Are YOU heading for a bleak retirement - and is your stingy employer to blame?

High earners whose employers contribute the bare minimum into pensions could be heading for a poorer retirement than they realise, a new study warns.The generosity or otherwise of your employers during your working life is a key driver of whether you end up with a decent pension income, it found.Some workers receive substantially more support than others, so even if you are a high earner you can end up with less pension wealth than people who were lower paid before retirement.Earnings and pension saving are unevenly distributed across the working population, explains the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) think-tank.It has created six different worker profiles to illustrate the point – find out which group you are in below, plus what to do if your pension is falling short. How generous is your employer? If it sticks to the auto enrolment minimum, can you afford to save more off your own batWhat must your employer pay into your pension? Under auto enrolment, which was introduced in 2012, employers have to put a minimum of 3 per cent of your earnings between £6,240 and £50,270 into your pension.Workers put in 4 per cent and the Government adds 1 per cent in tax relief – adding up to 8 per cent.However, many employers are willing to put bigger percentages of salary into pensions to attract and retain staff.They might also offer to make 4 per cent, 5 per cent or 6 per cent in matching pension contributions if you opt to save a higher proportion of your own income.Meanwhile, public sector employers still offer final salary or career average pensions, which provide a guaranteed income from retirement until you die and a survivor's pension for spouses. They have been almost entirely phased out in the private sector.The Government is currently consulting on reforms which would see private sector workers enrolled by default into a pension that is guaranteed to last throughout their old age. How does employer support affect pensions?A highly-paid private-sector worker can build relatively less pension wealth than a lower paid public sector worker, says the PPI.In its study, sponsored by Aviva, the think-tank split the working population into six groups with different levels of earnings and pension provision.Alexander – High earnings and low pension (20 per cent of workers)Weak employer provision or a workplace culture focused on minimum compliance can leave pension saving below what someone's earnings would support.These workers can afford to contribute more, so the challenge is to encourage them to put more into their pension.'Approaches that increase contributions through stronger defaults, automatic escalation or employer matching could therefore have a different effect for this group than for workers with less capacity to save,' says the PPI.Ben – High earnings and high pension (15 per cent of workers)'Higher-paying employers are more likely to use pension provision as part of recruitment, retention and reward strategies,' says the PPI.It adds that these workers have greater capacity to respond to workplace encouragement, financial education and opportunities to contribute above minimum levels.Connor – Average earnings and low pension (19 per cent of workers)Middling income levels are likely to constrain this group's ability to save more into pensions.'There is greater tension between improving future retirement income and maintaining living standards during working life,' says the PPI.'Workers may have some capacity to save more, but are exposed to employers whose pension objectives focus on legal compliance and cost.'Limited workplace discussion, education, or encouragement can reinforce inertia and reduce the likelihood of increasing contributions.'Demi – Average earnings and high pension (11 per cent of workers)'Strong employer provision can compensate for lower levels of active decision-making, while established workplace norms can reinforce participation and long-term saving.'Elena – Low earnings and low pension (24 per cent of workers)The PPI says this group of workers are more likely to have employers making the statutory minimum contributions to their pensions.'Limited financial capacity also reduces the ability to act on employer encouragement to increase contributions.'Francesca – Low earnings and high pension (11 per cent of workers)'Employers place greater emphasis on retirement saving as part of their reward and employee benefits strategy' says the PPI.'Established workplace norms, generous contributions, or active employer support may encourage and sustain pension saving, helping to overcome barriers to engagement that can otherwise affect lower-paid.'The PPI notes that the Pensions Commission is currently preparing recommendations to address under-saving, while the Government has also ordered two independent reports on when the state pension age should rise from 67 to 68.The think-tank argues that its study shows that workers should not be treated as one group when tackling underlying causes of people not saving enough for retirement.'There is not one single adequacy challenge, and therefore no single policy response that will be equally effective across the workforce,' says Lauren Wilkinson, a senior policy researcher at PPI.'People face different barriers to building adequate retirement incomes, shaped not just by their earnings, but also their capacity to save and the employer provision available to them.'Michele Golunska, managing director of wealth at Aviva, says: 'When we think about retirement adequacy, it's easy to assume that higher earners will inevitably achieve better retirement outcomes.'This research challenges that assumption, showing that the pension support they receive from their employer and their ability to save consistently can be just as important as earnings.'How much do you need for a comfortable retirement?A single person should aim for an income of £32,700 a year and a couple £45,400 for a decent retirement, according to a widely used pension industry benchmark from trade group Pensions UK.This ‘moderate’ lifestyle covers the essentials plus some splashing out on food and entertainment, trips abroad and running a car.If you aspire to an affluent retirement, including long weekends away in the UK as well as overseas holidays, and more spending on eating out and social activities, Pensions UK suggests a single person targets a £45,400 income and a couple £62,700.For a more frugal retirement, covering essential bills plus a few treats, it estimates a single person needs £13,900 a year and a couple £22,500.These headline targets don’t include housing costs if you are still paying a mortgage or rent, income tax or care costs in later life. What if your pension is falling shortIf you are worried about whether you will have saved enough, investigate your existing pensions. Broadly speaking, you need to ask schemes the following questions.- The current fund value.- The current transfer value – because there might be a penalty to move.- Whether the pension is in a final salary or defined contribution scheme. Defined contribution pensions take contributions from both employer and employee and invest them to provide a pot of money at retirement. Non-public sector employers have now mostly replaced more generous gold-plated defined benefit – career average or final salary – pensions, which provide a guaranteed income after retirement until you die. Defined contribution pensions are stingier and savers bear the investment risk, rather than employers. - If there are any guarantees – for instance, a guaranteed annuity rate – and if you would lose them if you moved the fund.- The pension projection at retirement age. You can use a pension calculator to see if you will have enough – these are widely available online.You should add the forecast figures to what you anticipate getting in state pension, which is currently £241.30 a week or nearly £12,550 a year if you qualify for the full new rate. Get a state pension forecast here.Consider whether you can afford to pay more into your pension, especially if your employer matches higher contributions, or if you receive bonuses and pay rises.If you are tempted to merge your old pensions, read our guide first to ensure you won't be penalised. If you have lost track of old pots, the Government's free pension tracing service is here. Take care if you do an online search for the Pension Tracing Service as many companies using similar names will pop up in the results.These will also offer to look for your pension, but try to charge or flog you other services, and could be fraudulent. SIPPS: INVEST TO BUILD YOUR PENSIONAJ BellAJ Bell0.25% account fee. 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