Almost half (47 per cent) of UK adults said they believed their retirement outcomes were mainly influenced by factors outside their control, in a survey by Standard Life.

However, the retirement specialist argued that small, consistent actions could make a significant difference to income in retirement.

The Retirement Voice research, which surveyed 6,000 participants aged 18-80, also found that 29 per cent of adults said they had done little or no planning for retirement, and Standard Life suggested that uncertainty around retirement could, for some, make it harder to prioritise long-term saving.

However, the firm's calculations found that taking small actions, such as increasing automatic enrolment (AE) contributions, could make a big difference.

Increasing the employee AE contributions of an individual – beginning their career at age 22 and on a salary of £25,000 – by just 2 per cent above the statutory minimum, over the course of a working life, could increase a pension pot by around £52,000 by retirement.

Commenting on the findings, Standard Life retirement savings director, Mike Ambery, said he was unsurprised that many people felt their retirement finances were shaped by factors outside their control.

He said factors like “rising living costs, market volatility and the unexpected twists life can bring” could impact their confidence and ability to prioritise long-term saving.

“Uncertainty at home and abroad can also make it harder for people to feel connected to their future, or confident about the decisions they’re making today,” he said.

“However, while it’s impossible to control everything, there are simple, practical steps that can make a meaningful difference over time.”

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