NEW research findings from Alliance & Leicester's Wealth Tracker Index support the need for greater retirement provision and advice to customers. Key findings from the index include:

* Lowest income levels: People over 50 claimed to have £105 disposable income each month, the lowest level of all the age groups.

* Low savings: People over 50 claimed to save the least amount of money per month, £66. This compares with a national average of £93 per month across the UK suggesting those over 50 need every penny to live on.

* Poor planning: Only two per cent of Britons said retirement planning would influence their savings and investment decisions over the next three months.

* Annuity age no issue: Few pensioners claimed to care about the compulsory retirement annuity purchase age of 75.

* Long-term lock in: One in six Britons claimed that the most annoying thing about investments was locking their money away for the long-term.

Alliance & Leicester has recently appointed new stakeholder pensions advisors to help customers' needs for their retirement.