Pension Awareness Week: A Valuable Learning Experience

Pension Awareness Week took place from 15 to 17 September 2025, providing a range of informative events and workshops focused on helping individuals better understand their pension options and long-term financial planning.

Throughout the week, students had access to a full timetable of sessions covering various aspects of pensions, tailored to different employment situations; whether self-employed or working for an organisation. The events aimed to support individuals at all stages of their pension journey, from setting up their first pension to reviewing existing arrangements.

The purpose of the week was to raise awareness of the importance of saving for later life and to improve understanding of how pensions work. Sessions explored key questions such as:

• How pensions are calculated and contributed to through employers.
• The different types of pensions available and how to choose the most suitable one.
• How much is needed to fund retirement and how to access pension savings.
• How the State Pension works and the role of tax relief.
• Investment options for pension funds.

Stanmore College took part in the national initiative, with Year 2 T-Level Accounting students attending live online sessions with their Lecturer. These sessions addressed important topics such as:

• How can my pension be invested?
• How does the State Pension work?
• What is tax relief?
• When should I start saving into a pension?
• When can I retire?

As part of their exploration of Performance Outcome #5; Analysing and Inputting Payroll-Related Data; students deepened their understanding of how pensions integrate into the broader payroll process. Their participation in Pension Awareness Week, even as listening attendees online, proved highly valuable. Beyond technical knowledge, students gained key employability skills and benefited from Value-Add Training opportunities. The event also reinforced the vital connections and distinctions between payroll and finance, as well as their intersections with human resources and accounting, providing a well-rounded perspective essential for careers in business and financial services.

The week was a valuable opportunity for students and staff to enhance their financial literacy and consider their future financial wellbeing. The College was proud to support this important initiative and we look forward to continuing to raise awareness around financial education.