Paying into a pension is what they want you to do and encourage you to do so, So they can rob you over time Same with saving in a bank.
Thing is what you put in years before becomes worth less and less as time goe’s by due to inflation. So when it comes time to retire you not got as much as you thought you would have. Saving and then puting into asets that hedge against inflation probally the best thing you could do imo, like gold or properties.