Automatic enrolment and the new consumer realism

Transcription

1 Automatic enrolment and the new consumer realism

2 2 One year on, automatic enrolment seems to be working as intended and we see some grounds for optimism as the reforms roll out.

3 3 Foreword This joint paper by NEST and the Futures Company looks at the relationship between changing consumer attitudes to money since the financial crisis in 2008 and the low opt-out levels in the first year of automatic enrolment, around 9 per cent of the 1.4 million enrolled so far. The financial strain that families are still feeling can t be underestimated. But we believe our findings point to a shift in the consumer mind-set that s created a receptive audience for automatic enrolment. People are more aware of the need to manage their finances carefully and plan for the future. While their ambitions may be more difficult to translate into action in everyday life, automatic enrolment has presented an ideal opportunity for the vast majority of this new savings-conscious generation to do what they have recently been feeling they should do put more money aside for retirement. It remains to be seen how this trend will play out as contribution rates begin to rise, but a new generation of savers has already been given that first important helping hand towards a better future. We ll watch with great interest to see how the next wave of enrolments proceeds. If this shift towards a more money-conscious consumer outlook continues, we hope we ll be well on the way to building a new pensions savings culture in the UK. Tim Jones, Chief executive officer, NEST Andrew Curry Director, Futures Company

4 4 Key findings The economic downturn has changed attitudes to money. 58% 48% 57% of people agree that this recession has changed global consumer culture for ever. of people agree they ve become better at managing their finances since the recession. of people agree they ll never spend money as freely as they did before the recession, up from 48 per cent in 2012 and 43 per cent in In response, we ve become much more careful about what we spend and how. 75% 63% 69% of people say they keep track of exactly how much money they spend. of people say they regularly use comparison websites and associate this with making the best use of their money. claim they spend a lot of time shopping around in order to get the best deal. Our attitudes to debt have also changed... The number of people who say they have an unsecured loan has nearly halved to 14 per cent, from 26 per cent in The proportion of people not paying off their credit card balance each month has fallen to 29 per cent from 52 per cent in The number of people who owe money to a catalogue company or on a store card has halved.

5 5... as have our attitudes to saving for retirement. When asked about having enough money to retire on, only 14 per cent of the working population say they are not worried at all. 54 per cent, are either very or fairly worried. 61 per cent of people agree that it s a good idea for people to be enrolled into a workplace pension scheme. Just 18 per cent now disagree, down from 27 per cent who disagreed in per cent of people who haven t yet been enrolled say they will definitely or probably stay in, up from just 47 per cent in Just 9 per cent now say they will definitely opt out. 58 per cent of those earning under 25,000 a year also agree they ll definitely or probably stay in and a further 18 per cent are still undecided. We believe this has contributed to much lower opt-outs from automatic enrolment than expected. When asked why they didn t opt out, most people point to a positive choice. 51% 48% 45% think it s time to start saving for retirement think it makes financial sense because the employer contributes are relieved they now have something in place 13% are too busy to opt out

6 6 An apparent paradox While many people are feeling squeezed financially, far more people than was suggested by initial research by DWP, NEST and others have chosen to remain in workplace pensions after automatic enrolment. At first glance, this feels like a paradox. The economy has struggled The economic story of the last six years is well known. The UK has undergone the longest and deepest recession since the start of the 20th century, leading to a significant decline in consumer confidence. The impacts arguably hit a peak in 2011, when nearly half the population thought their personal financial situation would get worse over the following twelve months. Nearly a third felt that the level of debt they were living with was ruining the quality of their lives and 20 per cent said they were living in financial difficulties. While these indicators have improved with the gradual return to growth, a more stoic mind-set appears to have taken root rather than a revival in consumer confidence. Half of people now think their situation will remain the same 39% feel it will get worse The number who say they are in financial difficulties has dropped to 15 per cent. But people are still struggling. More than half feel they have just enough to make ends meet and 48 per cent have dipped into savings to do so. Despite some signs of modest economic recovery, household incomes are still below their 2008 level and per capita incomes are not increasing as much as headline GDP figures suggest.

