When two gaps collide: How the ‘trust gap’ affects the ‘ethnicity pensions gap’

At Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), we looked at why this is and possible ways to help tackle it. Our research unearthed some interesting findings – in particular, that lack of trust in the investment industry could be preventing pensions from reaching their full potential.

Our main findings are now available in a member-friendly format on our campaign page but below looks in more detail at what we uncovered.

In recent years, despite efforts to identify and eliminate structural privilege, it remains the case that ethnicity and ethnic background are key fault lines for inequality in 2023. 

In pensions, we know that disadvantage extends beyond the workplace and into retirement.

Our recent survey₁ confirmed that minority ethnicities in Britain (including non-British nationals) are still substantially under-pensioned versus their (white) British counterparts.

At £52,333, the average minority ethnic person’s workplace pension pot is less than half that of the average white British person’s £114,941.

The median minority ethnic pot of £13,000 is less than a third the size of a white British person’s £44,000₂, and worryingly, nearly seven in 10 of minority ethnic respondents have no pension pot at all.

Things are changing, but not fast enough. Along with other investors, we at LGIM advocate for fair opportunities and outcomes for people of all ethnic backgrounds through our engagement with companies, including on the issues of a fair living wage, pension contributions, financial wellbeing training, equity ownership, and representation on boards. 

Meanwhile, countless resources have been dedicated to helping consumers feel safe entrusting banks and financial providers with their money – but is it working? 

Mind the gap 

Underpinning the numerical ethnicity pensions disparity, we found not only a lack of trust but even fear about workplace pensions. Over a quarter (26%) of minority ethnic respondents did ‘not want to take a risk with (their) money’ versus just 7 per cent of white British respondents. Some worry that there will be no way to access their money in the future, or that the retirement age will rise too far:

“I associate pensions with not getting your money. It scares me. I think of it as something you potentially pay into but where you don’t get your money back at the end…I think they’ll keep putting the age up... You might be dead by then.”

- Caribbean, female

These concerns are compounded by the lack of pensions knowledge that we found across all our UK groups. Nearly one in five (18 per cent) of minority ethnic respondents say a lack of knowledge about pensions is the reason they aren’t invested in one.

Pensions are frequently associated with risk rather than the potential for security, with some respondents expressing fears that their employer will keep the money: 

“It’s not knowing if employers actually put the money away properly. What happens if your employer shuts down the company? That worries me.”

- Chinese, female

For some, such fears are based on misgivings about either the British establishment or the state in their country of origin. For Tomasz, 48, who opted out of his workplace scheme:

“There are several moments in history that show such systems cannot be trusted. Like in America in 2008 when people lost their pension money overnight in the financial crash. And I was raised in communist Poland where the state could just seize your money without warning. So, I have a deep distrust for the state and for organisations that manage your money.”

Drilling down into different groups’ levels of institutional trust reveals a chequered picture. While we found a lack of trust in pension structures, this does not necessarily equate to a general apprehension about financial institutions and government advice.

Our quantitative study revealed minority ethnic respondents are more likely to trust the government, community, and religious centres for financial advice than white British people, and equally likely to trust banks and financial service providers. 

Minority ethnicities are also more likely to trust the media (37 per cent versus 32 per cent) and social media (35 per cent versus 26 per cent) for financial advice. The flip side of this is that people from minority ethnic backgrounds are more likely than white British people to shy away from pensions due to media exposure: nearly a third (31 per cent) versus one in five. This has played a part in fuelling misconceptions:

“I think pensions were a good idea around 10 years ago. However, with so many scandals and pension pots being stolen or mishandled, it is difficult to feel truly positive for the future.”

- Black African, female

What can the pensions industry and government do?

Making positive stories about pensions more prominent in everyday media may be an important way to increase pensions engagement, as well as providing easier access to pensions advice through trusted sources.

Since nearly half (48%) of our minority ethnic respondents say they take financial advice from friends and family; we found that almost as important as what is said, is who is saying it. Many people from minority backgrounds said their children were encouraging them to learn more about pensions, and when it comes to formal advice:

“It’s better coming from someone we can empathise with more, a trusted face in the community.”

Indian, male

It may be that setting up informal partnerships with official sources of information may increase conversations about financial health. These partnerships can be delivered via community groups or by using the media and social media that participants engage with every day. However, advice could also be given in a more dedicated, professional setting: nearly three in 10 (27%) of those from minority ethnic backgrounds take financial advice from their bank.

Taking action today for a brighter tomorrow

There is a significant ethnicity pensions gap – 54 per cent to be exact. The gap exists as much in people’s minds as it does in numerical terms such as the level of comfort with the structure of pensions and perceptions of their relevance to life after retirement. 

Employers and the government should take heart that lack of trust and misconceptions around pension products doesn’t appear to be reflected in an overall lack of trust in the investment industry and government. And younger generations are increasingly aware of the benefits of this savings vehicle.

However, waiting for a generational shift is not an option. Better communication, more relevant, informative partnerships, positive media messaging, and formal and informal advice will help explode misconceptions and ensure the challenges faced by minority ethnicities in building their retirement pots are tackled sooner rather than later. 

For more information on the ethnicity pensions gap, please visit: lgim.com/retirementsolutions

Rita Butler-Jones, Head of DC, Legal & General Investment Management