The summer heatwaves have turned into wind warnings, and whilst others are clinging on to the last of the summer sun, I have been fully embracing the shift to autumn, with pumpkin spice lattes galore and far too many apple-spiced flavour desserts. 

Autumn is my favourite part of the year, and not just because my American roots have made me a big Halloween fan, but also because the change from summer to autumn can mean only one thing - Pensions Awareness Week and the start of the Pension Attention campaign. 

Indeed, the Association of British Insurers and Pensions UK have confirmed that the campaign is back for its fourth year, with Ross Kemp and Bola Sol behind the megaphone for this year's campaign. 

It is no coincidence that the campaign kicked off just ahead of Pensions Awareness Week, an initiative that has buy-in from across the industry and further afield (I received a number of Pension Awareness Week campaign emails from those with even very tenuous ties to the industry).

And the need for these campaigns is clear. Recent analysis from the Department for Work and Pensions revealed that 43 per cent of working-age people (equivalent to 14.6 million) are under-saving for retirement.

Industry research supports this, as analysis from Just Group found that just 38 per cent of those aged 60+ who haven't retired do not feel prepared, while 23 per cent are neither prepared nor unprepared.

Calls for systemic changes may be unlikely to be successful, with the Pensions Minister, Torsten Bell, suggesting that auto-enrolment changes, for instance, won't be seen this parliament.

But this evidence shows that both the industry and savers need to do more proactively in the meantime, regardless of any impending threat of reform.

This is particularly important with research from My Pension Expert, shared to mark Pensions Awareness Week, revealing that Britain’s No.1 excuse for avoiding pensions advice is simply “no particular reason,” with almost half (49 per cent) admitting procrastination is the biggest barrier to preparing for retirement.

This outstripped those who felt they “can’t afford it” (31 per cent), and suggests that, for many, pensions are still being pushed into the background and not given the attention they deserve.

And whilst the government has tasked the Pension Commission with the need to look at solutions for tomorrow's pensioners, urgent action is needed to help today's pensioners too, as My  Pension Expert found that confidence among those closest to retirement looks fragile.

Over half (54 per cent) of Gen-X adults currently feel unconfident about their retirement finances, compared to 39 per cent of Baby Boomers at the same age.

My Pension Expert policy director, Lily Megson-Harvey, said: "Far too often, pensions get pushed to the bottom of the list.

"Our research shows that many people delay engaging with their retirement plans not because they can’t afford to, but simply because they haven’t got round to it. 

"That’s why Pensions Awareness Week is such an important moment. It’s a chance to shine a light on pensions in a positive way and show just how powerful even small steps can be. 

"A quick conversation, finding a lost pot, or reviewing contributions can all make a meaningful difference and can give people the confidence and control they need to feel excited about the future."

Investment Association senior policy adviser - pensions and institutional market, Imran Razvi, agrees: “We want to see pensions and retirement planning become an everyday topic of conversation, with people also able to access the professional support and guidance they need. 

"Taking steps to understand your pension and think about the life you’d like to lead in retirement is key to making decisions that work for you and building your future financial resilience."

Scottish Widows retirement expert, Robert Cochran, also stressed that "retirement planning is much more than simply putting money away for the future".

"Pension Awareness Day offers an opportunity to take stock of retirement plans and ensure people are on the right track with their long-term savings by providing practical tips and online resources to better support people in making the right decisions to build up a comfortable retirement," he stated.

But it is up to the industry to make this an achievable aim, as TPT Retirement Solutions head of DC, Georgie Edwards, warned that the biggest barrier to pension awareness in the UK is probably complexity.

"While automatic enrolment has got millions more saving for retirement, pensions are still wrapped up in jargon that even seasoned professionals can struggle to explain," Edwards continued.

"Providers need to keep innovating, because the simpler our systems are to use the more engaged pension scheme members will be. We don't want people to simply assume that being ‘in the system’ means they’re set, when in reality they may risk facing a shortfall. 

“Another obstacle is the squeeze on household budgets. For many, the immediate pressures of rent, mortgages and rising living costs push retirement saving far down the priority list.

"Guidance tools such as MoneyHelper should consider offering simple planning tools to address this, and there should be an onus on providers to relentlessly encourage pension scheme members to use them. "

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