The majority (83 per cent) of advisers think that some combination of increasing minimum auto-enrolment (AE) contributions, lowering the age when contributions start, or both, should be made, analysis from Ipipeline has revealed.

When asked what AE reforms they thought were needed to ensure people have enough in their pension pots at retirement, 16.25 per cent thought the government should increase minimum contributions, while 15 per cent thought they should lower the age threshold.

In addition to this, more than half (51 per cent) of advisers wanted to see both changes made.

Commenting on the issue, Wake Up Your Wealth chartered financial planner, Greg Neall, noted that many lower earners are still excluded from the system because of these limits, arguing that "it should be universal".

"This may be unpopular with employers, on top of the National Insurance rise, but the job of building a mandatory pension system for all needs to be finished," he said.

In addition to this, the survey found that pension transfers are perceived as still taking too long, as 53 per cent suggested that the average timeline for a transfer, from submission to confirmation, was one to six months, while 4 per cent thought it took longer, at six to 12 months.

In addition to this, less than half (43 per cent) are experiencing transfers in 4 weeks or less, which Ipipeline highlighted as indication that the pensions sector is still "far too slow", leaving advisers and clients in limbo for "far too long".

The survey also looked at adviser views on advice and guidance, revealing that more than half (51 per cent) think it would be useful to offer simplified advice for both accumulation and decumulation to reach the mass market, suggesting that simplified advice is broadly welcomed by advisers.

Commenting on the findings, Ipipeline product strategy director, Paul Yates, said: “We still see some antiquated pensions technology that belongs in the 1980s (and in full transparency, I probably helped to build).

"Outdated tech stacks mean some providers can’t efficiently service legacy clients and they can’t rapidly move client pension pots easily. The pensions dashboard deadline is looming.

"Clients will start to expect more interaction and movement, but many will encounter poor service driven by technology limitations. With the regulator's focus on Consumer Duty, providers need to urgently consider how they tackle these business constraints.

“We would welcome the expansion of auto enrolment, but we would also encourage a clearer and wider regulatory framework around targeted support and simplified advice so that savers who fall outside the boundaries of traditional full-service financial planning can be guided, and where appropriately, advised as well.”

---