Many of these people will also make a loss on any properties they own as house prices have been dropping and may not earn enough to pay off the mortgage.

Savers are blaming the economic environment for reducing their ability to invest in their pensions or retirement funds.

The poll was conducted for stockbroker Brewin Dolphin, and shows that many people, especially single women living in London between the ages of 25 and 34, will cease making payments for a time.

Director of corporate affairs Charlotte Black said: "Given tighter credit conditions, it seems likely that pension payment breaks will become increasingly prevalent as the immediate pressures of servicing mortgages and dealing with credit card debts take their toll.

"This will result in a further depletion of pension pots that have already suffered by the government's decision in 1997 to remove tax credits on dividends in pension funds."