More than half of private pension holders have either never reviewed their plan (38 per cent), or have not done so in the last three years (14 per cent), according to new research by Duncan Lawrie Private Bank.

The research reveals that, overall, women appeared “less attentive” then men when keeping track on their pensions, with 43 per cent of women saying they have never checked their pension plan, compared with a third of men (33 per cent). Shockingly, 49 per cent of people aged over 55 claim to have never reviewed their pension pot.

"The general lack of interest in people's own pension is astounding. It stinks of people not caring, burying their heads in the sand, or worse still, already giving up hope of not having enough money for retirement. This does not have to be the case, reviewing your pensions regularly can make a significant difference to your final retirement age and income,” said Richard Boyd, pension expert at Duncan Lawrie Private Bank.

The research was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Duncan Lawrie Private Bank; the total sample was 2,059 adults and fieldwork was undertaken between 26 and 28 February 2013 online. The figures have been weighted and the sample was representative of all UK adults (aged 18 and above), the bank said.

The research also showed that nearly one in ten (9 per cent) of people in the UK “don't know” or “cannot recall” how many pensions they currently hold, highlighting the importance of making sure that pension plans are constantly reviewed.

"Over a third of people (34 per cent) currently have two or more pensions to their name;  by consolidating these pots, they will not only find their pension easier to review, but with more control and good advice, people may be able to ensure a greater return for their retirement,” said Boyd.

As their pensions are often clients' largest "pot" of wealth, Duncan Lawrie's research should make for interesting reading for the wealth management community.