Living alone is often much more expensive relative to the cost of sharing with someone else, as housing, bills and services cost the same regardless - a phenomenon known as the 'solo penalty'.
This can make planning for retirement much harder, as you need to save significantly more.
This comes as new research from the Living Wage Foundation shows that only a quarter of those who are saving enough to avoid poverty in retirement live alone.
Here, we explain what you need to know about the cost of living alone in retirement and how to prepare your pension.
Half of those who live alone are 65 or over
Around 8.6 million people lived alone in the UK in 2025, according to the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics. And half (49.6%) of those people are aged 65 or over.
People aged 65 or over now make up a bigger proportion of those living alone than they did a decade ago – 49.6% in 2025, compared with 46.9% in 2015 – reflecting an ageing population in the UK.
And women are more likely than men to live alone in their later years: around three in five of those aged 65 or over and living alone were women.
Find out more: The cost of living alone in retirement
People who live alone in retirement face a much greater financial burden than couples. This is because many fixed costs are more or less the same if you live alone or share with someone.
A retired couple needs around £43,000 a year to afford a ‘moderate’ standard of living – this covers daily living costs, as well as a fortnight’s holiday in Europe, a long break in the UK and money for activities, meals out and presents for loved ones.
But someone living alone needs £31,700 to achieve the same standard of living – over £10,000 more than each member of a couple would need to contribute if they split costs evenly.
Find out moreThe solo pension penalty
Those who live alone in retirement face a much bigger challenge when saving for retirement. According to our calculations, you need to save more than twice as much as each member of a couple would in order to achieve the 'moderate' standard of living in retirement.
Of course, living alone doesn’t suddenly become more expensive when you retire – and the additional cost can make saving enough for retirement while working even more challenging.
How to manage the solo penalty in retirement
Whether you plan to live alone in retirement or want to be prepared for changing circumstances, these steps can help you manage the solo penalty in retirement.
1. Start saving as soon as you can
The sooner you can start saving, the longer your pension will have to benefit from investment growth.
2. Get all the support you’re entitled to
If you live alone, you'll likely face a bigger financial challenge when building up your retirement savings and it’s important to get all the support you're entitled to.
If you have a personal pension or a workplace pension that operates under ‘relief at source’ arrangements, you’ll need to claim the additional tax relief from HMRC. Claims can be backdated for four years.
Find out more:3. Plan for changing circumstances
If you currently live with a partner, it’s important to consider how each of you will manage in retirement if you were to separate.
Pensions should be considered in divorce – but only 11% of divorcees with a pension yet to be drawn made an arrangement for pension sharing, according to the 2025 Fair Share study carried out by researchers at University of Bristol.
In a recent survey, only 6% of Which? members who live with a partner said they had contributed to a partner’s pension or vice versa. But paying into a non-working partner’s – for example, if they take time out of work to care for children – is an efficient way to help ensure everyone’s retirement finances stay on track.
Find out more:4. Prepare for bereavement
It’s equally important to understand what will happen to your pensions when you and your partner die.
If you have a private pension, you can normally nominate a beneficiary who will inherit your pension. How the money will be passed on depends on the type of pension you have. In our survey, 53% of Which? members who live with a partner said they have nominated them as a beneficiary.
Find out more:source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/what-living-alone-means-for-your-retirement-planning-aiBco9R4pftI