7 7 A relatively long period of stagnant wages and unstable employment has also dented people s confidence in the wider economy. The research suggests that consumers retain an ingrained pessimism about the economy, despite the modest growth headlines. At the start of the year 43 per cent still felt the economy would get worse over the next 12 months, up from 32 per cent in Just 16 per cent thought it would get better. Economic hardships also seem to have been felt more prominently by particular segments of the population. Only 21 per cent of 35 to 44 year olds feel they are comfortable, compared to 33 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds. This suggests that greater financial and family responsibilities may have made the recession harder to weather for the older group. The largest proportion of people saying they are in financial difficulties is in the 45 to 54 age group. Women have particularly felt the pinch, with 51 per cent having had to dip into savings to make ends meet compared with 45 per cent of men. 51% 45%

8 8 but we re seeing really low opt out Despite the obvious financial strain many people are experiencing, the numbers opting out of automatic enrolment have been surprisingly low. Of the 1.4 million people enrolled between October 2012 and July 2013, research by the DWP suggests that only 9 per cent of these people have opted out. The biggest predictor of a high opt-out rate seems to be the presence of contractual enrolment. Those who were enrolled into a pension when they joined a company and chose to opt out then, are also most likely to opt out when automatically enrolled under the new legislation. NEST s experience mirrors this. Older workers, particularly those who have already technically retired once and are drawing their company pension, are the most likely to opt out. But among the youngest groups opt outs have been as low as 5 per cent. More surprisingly, of the 12,000 people who have actively opted in to NEST, nearly a fifth are under 25 years old.

9 9 Explaining the paradox One year on, there appear to be a number of overlapping explanations: Default effects are powerful and inertia is keeping people saving in pensions. Effective communication by both government and employers of the availability of an employer contribution enhances these effects. Minimum contributions are still comparatively low and people may not yet be feeling the money leave their pockets. Consumer attitudes to money and consumption are changing and may be reinforcing the default effects. Of these, the last is the most complex. There s growing evidence, reinforced by our findings, that the recession has changed consumer attitudes to money. We re curious about what this means for automatic enrolment and what new consumer attitudes to money, savings and debt might mean for workplace pension saving. Default effects at work Ahead of more detailed primary work on why automatic enrolment is working as it is, it s worth looking at the psychology literature for some explanations of what s going on. We know from work in a variety of fields that the way people are offered choices can affect the decision they end up making. In many situations, people will simply not make a choice at all just taking the line of least resistance at the time. This means that if the default choice is to do nothing then often nothing will be done. If the default choice is to act then action is much more likely. This happens for a number of reasons: Effort - Taking the default option releases people from laborious calculations. Implied endorsement - Decision makers may feel a choice has been pre-selected due to its merit. Anchoring - The default option may represent a reference point from which other options are seen as gains or losses.

10 10 Experimental evidence suggests that each of these three reasons can come into play depending on the nature of the choice. This seems to be true in the case of organ donation, for example, where the implied endorsement of the default choice seems to be a driving factor in why it s so powerful. People look at the default option - either to go on the donor register or not bother - and treat it as a guide to what they ought to do. 1 Some combination of all of these is likely to be at work with automatic enrolment. In terms of the first, we know that people find pensions difficult, boring and complicated. 2 Some will welcome automatic enrolment as making the decision for them. 3 The second is trickier to identify from the evidence, although our research suggests people are aware that they ought to be saving for a pension. Automatic enrolment also sends a strong message that the government thinks workplace pension saving is the right thing to do. The presence of the employer contribution may create an anchoring effect, by normalising this element of the automatic enrolment proposition. We also know that people attach more psychological importance to potential losses than to gains, so the prospect of losing the employer s contribution may encourage more people to stick with the default option. Contributions are currently low At the moment statutory minimum contributions are low. They will rise over time but currently many people are contributing only 1 per cent of their qualifying earnings. It s likely that despite financial pressures many are not feeling the difference in their pockets yet. Of course, the intention of the policy is to start small and then build contribution levels up so that people can get used to putting money away. The low opt-out levels are a sign the first phase of this is working as intended. The challenge, though, will be to increase contributions to the minimum of 8 per cent with 5 per cent gross coming from the member - without a negative reaction. 1 Craig R.M. Mckenzie, Michael J. Liersch and Stacey R. Finkelstein (2010) Recommendations Implicit in Policy Defaults Ibid

