The most important pension awareness day ever?

Pension Awareness Day falls on 15 September each year – and this year’s could be a particularly important one to pay attention to your retirement pots, Edmund Greaves writes.

When did you last check your pension? How many have you got? What’s in them? How much are you contributing?

All important questions when it comes to our long-term retirement plans.

For my part, I have two pots. They’re filled with a mixture of global ETFs and index trackers. I contribute a decent amount but probably not enough.

And yes, I checked them this morning before writing this column.

Pension Awareness Day on 15 September is part of a wider week of promoting attention on our retirement savings and is a laudable annual effort that sees the financial sector try to get the public’s attention on the issue.

So why, is this year of all years, so important? Well, in short it’s because there’s not been a more momentous year for potential changes to the way pensions work in at least a decade – since pension freedoms at the very least.

Not only do we have the Mansion House reforms (and accompanying industry compact) trundling into parliament, but we’re skittering toward a new Budget – one in which the potential for tax changes to the product are looking ever more possible as the Government scrabbles around for ideas on raising revenues.

So yes, go and look at your pension and maybe think about the above questions. Pensions have never been more relevant to the personal finance conversation and awareness day or not – we all need to heed what is coming down the tracks.

Month ahead, September 2025

The middle of September is looking jam-packed with essential dates.

This kicks off on 11 September with an ECB interest rate announcement, while on 12 September we have the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Monthly GDP estimates.

ONS Earnings and Employment figures are published on 16 September with inflation following a day later on 17 September.

17 September is set to be a bumper day with a U.S. interest rate decision and Donald Trump beginning his visit to the UK (until 19September). Given the recent controversy over Federal Reserve governor firings, there will no doubt be some Trumpian fireworks on British soil.

Finally, on 18 September the Bank of England (BoE) will announce its latest UK interest rate decision.

All the best wishing you a leafy and colourful Autumn from all of us here at MRM, Octo Members and Mouthy Money.