Scottish Widows Retirement Spending Planner – Assumptions

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All data is sourced from the Office of National Statistics (April 2017 to April 2018) household spending data (Table A11) and is grouped into the following spending categories, split by age groups, shown on the planner:

Category shown on the planner

ONS Table A11 data reference

Grocery shopping

1 Food & non-alcoholic drinks (all)

Alcohol 

2.1 Alcoholic drinks (all)

Vehicle costs

7.2 Operation of personal transport

12.4.3 Vehicle insurance including boat insurance

Cigarettes & tobacco

2.2 Tobacco and narcotics (all)

Clothing & shoes

3 Clothing & footwear (all)

Eating out

11.1 Catering services (all)

Glasses & contact lenses

6.1.2 Spectacles, lenses, accessories and repairs

Holidays

9.6 Package holidays (all)

11.2 Accommodation services (all)

13.3 Holiday spending

Home improvements

4.2 Maintenance and repair of dwelling

5 Household goods & services (all)

Household bills

4.3 Water supply and miscellaneous services

4.4 Electricity, gas and other fuels (all)

12.4.1 Household insurances - structural, contents

Leisure & hobbies

9.4 Recreational and cultural services (all)

Medicine

6.1.1 Medicines, prescriptions and healthcare products

6.2 Hospital services

12.4.2 Medical insurance premiums

Pets

9.3.5 Pets and pet food

Public transport

7.3 Transport services

Telephone & internet

8.2 Telephone and telefax equipment

8.3 Telephone and telefax services

8.4 Internet subscription fees

Personal care

12.1 Personal care (all)

The values represent average household sizes of:

  • 2.3 people for households aged 50 to 64 (shown on the planner as 55 to 64), and
  • 1.8 people for households aged 64 to 75.

For planning purposes we’ve presented these values as representing a broadly two-person household.

All values are based on average household spend, in terms of today’s money, and do not reflect any possible change in the cost of these goods or services over time.

The values shown are intended to act as a useful starting point only and do not in any way confirm what will provide you with a comfortable retirement income.

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