Meet Violet
Ready to retire, but facing big life changes
Violet is looking forward to retirement and making the most of her time. Following a significant life change, she's taking time to think about her future and what matters most to her.
Knowledge Centre
Reap the rewards of a better understanding
You don’t need to be an expert to make your pension work harder for you. Understanding the basics - and which actions could make a difference - is a helpful start. That’s been our focus in creating Your Life. All together in one place, you’ll find pension tips, guidance and articles, client stories and smart tools that’ll help you make better decisions, wherever you are in your retirement journey.
The 'curve of life'
How happy we are with life fluctuates over time. Where do you sit? Take our short quiz, find out and discover how you can take greater control of your future.
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Getting ready for retirement
When you retire, what’s your plan? Read about your options, key things to decide on and ways you can ensure the quality of your retirement is in your control.
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How to make the most of your pension
Have you a Defined Benefit or a Defined Contribution pension pot? Whichever you have, learn how it works - and how you can take full advantage of it.
Read our article
How do Defined Benefit pension transfers work?
Find out what you need to know, and what you should expect, written in a way all of us can understand.
Read our articleDiscover articles, updates and news on Defined Benefit pensions, helping you learn more about your retirement.
Extra pension insightsYour Life stories
See how Your Life could support different retirement goals and circumstances through these example stories.
Meet Helene
Planning what's next
Helene has spent years working hard to support her family and build a life she's proud of. Now she has more time to think about herself and is starting to explore what retirement could look like.
Meet Lee
Thinking about retiring, but not sure where to start
Lee has spent much of his life supporting those around him. As retirement gets closer, he's beginning to think about what comes next and how to turn his plans into reality.
Meet Finn
Balancing work, family and future planning
Between work, family and everyday responsibilities, Finn has a lot on his plate. While retirement feels a long way off, he wants reassurance that he's on track for the future.
Clever calculators that’ll make decisions easier
Pension Tax Calculator
The government allows you to take out a 25% lump sum from your pension, tax-free but you’ll pay tax on additional withdrawals. Our calculator will help you understand how much tax you’ll pay and at what rate.
Life Expectancy Calculator
Understanding how many years you might need to plan for in retirement will help you work out how much income you’ll need over time. Our simple calculator shows average UK life expectancies.
Where next?
What is a defined benefit pension?
The beginner's guide to defined benefit pensions: what they are, how they work and who gets one.
How is defined benefit pension income calculated?
Learn how your defined benefit pension income is calculated and the factors that determine what you'll receive.
How your defined benefit pension supports you in retirement
Discover how defined benefit pensions work in practice and the support they provide during your retirement.
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Contact Canada Life Pensions. Our friendly customer service team is here to put your mind at ease. By email, phone or post.
Get in touch with the team