If you are working for an employer, there may be a good company scheme you can join, so it's worth checking that out first. if you are self-employed or can't join a scheme, a personal pension plan may be good for you. You are normally advised to go to a financial advisor and they certainly have the knowledge you need, but a word of warning: 'independent' financial advisors do sometimes have a package that they want to sell, and before consulting one it's best to have some knowledge of your own, so you can evaluate how good their advice is.

You could start by exploring the pensions advisory service website. Here you can look at all the available options, including annuity pensions, Self-Investment Pension Plans etc, and decide what type is best for your situation. To the left of the home page you can also find a list of helpful organizations, and the page also includes contact details so you can get free advice.