Nicola Hunt
Editor, Retirement Planning
Nicola Hunt is editor of RetirementExpert. She is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and works as an accountant in the Greater Colchester area of Essex, where she advises individuals and small businesses on income, tax and retirement planning.
She graduated from the University of Essex and has spent her career translating HMRC and pension rules into language clients can actually use - the same approach she takes with our State Pension, qualifying years and pension drawdown guides.
Nicola believes the biggest mistakes people make near retirement are made quietly, in private, without asking for help. Our guides are written so readers can ask better questions, whether of their adviser, their pension provider, or HMRC.
Credentials
- FCCA - Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
- BA, University of Essex
Contact: [email protected]
Recent articles by Nicola Hunt
- State Pension age UK 2026: when can I retire?
Work out your State Pension age in 2026 and beyond. The UK State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028.
- How much State Pension will I get in 2026/27?
The full new State Pension for 2026/27, how many qualifying National Insurance years you need, and how to check your forecast on GOV.UK.
- State Pension deferral explained
How deferring the State Pension works under the new rules, how much extra you get, and when deferral is - and is not - worth it.
- Pension Credit eligibility 2026/27
Pension Credit tops up low retirement incomes. See the 2026/27 rates, savings rules, and how to apply through GOV.UK.
- Can I get Pension Credit if I have savings?
How savings affect Pension Credit, the £10,000 threshold, deemed income, and worked examples for couples and single pensioners.
- What benefits can pensioners claim in the UK?
A plain-English checklist of UK benefits older people may be entitled to - from Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance to Council Tax Reduction and the Winter Fuel Payment.
- Pension drawdown explained
What flexi-access drawdown is, how it differs from an annuity, the tax rules, and the risks of running your pension pot down too fast.
- £100,000 pension pot: how much income will it give me?
Indicative income figures for a £100k pension pot using drawdown and annuity, plus what a sustainable withdrawal rate might look like.
- £250,000 pension pot: how much income?
How long a £250,000 pension pot might last in drawdown, plus example annuity rates and how the 25% tax-free lump sum changes the maths.
- £500,000 pension pot: how much income?
Worked examples for a £500k pension pot: drawdown income, annuity rates, and the tax you might pay each year.
- Drawdown vs annuity: which is right for you?
A side-by-side comparison of pension drawdown and annuities - flexibility, longevity risk, tax and what happens to your money when you die.
- What is a safe withdrawal rate in the UK?
The 4% rule, why UK retirees may need a lower figure, and how sequence-of-returns risk affects how much you can draw each year.
- Taking your 25% tax-free pension lump sum
How the pension tax-free cash works, the lump sum allowance, and worked examples of taking it all at once vs in slices.