Nearly six out of 10 people (57 per cent) said saving will be a top priority, according to new research from Prudential.

The insurer's Class of 2012 study, which looks at the finances and expectations of those planning to retire this year, also found that women are more likely than men to prioritise saving during retirement – 62 per cent of women will make this a priority compared with 52 per cent of men.

Although saving money is a key focus, those intending to retire this year are still determined to have a fun-filled retirement. More than a third (36 per cent) say that spending money on travelling the world will be a priority for them, while 43 per cent will make spending money on enjoying themselves a priority.

Giving to charity and spending money on fighting the ageing process are low priorities for this year's retirees. Fewer than 1 in 20 (4 per cent) image-conscious pensioners say that spending money on anti-ageing treatments will be a priority in retirement, while only slightly more will prioritise giving money to charity (5 per cent).

Vince Smith-Hughes, retirement income expert at Prudential, said: "Today's retirees are likely to spend longer in retirement than previous generations so it is encouraging to see that they understand the importance of saving money to ensure they can live comfortably. Saving shouldn't be regarded as something that suddenly stops once you retire, and the current generation of retirees seems to be more aware of this than ever before.

"Saving as much money as possible, from as early an age as possible, is the best way to ensure you can afford a comfortable lifestyle in retirement. Consulting a financial adviser can also be an important step in helping retirees to make the most of their pension pots.

"It's not only about saving though – many retirees in the Class of 2012 are determined to spend money on enjoying themselves and travelling the world, which seems a fair reward for all their hard work during their working lives."

Prudential's online survey was conducted by Research Plus between 2 and 12 December 2011 among 9,614 UK non-retired adults aged 45+, including 1,003 people planning to retire in 2012.