In less than a minute I’ve managed to check the balance of my Tesco Clubcard, Boots Advantage Card and my pension. How? Through applications on my phone.

According to the latest research, however, I am an anomaly when it comes to checking my pension. Now Pensions has found that people tend to check their reward card balances more than they check their pension.

Analysis of UK pension savers revealed that just 25 per cent of pension holders check their pensions balance at least monthly, whilst 19 per cent have never checked it at all. This contrasts to 45 per cent who say they check their reward card points at least once a month, whilst over a third (39 per cent make sure they’re on top of their lottery numbers.

A third (34 per cent) check on their mortgage balance at least monthly and a superstitious 18 per cent check their horoscope at least once a month.

Not surprisingly, this means many (38 per cent) do not have an idea of how much they have saved for their retirement. Just 19 per cent say they have a clear idea how much they have saved. Now Pensions director of communications Amy Mankelow can appreciate a reward card, but reminds savers that “your Nectar points won’t pay for your retirement”.

“The chances of winning the lottery are minuscule at one in 45,057,474! But, if you paid in an extra £8 a month, the price of four lottery tickets, into your pension pot, then over 40 years you could have saved an extra £10,446.11 - a guaranteed win.”

Perhaps it would help, however, if checking your pension pot was as easy as checking your Nectar points. A quick flick through the App Store reveals just a handful of providers that have an app to allow people to check their pensions easily on their phone.

Having access to an app to check my pension value, contributions and fund performance means that I check my pension at least once a month, if not more. With the pensions dashboard at a potential dead end, it’s more important than ever that companies and providers invest in technology themselves to make pensions accessible for the 21st Century.

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