11 11 Changing attitudes towards money and spending While the economy has been out of recession now for almost four years, household incomes remain weak. Incomes are still 3 per cent below the level they were before the crisis, discretionary income has been squeezed by high food and energy prices, and household debt levels remain high. There has been an increase in casual working, which can make income erratic. In addition GDP growth doesn t translate evenly into increases in household incomes. There are regional and sectoral effects, and there are also more households than there were in 2008, so headline GDP figures overestimate household income effects. The deeper effect of the last five years is a change in the outlook of those who ve lived through it. Furthermore, such changes in outlook tend to persist. One of the post-crisis effects in the UK has been an increasing sense of personal financial responsibility. At the top level there is strong evidence of an overall change in attitude towards consumer culture. 58 per cent of people agree that this recession has changed global consumer culture for ever While this may overstate the case, it s likely that some change in attitudes will persist. Indeed, some change in social attitudes towards consumer culture was evident in the years before the crisis. Our findings show that this shift in attitudes has manifested in a number of different ways.

12 12 Firstly, it would appear that consumers feel themselves to be more financially capable. Nearly half of people - 48 per cent - agree that they have become better at managing their finances since the recession. The trend is more prevalent among younger consumers, with 57 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds agreeing compared to just 42 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds. 25 to 34 year olds 45 to 54 year olds In order to become more self-sufficient, 44 per cent of people say they have started actively planning and managing the household budget. 45 per cent of people have sold things they no longer needed rather than just throwing them away. A further 24 per cent say they have started actively managing their money and investments to get a better deal. A second sign of the shift in consumer attitudes is an increasing awareness of spending habits and a desire for greater control over their finances. Over the last few years there s been a steady rise in the number of people agreeing that they ll never spend money as freely as they did before the recession. For the first time more than half of people - 57 per cent - feel this is true, up from 48 per cent in 2012 and 43 per cent in per cent of the working age population agrees that lately, I ve become more likely to consider the potential risks of each decision I make. 75 per cent of people say they keep track of exactly how much money they spend.

13 13 When it comes to shopping, the carefree attitude of the pre-crisis years seems to be a distant memory. 61 per cent of people now say they think twice before making even the smallest of purchases, compared with 48 per cent in The majority now report behaviour that is, financially speaking, more astute. 63 per cent of people say they regularly use comparison websites and associate this with making the best use of their money. 52 per cent feel like they have overpaid if they buy something not on sale. 69 per cent claim that they spend a lot of time shopping around in order to get the best deal. Conversely, only 13 per cent say they never look for money-off vouchers before going grocery shopping. Even if people aren t actually getting financially smarter, they evidently feel that they are. There s also increasing use of technology to search for deals, especially among the young. This technological trend towards searching for better deals may have prompted a more deal-oriented outlook among the young in general. 45 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds always, mostly or sometimes use their mobile phone to search for the best available deal. 33 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds research prices and promotions online. 69 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds say they always or mostly search for products on deal or offer, compared to 57 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds who do the same in day to day life.

14 14 Changing attitudes towards debt and savings Putting mortgages to one side, figures collected from different sources show that people are reducing their consumer debt. The research suggests the number of people who say that they have an unsecured loan has nearly halved from 26 per cent in 2011 to 14 per cent today. This is mirrored by significant reductions in the number of people not paying off their credit card balance each month, down to 29 per cent from 52 per cent in In addition the number of people who owe money to a catalogue company or on a store card has halved. This is not the whole story, as shown by the growth of the payday loans sector in recent years. Rather the picture seems to be a segmented one: most people have responded to tough times by reducing their borrowing, although a minority are in a more precarious position and are unable to do so. But the evidence suggests that people are keen to reduce their exposure to debt, to bring spending into line with expenditure, and to live within their means. 61 per cent of people say that since the recession they feel a greater need to be as self-sufficient as possible, compared with just 51 per cent of people who said the same in In terms of saving, people also appear to be more responsibly minded. When asked what they would do with a 10,000 windfall, the most popular response was invest it for the future. 45% would invest it for the future 35% would use it to pay off or reduce major debts 25% would spend it on a holiday 15% would buy new clothes or accessories It s this trend towards a sense of financial responsibility for the future that appears to provide more fertile ground for automatic enrolment than was expected. There is a definite intent in people s minds to save more and spend less. For these reasons, automatic enrolment gives people a straightforward way to convert their best intentions into action.

