Over 55s claimed they would need to inherit an extra £184,484 to feel “comfortable” for the rest of their lives, according to research from SunLife.

In its survey, SunLife found that almost half (46 per cent) of people over 55 have received an inheritance, receiving an average of £74,816 per person. Meanwhile, 17 per cent of over 55s received more than £100,000 in inheritance and one in 50 were left more than £400,000.

The age group most likely to have received an inheritance are the over 70s, with half stating they had been let money – averaging £73,488.

Among those within the 60 to 69 bracket, 44 per cent had received an average inheritance of £74,255. The 50 to 59 age group was least likely to have received an inheritance (40 per cent), but also received the highest amount on average - £79,252.

Commenting on the findings, SunLife equity release director Simon Stanney said: “Our survey suggests that around half of those over 55 will receive an inheritance at some point, but it certainly cannot be relied upon to fund retirement. Other means of achieving this “comfort level” will need to be explored.”

Almost a third of respondents claimed they were “already comfortable”, while a very minute number of them said they needed £10m to reach comfort.

Younger respondents reportedly claimed to need a higher inheritance value to feel comfortable, with those in the 50 to 59 bracket saying they need £299,943. This figure fell to £167,731 for those in their 60s and £145,064 for those aged 70 and over.

However, despite the age group, the amount needed for comfort exceeded the average inheritance sum.

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