Fewer than half of skilled workers pay into a private pension, new figures show 

Of the workers without a pension, six in 10 said they planned to rely on the State pension only when they retired. Picture: PA

Fewer than half of skilled workers and tradespeople pay into a pension, while only one in five workers without a pension are aware of the new Government scheme that will automatically put them on one.

New statistics from the Central Statistics Office show more than two-thirds of workers (68%) have some form of pension cover outside of the State pension, with those whose occupation is classed as “professionals” having the highest pension coverage, at 83%.