15 15 Possible reactions to automatic enrolment Not only is a more financially responsible mindset emerging. There s also evidence that more people are aware they may face financial difficulties in retirement if they don t take steps to secure their future. When asked about having enough money to retire, only 14 per cent of the working population say they are not worried at all. 54 per cent are either very or fairly worried. Women and older generations once again lack most confidence. 50 per cent of women are very or fairly worried, compared to 44 per cent of men. 50% 44% Just 10 per cent of women are not worried at all, compared to 19 per cent of men who say the same. 19% 10% 62 per cent of those aged 45 to 54 say they are very or fairly worried that they won t have enough money to retire on, compared to just 43 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds.

16 16 Lack of knowledge emerges as a barrier While awareness of the need to save adequately for retirement appears to be growing, there are still barriers that stop people from getting started. The complexity of pensions seems to put some off. 40 per cent say they don t want to make the wrong decision. 26 per cent say that they don t know how to choose the right savings option. Just 18 per cent agree that they know enough about pensions to decide with confidence about how to save for retirement. Only 1 in 10 people aged under 30 believe they have a detailed knowledge of pensions. Most people see the benefit of automatic enrolment There are high levels of support for automatic enrolment. We found that 61 per cent of people agree that it s a good idea for people to be enrolled into a workplace pension scheme in this way. Just 18 per cent now disagree that it is a good idea, down from 27 per cent who disagreed in Among responses given by people who are yet to be automatically enrolled, 61 per cent also say they will definitely or probably stay in once they are enrolled, up from just 47 per cent in It s not just an affluent section of society who feel they ll benefit from the reforms. 58 per cent of those earning under 25,000 a year agree they ll definitely or probably stay in, with a further 18 per cent undecided. 57 per cent of those who say they have nothing left over at the end of the week are still willing to forgo a small additional slice of their current incomes for their future. Across all income brackets, only around 9 per cent say they will definitely opt out.

17 17 The strongest motivators for those people who say they re likely to stay in automatic enrolment schemes are: the knowledge that they will have savings growing ready for retirement - 45 per cent not wanting to lose employer contributions - 36 per cent a feeling that they can stop worrying about not doing anything - 31 per cent. This reflects the sense of concern that many people feel about not doing enough to save for their future. Among the section of the workforce that has already experienced being automatically enrolled by their employer, the most common reasons given for staying in are: A feeling that it s time to start saving for retirement 51% It makes financial sense given the employer contributions 48% They re relieved they now have something in place 45% Just 13 per cent said they were too busy to opt out, suggesting this has been an active choice for many. And 64 per cent would recommend it to family, friends and colleagues. Of course, it s early days. Nonetheless, it appears that the automatic enrolment process aligns positively with people s decision-making processes and aligns with the social and economic changes that have followed the financial crisis.

18 18 Conclusion One year on, automatic enrolment seems to be working as intended and we see some grounds for optimism as the reforms roll out. We think that the power of inertia and the low contribution rates are important factors driving the remarkably low opt-out rate from NEST and from pension schemes in general. But this is not the full story. Public opinion is broadly supportive of automatic enrolment. Nor does it follow that the more austere financial climate of the last six years translates directly into an unwillingness to save. While many people are really feeling the pinch, there has been a shift in consumer attitudes to money, debt and saving that runs with, rather than against, the grain of automatic enrolment. While this new consumer mood may not be the primary factor driving the low opt-out rate, we have no reason to believe that economically tougher times mean people will abandon planning for the future. Indeed the reverse seems to be true. It remains to be seen how this will play out as smaller companies begin to enrol staff and contribution rates rise. The economy may revive before contribution rates rise to the full 8 per cent of salary, but this may not translate into a feeling of greater financial wellbeing for most. Issues of affordability, real or perceived, could still bite. The trends we have seen in this research paper suggest many people will strive to stick with saving, even if it means greater sacrifices elsewhere. But this places an even greater responsibility on the pensions industry as a whole to be open and transparent with savers. If consumers are to continue seeing the value in saving as more is asked of them, research suggests that they will need reassurance that their money is being carefully and responsibly looked after.

