Planning for a retirement that’s still taking shape

When you think about retirement and how to spend it, do your parents come to mind? More time in the garden, holidays outside the school break, perhaps a regular afternoon looking after the grandchildren. You may already have a few ideas about what you’d do differently, but even if you want a similar sort of life, the world you retire into could be quite different from theirs.

A little help from your home

If our kettles could talk, they’d have a lot to say about our daily routines.

In Sutton, connected kettles and fridge sensors are being used to support vulnerable people living at home. A government news story published in January 2025 explained how the technology spots changes in someone’s usual habits. Missed meals or a skipped cup of tea could prompt an alert to family members or carers, who can check whether anything’s wrong.

If you have a parent living alone, you may know that feeling when they don’t answer the phone or reply to a text immediately. This is where this kind of technology can help, and as these tools develop, they could give some people more options for staying in their own homes and retaining their independence for longer.

What happens when you stop driving?

Self-driving transport could eventually offer another option. In May this year, the Department for Transport opened applications for a pilot scheme for taxi, private hire and bus-style self-driving services across Great Britain. The announcement highlighted their potential to give older and disabled passengers greater independence.

We’re some way from knowing whether you’ll be able to book one wherever you live, or what it might cost. But it’s interesting to consider what easier access to transport could mean.

Would you feel more comfortable staying in a village you love? Would you worry less about relying on family for lifts? Those possibilities could all influence where you choose to spend retirement.

Getting help before something happens

Anyone who’s worried about an older relative will know how quickly a fall can change things. Alongside an injury, there can be a loss of confidence about getting around at home.

In March 2025, NHS England reported the rollout of an AI tool developed by home care provider Cera. It uses information collected during care visits to help identify signs that someone’s health may be deteriorating, including an increased risk of falling.

The hope is that spotting those signs earlier gives carers a chance to act before someone needs hospital treatment.

What could this mean for your money?

Of course, an interesting piece of technology doesn’t tell you how much you’ll need in your pension.

Some developments may make services more efficient. Others could mean additional costs for equipment, subscriptions, transport or home adaptations. We can’t assume that better technology will make retirement cheaper or remove the need to plan for care.

What we can do is think about the choices you’d like to have. If staying in your home matters to you, would you want to allow for adaptations and support? If you stopped driving, how much could you comfortably spend on getting around?

The costs won’t all be clear today. But considering them alongside holidays, household bills and helping family can give you a fuller picture of what you’d like your retirement income to cover.

A plan you can come back to

Your ideas about retirement will probably change over time, even without new technology. You might discover an interest, want to live nearer your family or decide that the house you expected to stay in feels too big.

That’s why it helps to return to your plan regularly, reviewing your pension savings and contributions as your circumstances change.

For now, you can start with what you know you want: time with family, a comfortable home, a few trips away or simply more freedom over your week.

Perhaps your retirement will look a little like your parents’ after all, with different ways to make it work. A conversation with us can help you explore what’s affordable now and revisit those choices as life changes. Please give us a shout if you’d like to know more.