of your life shouldn’t be something put off for decades, as acting sooner often means benefits later.

Finance experts at consumer group Which? claim that anyone under 30 who is contributing to their pension pot should carry out three specific checks and tasks to make their future lives a little easier and protect themselves from any problems with the money they’re entitled to.

Going online to the GOV.UK website, people can get a forecast or statement of how much State Pension they may get after retiring. This is separate from any private or workplace pension, and employers often have ways to track that pot of cash.

Posting on Instagram, a spokesperson for Which? wrote: “Start now. Your 60-year-old self will thank you.”

1. Back from maternity leave? Check your pension contributions

Money editor for Which?, Grace Witherden, said: “If you’ve come back from maternity leave, you should check that you’ve been paid the correct amount while you’ve been off. Employers should keep paying the same amount into your pension as your full-time wage and not based on your maternity wage.

“Go back and check that you’ve had the right amount paid into your pension.” Maternity leave pension contribution errors, often caused by automated payroll systems incorrectly basing employer contributions on reduced maternity pay rather than normal salary, can cost employees thousands in retirement funds.

Legally speaking, employers must maintain contributions at pre-leave levels during paid maternity leave, and errors should be rectified by contacting HR. If needed, people can contact the Pensions Ombudsman for advice and support in making a claim for lost contributions.

Split your money into three ‘pots’

Which?’s principal pensions researcher, Paul Davies, says that people should separate their finances into three ‘pots’ for three important parts of life: fun, family and the future. He said: “That is going to be a huge benefit in the future. The earlier you start saving, the better.”

Almost all UK banking providers allow customers to split their money across different savings accounts, avoiding the trap of having every penny stored in a single account. Popular options include Monzo (up to 20 pots), Starling (Spaces), Revolut (Vaults), and traditional banks like RBS (up to 10 pots) and TSB (up to five pots).

Don’t opt out if you can help it

Pensions researcher and writer for Which? Holly Lanyon suggested that people start contributing to their future little and often as soon as possible. One of the first options most employers should give is a ‘top-up’ via a workplace pension scheme.

The specialist said: “Don’t opt out of your workplace pension scheme if you can afford to. You’ll benefit from Pension Tax Relief from the government, plus your employer will put in contributions, which will really boost your pot.”