# Jump in sales of pension annuities valued at over £250,000 and £500,000

By Helen Morrissey — 2026-02-12

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “These findings correlate with our own client data which shows average annuity purchase size has rocketed more than 160 per cent in recent years – up from £62,301 in the first six months of 2021 to £162,729 in the same period of 2025.

“This indicates that the values on offer are appealing to a greater range of people and flies in the face of the idea that people with bigger pension pots opt for income drawdown.

“It’s easy to see why this is happening when you look at the market over the last few years.

“Annuity rates have boomed off the back of soaring interest rates and high gilt yields.

“People on the look-out for an element of guaranteed income in their retirement planning are deciding now is the time to lock in.”

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