Guidance and advice

Take a look at the specialist sites and professional advisers listed below for guidance and advice on your pension.

Help with your pension from experts

We understand pensions are complicated, however it's important to understand how you can make the most out of yours. That’s why guidance and advice from trusted experts can be so valuable both financially and for your peace of mind. If you’re confused about any aspect of your pension, we encourage you to use all of the information and tools available on this website.

A compass
Financial guidance

It’s worth taking the time to get guidance from the specialist sites or professional advisers listed below. Using an adviser can be expensive, so make sure you’ve read all of the information available to you first.

MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper from the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), brings together the support and services of 3 government-backed financial guidance providers: Money Advice Service, The Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise. 

It offers free support on a wide range of financial matters, online and over the phone. This includes a variety of pension topics, including:

  • Auto enrolment
  • Building your retirement pot
  • Pension basics
  • Pension problems
  • Pension Wise – access to free and impartial guidance on the options for your pension pot
  • State Pension 
  • Taking your pension
  • Tax and pensions

Go to the pensions and retirement section at MoneyHelper.org.uk 

gov
Gov.uk
The official website for the UK government.
Gov.uk

The official website for the UK government, gov.uk offers clear information on a wide range of financial issues.

The workplace and personal pensions section in particular addresses a variety of pension-based topics, based around a handy A to Z list. This includes:

  • Planning for retirement
  • Tax on your pension contributions, covering allowances
  • Transferring your pension
  • Workplace pensions

There’s also a separate section on the State Pension.

Midlife MOT

If you’re aged 45-65, the Midlife MOT website is specifically designed to help you in 3 key areas:

  • work
  • health and
  • money

It includes a new tool from the government’s MoneyHelper service, which will help you understand your current finances, and learn what you can do to improve your financial wellbeing from now until retirement.

Created by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the site also offers advice on things like finding work over 50, how to get a free NHS health check if you’re over 40 and where to go for financial support or help to get out of debt.

MoneyFit

MoneyFit is a financial wellness tool designed to help you understand your personal finances and take practical steps to improve the way you manage your money.

It gives you a personal action plan, including helpful tips to manage your money more effectively and ideas to possibly free-up a little more to contribute to your pension savings. It will also guide you towards further support and information if needed.

The service is completely anonymous and it’s free, so you can use MoneyFit as many times as you like, and re-evaluate if your circumstances change.

 

Financial Advice

Unlike the guidance services above, financial advisers can offer you professional advice on financial decisions. In order to operate, they must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means they have to agree to a certain level of standards and you can get additional support through the Financial Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go wrong.

Liverpool Victoria (LV)

Liverpool Victoria (LV) has been chosen as the preferred partner to give RPS members access to financial advice. They balance the cost and quality of advice. 

LV is regulated by the FCA, covers all areas of pension and financial advice and has a dedicated team, with specific knowledge on the Scheme.

LV can be contacted on 0800 023 4187.

You can also choose your own Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). Just make sure you understand all of the potential costs for their services upfront before making a decision.

lve
Liverpool Victoria (LV)
0800 023 4187
The chosen partner for financial advice for RPS members.
Unbiased

You can find a register of Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) at unbiased.co.uk. An IFA will help you understand your pension, the options available, and how to manage your finances. 

By using Unbiased you can:

  • get contact information for IFAs in your area, including pension specialists
  • be matched with a suitable adviser based on what you need help with

All IFAs listed on the site are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority and the first meeting is typically free. 

Watch out for scams

If you’re looking for financial advice, be very wary of scams and fraudsters. They often pose as advisers but are out to steal your savings.

Visit the dedicated pension scams page or check out The Pensions Regulator's poster on how to stay safe from scams to learn what to look out for and how to protect your pension savings.

What to read next...

Watch out for pension scams

Make sure you know the warning signs of pension scams and how to avoid losing your savings. 

10 things to know about pensions 

Get to grips with your pension in this handy list of 10 top things to know.

Help and support 

Access a whole range of support to help you understand your pension better, including videos and Read as You Need guides.