The 2 percent trick explains how small pension top-ups can increase your retirement savings by thousands

In order to secure a more comfortable retirement, a third of adults in the United Kingdom have raised their monthly pension contributions above the minimum, according to recent research

According to recent research, increasing your workplace pension contributions by insignificant amounts could result in a 52,000 increase in your retirement.

Standard Life's analysis shows that nearly a third (31 percent) of working adults are already benefiting from the small increase in pension that can be made. Meanwhile, 10% of people have increased their pension through one-time lump sum payments.

The power of compound investment growth over time allows for modest increases in pension contributions, whether they are made on a monthly or sporadic basis, to significantly increase your retirement funds.

Tips for raising your pension.

An individual who begins working at age 22 on a salary of £25,000 and makes the minimum auto-enrollment contributions (5 percent employee, 3 percent employer, known as the 8 percent rule) could, according to Standard Life's calculations, accumulate a pension pot of about £210,000 by the time they are 68 years old, adjusted for inflation.

Yet, if monthly contributions were raised by just 2% (to 7% employee) from the beginning, the retirement fund could increase by 52,000 to 262,000.

Little adjustments can have a big impact over time; for example, a 1 percent increase in monthly contributions could increase the final pot by 26,000.

"It's wonderful to see so many people taking control of their financial future, and the best part is that you don't need to make huge changes to see a big impact," said Dean Butler, managing director for retail direct at Standard Life. Over the course of a working lifetime, even minor top-ups, whether monthly or sporadic, can total tens of thousands of pounds.

Assuming a 5 percent annual growth in investments and a 3 to 50 percent annual growth in salaries. The figures include inflation of 2%. It is assumed that there will be an annual management charge of 0.75%.

Making a single pension contribution.

One-time donations are also a great way to get started. For example, according to Standard Life's analysis, a person between the ages of 25 and 65 who makes nine payments of £500 every five years may end up with £5,000 more in retirement.

Those who are able to make larger contributionsfor instance, 5,000 every five yearscould see their pension fund increase to 264,000, which is 54,000 more than traditional contributions alone.

"Our research indicates that even a 2 percent increase in monthly contributions could potentially yield an additional 52,000 in retirement, while making one-time payments of 1,000 every five years could increase your pot by 11,000," Butler continued.

"It's important to start early and make regular contributions. Some employers will also match extra contributions, which will increase your savings even more. Your future self will probably appreciate it if you can save more.

Make sure you aren't paying too much in fees to increase the ultimate value of your pension pot. For more information, see our article on how to check your pension fees.