19 19 Appendix The Futures Company Consumer Outlook is a nationally representative online survey conducted regularly in the United Kingdom and Republic Of Ireland between 2008 and 2013 (UK n= c.1,000 each year). The analysis in this report draws on seven detailed examinations of the impact of the financial crisis on consumers outlook and behaviour throughout the survey period. NEST has conducted two waves of a consumer survey among the 70 per cent of workers who are eligible for automatic enrolment and are not currently in a qualifying scheme. The research surveyed representative samples of 1,847 jobholders. Research was undertaken in November 2011 and March Data quoted below is for 2013 unless otherwise stated. Evidence of current consumer mind-set on the economy Consumer Outlook surveys What best describes what you feel will happen to the economy in the next 12 months? 16 per cent say it s going to get better, down from 29 per cent in per cent say it s going to get worse, up from 32 per cent in 2009 How do you feel about your personal financial situation over the next 12 months compared to last year? 39 per cent think they re going to be worse off, down from 43 per cent in 2012 and 47 per cent in per cent think they are going to be better off, showing no change on previous years 49 per cent think their situation will stay the same, up from 44 per cent in 2012 and 42 per cent in 2011 By age group Stay the same Get worse 25 to 34 year olds 59% 27% 35 to 44 year olds 46% 41% 45 to 54 year olds 42% 47%

20 20 Please describe your current financial situation 53 per cent say they have just enough to make ends meet, up from 49 per cent in per cent say they are in financial difficulties, down from 17 per cent in 2012 and 20 per cent in 2011 I ve had to dip into my savings to make ends meet 48 per cent agree, up from 39 per cent in per cent of women agree and 29 per cent strongly agree, compared to 45 per cent of men who agree and 16 per cent who strongly agree My level of debt is ruining the quality of my life % % % % % Evidence of shift in attitudes since recession Consumer Outlook surveys This recession has changed global consumer culture forever 58 per cent agree 18 to 24 year olds Do you currently owe any money? 25 to 34 year olds 35 to 44 year olds 14 per cent have an unsecured loan, down from 26 per cent in per cent have a credit card where they do not pay the balance each month, down from 52 per cent in per cent owe money on a store card, down from 12 per cent in to 54 year olds Comfortable 33% 28% 21% 27% Just enough to make 47% 54% 60% 52% ends meet In financial difficulty 14% 15% 17% 21%

21 21 20 per cent have an overdraft, down from 37 per cent in per cent owe money to a catalogue company, down from 21 per cent in per cent have a loan from a money lender, debt collector or pawn broker, down from 21 per cent in per cent have loans from family or friends, down from 17 per cent in 2011 I find myself thinking twice before making even the smallest purchases 61 per cent agree, up from 48 per cent in per cent of women agree, compared to 56 per cent of men Lately I ve become more likely to consider the potential risks of each decision I make 64 per cent of the working population agree I ll never spend my money as freely as I did before the recession 57 per cent agree, up from 48 per cent in 2012 and 43 per cent in 2010 Since the recession I have become better at managing my finances 48 per cent agree, up from 43 per cent in 2010 By age group Agree 25 to 35 year olds 57% 35 to 44 years olds 51% 45 to 54 year olds 42% Since the recession I feel a greater need to be as self-sufficient as possible 61 per cent of people agree in 2013, compared with 51 per cent of people in 2009 Which of the following have you done to become more self-sufficient? 44 per cent started actively planning and managing the household budget 45 per cent sold things they no longer needed rather than throwing them away 24 per cent paid off some of their debts 24 per cent started actively managing their money and investments to get a better deal

