One in seven (14 per cent) UK adults have never checked their pension, despite being more likely to review other financial products regularly, research from Standard Life has revealed.

The study, published during this year’s Pension Engagement Season, also found that almost a fifth (17 per cent) of those over 55 have never looked at their pension, compared to 12 per cent of 18-to 34-year-olds and 8 per cent of those aged 35 to 54.

Women were also less likely to engage with their savings than men, with 14 per cent never checking their pension compared to 11 per cent of men.

While pensions are not expected to require daily monitoring, Standard Life said it is good practice to review them at least once a year.

However, just over half (56 per cent) of respondents reported doing this, while fewer than one in 10 (9 per cent) looked at their workplace pension each week.

In contrast, more than a third (35 per cent) said they review their cash savings weekly, and 18 per cent check investment accounts every seven days.

Among those who reviewed their pension in the last year, one in five (20 per cent) checked their forecasted retirement balance.

Smaller proportions took more active steps, with 14 per cent topping up contributions, 11 per cent adjusting their investment risk level, 10 per cent making a one-off payment, and 9 per cent consolidating their pots.

Commenting on the findings, Standard Life workplace pensions managing director, Gail Izat, stressed that while a pension pot may not require daily attention like a bank account, checking it at least once a year is a “smart move.”

“It helps you understand how much you’ve saved, what that could mean for your future, and whether you might want to make changes like increasing contributions or reviewing your investments,” she continued.

Izat warned that with one in seven people never reviewing their pensions, many risk missing opportunities to boost their savings, or even risk losing track of their pots altogether.

“As retirement gets closer, staying on top of your pension becomes even more critical, yet it’s worrying to see how many over 55s have never looked at their balance,” she added.

The research builds on other recent findings that highlight the scale of the pensions engagement challenge, with studies indicating low levels of saver confidence and concerns that many employees are not contributing enough to achieve a comfortable retirement.

Standard Life emphasised that making pension check-ins part of a routine, even just once a year, can make a significant difference to retirement outcomes.

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