Just over a third (34 per cent) of UK adults are aware they can contribute to a partner’s pension, according to Hargreaves Lansdown research, highlighting ongoing gaps in UK savers' pension knowledge.

Awareness of the option to contribute to a partner’s pension declined significantly with age, falling from 43 per cent among 18-34-year-olds to 25 per cent in those over 55.

The research also revealed disparities across tax brackets, with 78 per cent of additional rate taxpayers aware of the option to contribute to a partner’s pension, compared to 61 per cent of higher rate taxpayers and 29 per cent of basic rate taxpayers.

Hargreaves Lansdown head of retirement analysis, Helen Morrissey, described the ability to pay into a partner’s pension as a “little-known benefit”.

She explained that savers can contribute up to £2,880 per year to the self-invested personal pension (SIPP) of a non-working spouse or child, with the government topping this up to £3,600 through tax relief.

Morrissey emphasised that this can be a “powerful way” to enhance retirement planning during periods out of the workforce, helping to address the gender pensions gap.

She also argued that contributing to a partner’s pension can be beneficial even if the partner is working, provided total contributions do not exceed the annual allowance, a useful strategy for clients who have maximised their own pension contributions.

“Overall, only a third of people knew that this was something they can do,” Morrissey said, underscoring the need for greater awareness and adviser engagement on this option.

This is not the only area with poor saver knowledge, however, as previous research by Hargreaves Lansdown showed that under half (47 per cent) of UK adults know how their pension investments are performing, while 21 per cent do not know where their pension is held.

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