Technology could play a key role in encouraging people to save for their retirement, according to a think-tank.

The Future Foundation has published a report that suggests smartphone apps, cash machines and even the red button on a TV remote control could all be used to offer consumers more flexibility in how they build their pension pot.

One of the key measures proposed in the Pensions - The Solutions study is the use of ATMs to allow people to deposit cash and cheques into their pensions, as well as transferring funds from their bank accounts, making it easier to save for old age.

This service appealed to nearly a third of the 1,000 people surveyed as part of the research, with 32 per cent saying that they would be interested in the opportunity to "deposit cash into my pension at an ATM".

A "channel changer pension", which would allow savers to manage their pension pots more easily through the interactive service on their TV, was also mooted by the think-tank.

Workers surveyed by the Future Foundation were keen to have information on their pension more readily available, with 59 per cent of respondents interested in a service that "allowed you to easily check the value of your pension and expected retirement income at any time".

A third option put forward was for the creation of a smartphone "pensions meter" app, which would allow users to access real-time information on the value of their pension.

Younger people were keen on such a facility, with 46 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds interested in "an application that would show me how my spending habits are affecting my savings".

Flexibility was also cited as a key factor in encouraging people to save for their later years, as nearly half (48 per cent) of those in employment wanted the opportunity to "adjust up or down how much you save into a pension scheme each month".