PRESS RELEASE: Majority of Brits support investment in affordable housing and clean energy… through their pension

A majority of the British public would support investing their pension in affordable housing and renewable energy, according to a new YouGov poll.

The national survey of 2149 adults, commissioned by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF) for Good Money Week (starting Sept 28), asked how much they would ‘support or oppose’ their retirement savings being invested in these sectors.

    – On renewable energy: 74% supported their pension being invested in this sector, while only 13% were opposed.
    – On affordable housing: 62% supported their pension being invested in this sector, while only 21% were opposed.
    – The remaining respondents replied, ‘don’t know’.

The results come ahead of Andy Burnham’s keynote conference speech on Tuesday, which is likely to cover building more housing and expanding renewable power generation.

Pension funds frequently invest globally on behalf of their members in clean energy and affordable housing projects as part of broader sustainable strategies.

These strategies often seek to capture opportunities from the global low-carbon transition, while managing risks associated with climate change, social inequality and other systemic issues that could affect long-term financial performance.

Some politicians have criticised the UK’s decarbonisation policies, which are vital for giving large investors the confidence to back major projects, like clean energy infrastructure and energy-efficient house building, in this country.

But even after taking into account how respondents voted in the last general election (2024), the poll showed robust support for pension investment in these sectors.

Focusing on renewable energy, 51% of Reform UK voters and 63% of Conservative voters said they would support investing their pension in this sector. They were joined by 85% of Labour voters, 86% of Lib Dem voters and 96% of Green voters.

Conversely, 0% of Green voters, 4% of Labour voters, 6% of Lib Dem voters, 22% of Conservative voters and 33% of Reform UK voters were opposed, with the remaining respondents from each voter group answering, ‘don’t know’.

Focusing on affordable housing, 49% of Reform UK voters and 50% of Conservative voters were in favour of investing their pension in this sector. They were joined by 63% of Lib Dem voters, 73% of Labour voters and 76% of Green voters.

Conversely, 13% of Green voters, 12% of Labour voters, 22% of Lib Dem voters, 32% of Conservative voters and 30% of Reform UK voters were opposed, with the remaining respondents from each voter group answering, ‘don’t know’.

Comments

Speaking about the results, UKSIF CEO James Alexander said: “Voters clearly want their retirement savings to support renewable energy and affordable housing.

“But this capital, which pension funds allocate across international markets, will only flow into the UK if we continue to be a top global investment destination.

“Strong, consistent policies that support the long-term development of these sectors are vitally important for attracting this finance into the country.

“The Prime Minister must stay committed to decarbonising our energy system and unlocking investment in efficient, affordable housing, which can help drive growth and jobs across the nation.”

Notes to Editors

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,149 adults in GB. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th – 14th September 2026.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in GB(aged 18+).

About UKSIF

UKSIF is a leading membership organisation that brings together the country’s sustainable investment and finance community and supports its members to expand, enhance and promote this key sector. Our more than 300 members, who have £19trn in assets under management (AUM), include investment managers, pension funds, banks, financial advisers, research providers and NGOs, among others.

Our members are active in and supportive of efforts to promote the sustainable finance agenda. Together, we work closely with policymakers and others to find new ways to overcome the barriers to the growth of sustainability and deliver progress towards decarbonisation of the economy.

About Good Money Week

UKSIF’s Good Money Week brings together different sectors of the financial services industry to consider how the industry can help the public make better choices with their pensions, savings and investments, and better understand the positive impact they can have on the environment and wider society when it comes to their financial decisions.