Of those in employment who had a pension in Quarter 3 2022, over seven in ten (73%) had occupational pension coverage only (from current or previous employments), 10% had personal pension coverage only, while 17% had both occupational and personal pensions for their retirement. Occupational pension cover has remained unchanged since 2021 – 73% of workers have occupational pension cover only. Persons in employment with personal pension cover only decreased, albeit marginally by two percentage points, on the same period in 2021 – 10% of those in employment with a pension compared with 12% in 2021. Supplementary pension coverage (from both occupational and personal pension schemes) of those in employment aged between 20 and 69 years increased marginally by one percentage point – 17% of those in employment with a pension in Quarter 3 2022 compared with 16% in the same survey period in 2021. See Table 3.1.
| Occupational pension only | Personal pension only | Both occupational and personal pension | |
| Male | 68 | 14 | 18 |
| Female | 79 | 6 | 15 |
In Quarter 3 2022, the Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security NACE economic sector had the greatest proportion of those in employment (22%) with pension coverage from both occupational and personal pensions, followed by the Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities sector and the Human Health and Social Work Activities sector (18%). See Table 3.2.
Analysis of pension coverage by broad occupational group shows that persons whose broad occupational group was Managers, Directors and Senior Officials had the greatest proportion of workers with both occupational and personal pension coverage (22% of those in employment with a pension in this occupational group), followed closely by Associate Professional and Technical (19%). See Table 3.2.
Over one fifth (22%) of pension holders in the Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security sector had both occupational and personal pension coverage, while just 1% had personal pension coverage only, while 78% had occupational cover only. Similarly, for workers in the Education sector, 81% had an occupational pension only, while just 1% had personal pension cover only and 17% had both occupational and personal pension cover. See Table 3.2.
Workers in the Education sector had the highest rate of occupational pension cover only (81% of those in employment with a pension in this sector), followed by the Industry sector (80%) and Information and Communication sector (79%). See Table 3.2.
Table 3.2 was updated on 14 February 2025. The footnote attached to Q3 2020 incorrectly stated only occupational pensions from current employment and personal pensions in current contribution were included and the footnote attached to Q3 2021 incorrectly stated only occupational pensions from current/previous employments and personal pensions, including deferred pensions and pensions in draw-down mode were included. These were incorrect and have been removed. For clarity, data presented within the table has not changed.
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