Methodology

The aim of this research was to understand the attitudes and experiences of women from ethnic minority backgrounds in relation to pensions and later life financial planning.

We also explored how experiences and attitudes vary across generations. We were keen to identify any common themes among all those involved, as well as areas of divergence between ethnic groups and between non-White British groups and their average white British counterparts.

We worked with Opinium Research, an independent insight agency, to conduct qualitative research between August and September 2025. We conducted 8 online focus groups, speaking to a total of 53 women from different ethnic minority groups across the UK.

After the focus groups, Opinium conducted 6 follow up 20-minute online interviews with selected participants from the focus groups. Excerpts from the recordings of these interviews form part of the output from this research.

Who we spoke to

Each focus group included 5-7 participants and lasted for 90-minutes. Four of the groups included ‘younger’ women of working age (aged 30-44), while the other four included ‘older’ women (aged 45-59). Within each age band, participants were grouped by broad ethnic group as follows:

  • Indian / Sri Lankan
  • Pakistani / Bangladeshi
  • Afro-Caribbean
  • Black African

These groups cover most of the largest non-white ethnic minority communities in the UK, based on the 2021 census.

Within each group, we aimed to include a mix of social-economic groups.

Below is a sample frame outlining the number of participants in each group:

Participants were recruited through an agency that specialises in reaching individuals from various ethnic minority groups.

Moderators of the focus groups were ethnically matched with participants to enable a comfortable and open research environment and to facilitate cultural context and understanding of the discussions. As observers, we were able to feed through to the moderator thoughts on any questions or areas we felt would be beneficial to explore further.

This report includes extensive anonymised quotes from these discussions, identified only by age/ethnic group, to illustrate the issues raised and to give these women a ‘voice’, while keeping their identities private. To preserve the authenticity of these quotes, we have, in general, not edited for grammar or factual accuracy.

While the findings featured in this report are valuable in demonstrating the views of women from the ethnic minority groups included in this research, it’s worth noting that this is a qualitative piece of research. As such, the findings are illustrative rather than providing a comprehensive view of these different ethnic group experiences.

What we discussed

Moderators used a semi-structured discussion guide to ensure the key research objectives were covered, while leaving room for spontaneous discussion and to adapt to the concerns and language of the particular group. We also made efforts not to focus too heavily on “pensions” as the only form of later life saving, leaving room for participants’ own views and norms around the idea to emerge first.

The guide was structured around the below research topics:

  • Attitudes and behaviours towards financially preparing for the future
  • Barriers to financial preparedness for the future
  • Support and communication needs when it comes to financially preparing for the future