Smart achieves Living Wage Foundation accreditation

11th June 2025, London. Smart, the London-headquartered fintech transforming the global retirement savings market, is proud to announce it has achieved accreditation as a Living Wage and Living Pension employer. Smart is one of the first four UK workplace pension providers to hold both accreditations, underlining its commitment to helping employees build financial security and prepare for their future retirement.

The Living Pension accreditation, introduced by the Living Wage Foundation in 2023, sets a voluntary pension savings target to help workers build a pension pot that will meet their basic everyday needs in retirement. The scheme builds on the success of auto enrolment by encouraging employers to go beyond the legal minimum contribution of 3% and contribute at least 7% of an employee’s salary, or £1,720 annually. 

Today’s cost of living crisis is tomorrow’s pension crisis. According to Smart Pension’s own research, one in three workers expect to work full or part-time in their retirement. This comes at a time when immediate financial pressures are forcing over a third of workers (35%) to consider pausing their pension contributions and over half (49%) believe that cost of living pressures will ‘definitely’ make it harder for their generation to retire. By achieving Living Wage and Living Pension accreditation, Smart is helping to ensure that more people have the opportunity to build a pension pot that provides stability and security in later life.

Over 16,000 employers are accredited as Living Wage employers, but only 70 have gone the extra step to offer a Living Pension. As one of the first four pension providers to become accredited, Smart is hoping to encourage the wider industry to commit to a Living Wage and Living Pension to ensure workers have financial security now and in the future.

Alex Arundale, Chief People Officer at Smart, said: 

“At Smart, we believe that helping people save for a dignified retirement is more than just a service - it’s a responsibility. By achieving both Living Wage and Living Pension accreditation, we’re putting that belief into practice, ensuring that our own team and Living Wage workers across the country are prepared for retirement. We are proud of this commitment and encourage other employers to join us in securing a financial future for their employees.”

Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said:

“We are delighted that Smart has signed up as a Living Pension employer, providing stability and security for their workers now and in the future. Over the last ten years, the Living Wage campaign has grown in strength and numbers. Now paid by nearly 16,000 employers, it delivers essential pay rises to almost half a million workers every year. The Living Pension builds on this by encouraging employers like Smart to do more to help their workers build a pension pot that meets basic everyday needs in retirement.”