THE public sector "pension pot" is a myth as workers are paying for today's pensioners and putting their own future in the hands of an increasingly stretched next generation, a think-tank has warned.

Reform Scotland has accused successive Westminster governments of a "conspiracy of silence" over pensions by failing to make clear how "uncertain, unfunded and unsustainable" the current system is.

It will recommend a complete overhaul of the pensions system in a report tomorrow.

Chairman Ben Thomson said: "The key problem with our pension structure is that those faithfully paying national insurance and those paying into a public sector occupational pension scheme have no ownership over their pension assets.

"They are not paying into a personal pot for themselves, they are paying for today's pensioners and are dependent on an increasingly stretched next generation to pay for them.

"Inherent in the system is huge insecurity for today's employees and an immoral burden on the next generation."

Reform Scotland, which is not aligned to any political party, said "hands off my pension" protests are misguided because "there is no pension pot for anyone to get their hands on".

SNP work and pensions spokeswoman Eilidh Whiteford said: "Scotland can afford a high-quality pensions system - we require to allocate a smaller share of our national wealth in Scotland to pay for the welfare state compared to the rest of the UK, which means that pensions are more affordable for Scotland."