More than twice as many people support as oppose the government’s reforms to pension salary sacrifice, according to Public First polling. But almost half don’t have an opinion on this complex tax change.

The poll of 2,007 UK adults found that 40% supported the salary sacrifice reform, 16% opposed it and 44% were uncertain. The proposal is most popular among Labour voters, but across supporters of all parties, more people support than oppose the reform.

Britons are split down the middle on mandating pension investments

Voters are evenly divided on the controversial question of whether the government should have the power to mandate pension investments. When offered a choice between two competing statements, voters split:

• 44% for “Pension providers should be required by the government to invest a minimum share of pension savings in UK businesses and projects, to support the British economy, even if that limits where they can invest.”
• 42% for “Pension providers should be free to invest pension savings wherever they think they will produce the best returns, even if that means investing mainly outside the UK.”

But the survey also found that more people trust pension providers than the government to ‘ensure that pension savings grow and people in work today have enough income in retirement’.

Left-leaning voters are more likely to support mandation. The statement in favour of requiring a minimum share of UK investments secured the backing of 52% of Green voters compared to 38% of Conservatives.

Pensions Commission: voters favour expanding auto-enrolment to all employees

The poll also explored public preferences for reforms the Pensions Commission will examine. Out of seven possible policies tested, the most popular two were:

• FIRST: “We will require employers to enrol all their employees into a workplace pension, including 18 to 21 year-olds and those working very few hours”
• SECOND: “We will require employers to contribute more to employees’ pensions”

The least popular proposals were to increase employee pension contributions and freeze the state pension age in exchange for higher taxes.

Opinion was sharply divided on the option of raising taxes to keep the triple lock permanently. This was the most popular policy among over-65s and the least popular among 18-35 year-olds.

Notes

Public First online opinion poll, with a nationally representative sample of UK adults (n=2,007), conducted 16 to 17 March 2026. Click here for data tables.

These findings form part of Public First’s ongoing research, policy and advisory work on pensions. In recent weeks, Public First has published research on pension adequacy with Legal & General and on this year’s increase in the state pension age with Standard Life.