Man at desk

The poll found that 56 per cent of people aged 50-65 plan to continue to work during pensionable age.

Young-at-heart celebrities such as Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench and Madonna - who has recently turned 50 - are setting a new standard, it seems.

More than one in 10 in the survey said a love of the job made them want to stay in the workforce, while 14 per cent argued they were simply too young to retire.

But one in six admitted they would have to keep working in order to make ends meet.

The poll also found that the majority did not think they would be comfortably off in retirement, even though many in the age range were set to be the beneficiaries of generous final salary schemes.

Of those surveyed, 40 per cent said they would only "get by'' if they stopped working completely and 14 per cent said they would not be able to cope financially.

The survey, by pensions company Aegon, found that more people wanted to try something different in retirement, such as a new career, an extended holiday or new leisure activities.

Worringly the report highlights a significant knowledge gap when it comes to retirement planning, as 42 per cent had no clear idea about how much income they would have when they come to quit work for good.

Of the remainder, 44 per cent expected to receive an income less than £15,000 a year.

Only 14 per cent thought their pension savings would produce more than £15,000 a year.

A third were relying on their pension alone, with no other savings or investments. And 51 per cent admitted they could have been better prepared had they thought about planning sooner.

When it comes to buying an annuity with retirement savings, securing a guaranteed income during retirement is at the top of the wish list, with 87 per cent of respondents saying this is most important to them.

"It's worrying to think that few people are planning for such an important stage of their life," said Jason Hemmings of financial management company Albannach.

"Pensions have been revamped during the last decade by the government to encourage people to save for retirement but this has fallen on deaf ears in too many cases.

"Unfortunately in harder economic times when consumer debt is high, planning for retirement is about affordability rather than desire. But whatever your situation, taking professional advice is essential to getting it right."

* Holly is an award-winning financial journalist and Deputy Personal Finance Editor at the Daily Express and Sunday Express. Holly's views represent her own opinions and are for general information only. Always seek independent financial advice.