Black and minority ethnic people are more likely to live in poverty during retirement than the wider population. Bangladeshi and Pakistani people are three times more likely than white people to be poor pensioners. Meanwhile, Black Caribbean people are twice as likely.

This report examines reasons behind this discrepancy. One explanation is higher rate at which people from BME backgrounds, especially the Bangladeshi community are self-employed, running their own businesses. Self-employment however makes it difficult to build a decent pension, as self-employed people do not receive employer contributions to workplace pensions.

This report explores these issues in detail and in the context of government reforms to pensions. It recommends ways in which the government and other institutions can improve pension outcomes for Black and minority ethnic people.

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