22 22 I regularly use comparison websites to make the most of my money 63 per cent agree 66 percent of women agree, 60 per cent of men agree If I buy something not on sale I feel like I ve over-paid 52 per cent agree, up from 48 per cent in 2010 I always keep track of exactly how much money I spend 75 per cent agree I spend a lot of time shopping around to get the best deal 69 per cent agree Before going grocery shopping I look for money-off vouchers Just 13 per cent never do I research prices/promotions online 25 per cent mostly or always do By age group 18 to 24 year olds 37% 25 to 35 year olds 37% 35 to 44 years olds 33% 45 to 54 year olds 42% Mostly or always I use my mobile phone to look for the best deal 45 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds do this always, mostly or sometimes I search for products on deal or offer 32 per cent do most of the time 28 per cent do always 28 per cent do sometimes 69 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds say they mostly or always do, compared to just 57 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds

23 23 If you suddenly received a lump sum of 10,000, what would you do with it? 45 per cent would invest it for the future 34 per cent would use it to pay off major debts like a mortgage 46 per cent of people earning less than 19,000 a year said they d invest it for the future, 43 per cent of those earning more than 19,000 a year said the same 44 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds said they d invest it for the future, compared to 38 per cent of 35 to 44 year olds and just 31 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds Evidence of how people are responding to automatic enrolment Consumer Outlook surveys How worried are you that you will have enough money to retire on? 14 per cent not worried at all 26 per cent slightly worried 27 per cent fairly worried 27 per cent very worried 19 per cent of men are not worried at all, compared to just 10 per cent of women 50 per cent of women are very or fairly worried, compared to just 44 per cent of men 62 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds are very or fairly worried, compared to just 43 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds

24 24 NEST Consumer surveys Everyone Why might you not have put aside enough money for retirement as you might have like? 40 per cent don t want to make the wrong decision, similar results regardless of age or income 34 per cent expect to work beyond retirement age anyway 26 per cent don t know how to choose the right savings option, rising to 34 per cent among the under 30s Pensions knowledge 18 per cent agree that they know enough about pensions to decide with confidence about how to save for retirement 10 per cent of those aged under 30 think they have a detailed knowledge of pensions Views on workplace pensions 43 per cent think workplace pensions are good because the employer contributes, with just 8 per cent disagreeing 16 per cent don t really understand workplace pensions 53 per cent of those who stayed opted in think work pensions are good because the employer contributes People automatically enrolled Reasons for opting out 32 per cent said they couldn t afford to contribute 15 per cent said they were saving through other means 14 per cent said they were too close to retirement

25 25 Reasons for staying in 51 per cent think it s time to start saving for retirement 48 per cent think it makes financial sense because the employer contributes 47 per cent think it s the easy thing to do 45 per cent are relieved they now have something in place 35 per cent could afford it 13 per cent too busy to opt out Would you recommend others join a scheme? 64 per cent have either recommended to family, friends or colleagues or are likely to do so in future People not yet automatically enrolled Are you likely to stay in or opt out? 61 per cent will definitely or probably stay in, up from 47 per cent in per cent say they will definitely or probably opt out, compared to 27 per cent in per cent of those earning under 25,000 a year will definitely or probably stay in and a further 18 per cent say it will depend 57 per cent of those with nothing left at the end of the week will stay in and a further 19 per cent say it will depend Across all income brackets, only around 9 per cent say they will definitely opt out

26 NEST St Dunstan s House Borough High Street London SE1 1JA Contact us stakeholder@nestpensions.org.uk To find out more visit our website nestpensions.org.uk NEST Corporation All rights reserved. This information is indicative only and may be subject to change. We don t give any undertaking or make any representation or warranty that this document is complete or error free. We don t accept responsibility for any loss caused as a result of reliance on the information contained in this document, which is intended to be for guidance only, nor do we accept responsibility for loss caused due to any error, inaccuracy or incompleteness. Reproduction of all or any part of this document or the information contained in it is not allowed. NC158 AECR 09/2013