There is a growing appetite for retirement solutions, such as 'flex then fix', which balance flexibility with greater security throughout retirement, a poll by the Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) has shown.

The poll asked which retirement solutions will be most popular in 10 years’ time. Almost half (49 per cent) of respondents opted for flex then fit, followed by 21 per cent who chose income drawdown and the same proportion who chose retirement collective defined contribution (CDC), while only 3 per cent selected an annuity.

The SPP said the traditional defined contribution (DC) investment model no longer reflected modern retirement and that, with the Pension Schemes Act 2026 and the development of guided retirement solutions, schemes would need to review their default investment strategies to support members throughout retirement.

The poll also asked respondents which component of a retirement solution would most improve member outcomes, with 35 per cent choosing retirement planning tools incorporating holistic wealth and tax implications, 33 per cent selecting access to expert support including guidance, advice and artificial intelligence (AI), and 32 per cent favouring improved investment and income solutions.

Chairing the event, Hymans Robertson Personal Wealth chartered financial planner, Dilara Uyduran, said the industry results illustrated how “retirement thinking is evolving”.

“The popularity of flex then fix reflects a growing appetite for solutions that balance flexibility with greater security throughout retirement,” she said.

“However, the responses also show that better member outcomes cannot be delivered through investment strategies alone.

“We need to bring together effective investment and income solutions, accessible expert support and holistic retirement planning to help members make informed decisions and achieve financial security throughout their retirement.”

Representatives from XPS Group, Insight Investment, Fidelity International and Hymans Robertson Personal Wealth were on the panel at the recent SPP Death of the DC Flight Path event.

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