"It is important that members have confidence that they are saving into safe and durable products capable of delivering good outcomes"

The Pensions Regulator

The right pension for your people

We help hundreds of companies choose, review and manage pension schemes which matter to their workforce.

Even though the vast majority of workplace pensions have shifted responsibility for how much people will save away from employers, you still have a significant role to play.

Not only legal and regulatory requirements but also administration and, vitally, communication.

These go hand in hand with the reality that there is no “one size fits all” pension. Your workforce is as unique as your company.

It's crucial for any pension scheme to be tailored to fit these individual needs.

"Punter Southall Aspire helped us establish a new scheme on significantly improved terms to the existing one and it was all done within the regulatory timescales and at a cost well within budget."

Director, construction company, SE England

Employers. No one-size-fits-all

We believe it is crucial to implement, review and maintain a pension to meet your strategy.

In our experience, most organisations seek to comply with regulation, keep a close eye on cost and also see their pension as a recruiting and retention tool.

To achieve value for money and get the right scheme for your business, you need to spend time doing your research.

 

Working with pension trustees

We have spent decades advising trustee boards on the many challenges they face in a changing landscape.

We help them to value their scheme to identify where improvements can be made while, at the same time, pointing out how to avoid the risks posed by regulation.

Investment is a vital component of pension management. We advise on this as part of shaping a long-term pension strategy.

Underpinning everything is how we tell everyone involved of progress made, pitfalls avoided and opportunities taken in service of the scheme’s objectives.

Putting members in the picture

At the heart of your pension is the member.

For your scheme to be successful in helping people retire when they plan to, it is vital that members get involved – as early as possible - with their savings during their working lives.

Easier said than done but finding the right way to communicate will help to forge a stronger bond with your people and their pensions.

We created Aspire to Retire to support employers in kindling, nurturing and reinforcing the right relationship between their workforce and their pension scheme.

Our team has strived to bring to life messages which can be dry and hard to digest.

Five things trustees need to consider

Value for members

This is about much more than a simple cost/benefit analysis. Fundamental questions need to be asked and different scenarios explored.

Risk

From financial to regulatory, and through to reputational, a high-quality governance process can help manage and mitigate different kinds of risks.

Reward

Pension schemes might be about the future, but they can be an attractive part of your reward package today.

Compliance

Good governance is about more than meeting the minimum legal requirements. It’s about maximising potential to ensure processes are robust and compliant.

Monitor

Keeping a keen eye on your pension scheme means you can spot problems and opportunities faster and keeps the focus on member outcomes.
Pension matters

Pension matters

Pensions can seem off-puttingly complicated, often talked about in a way that does little to make them easier to understand.

We take the time to help you get to grips with how you can help your people save for later life and face retirement with a measure of confidence.

It’s never too early to begin planning for the time after work.

There are other ways to save but few, if any, offer the advantage pensions do when it comes to tax.

And as the world changes so, too, does the way we want to live our lives. Retirement and how we view it has been transformed over the years.

We’ve spent decades helping hundreds of companies prepare their people for later life. We can do the same for you.


Finding the pension to fit your business

As a business leader or HR professional, you may have a good idea on where to start when it comes to reviewing your existing pension scheme or considering a new one.

In all modesty, we’ve probably got a better idea!

Workplace pensions come in many varieties and it helps to know what the best fit for your organisation may be.

Selecting the right type of scheme to suit your staff - and budget - is vital. Selecting the right pension provider to be a long-term partner and deliver as promised is equally important, and potentially risky, for any employer or trustee board.

Luckily, we’ve helped many others with this challenge. By matching our experience to ongoing research, we can guide you towards informed decision-making.


In-depth research

We assess the workplace pension market for the scheme best-suited to your company. Our insight and experience means you can move forward with confidence, knowing we have screened both the company behind the scheme and the type of scheme itself.

Our independent research takes in the entire market, including master trusts and leading pension companies, to support you to provide a benefit fit for your business and people.

Once we’ve worked together to narrow down your choice, we can negotiate the terms offering the best value for your employees and help ensure launch or transition goes smoothly.

RESOURCE

Making the complex simple

Whether you want to review an existing pension scheme or set up a new one, we can help.

Download our free guide

"Fantastic standard of delivery. A company you can trust to deliver professional, high standard, trustworthy service."

Client feedback on our pension consultancy services

AE for my company?

Making sure you do it right

Auto-enrolment is a relatively new presence in the pensions landscape, enabling millions more to save for retirement.

Having helped hundreds of employers to complete their auto-enrolment projects successfully, we are well aware of the difficulties employers face when trying to comply with this complex legislation.

We have a wealth of experience helping businesses to comply with regulation, whether they’re reviewing existing arrangements to ensure they are fit for purpose, or setting up a new scheme.


Why pensions matter today…


The earlier you start investing into – or just thinking about – your pension , the better it’s likely to be.

The difficulty is knowing where to start and where it can take you. Which is where we come in for your company and your workforce.

…and for the future


Living longer

Since 2011, there's no longer a default age at which you have to retire (this was previously 65).

This has significant implications for employers. How do you plan for a future in which no-one has to retire, and many can't afford or potentially don't want to do so?

This can become a concrete issue and is focusing the mind of organisations on putting in place a clear path towards a long-term future that includes ways to engage and enrol their people in making retirement a more visible reality.

Additional voluntary contributions

AVCs explained

Additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) were originally a welcome addition to workplace pension schemes because they enabled members and, potentially, employers to save more. Many also came with guarantees such as growth and minimum annuity rates.

Freedom and choice legislation in 2015 gave employees more options in how they access their pensions. While we welcome these changes, they do present some complication for those schemes still offering AVC’s.

If that’s your scheme, we can help.

The Pension Regulator’s code of practice for this area is being updated but it may pose challenges for trustees and sponsors, who may need to consider, even some years on, if they are in a good position.


Our approach is:

Straightforward

Any solution needs to be simple, clearing a straight path to managing AVCs.

Cost-effective

To support the trustees in meeting the relevant code of practice, it needs to be value for money.

Time-saving

Managing the AVC element of a scheme takes up valuable time. Enabling trustees to focus on more pressing challenges is one way we can help.

Trusted

Pensions are about the future. Any solution must protect the needs of members today and tomorrow.

Managed risks

Risk – and opportunity - needs to be expertly and skilfully managed within a governance framework of high standards.

"Latest reports put the total of pensions unclaimed, lost or forgotten in the UK at around £18bn."

 

 

How else we can help

Stronger against scams

In 2015, the law changed to enable people to claim as much of their DC pension savings as they wanted at 55.

While this gives members more say over their money, it also saw a rise in the volume of scams and dubious advice. We can help you protect your people in the face of this increasing threat. Talk to our team about how we supported companies in this way through the pandemic.

Finding forgotten pension pots

Latest reports in 2021 put the total of pensions unclaimed, lost or forgotten in the UK at around £18bn. People now often have different pensions from different employers or private schemes.

This could include some of your employees. Finding out from you how to go about it is likely to build trust at a time when many people can feel isolated and unsure.

Employee benefits: why they matter and how best to communicate them

As a business, you already do more than simply pay your people for their work. For most, that means pensions – a benefit valued by employees.

But the modern workplace has been transformed by what you can now offer staff not only to recruit and retain but to motivate and energise them. Find out more in our guide...

GET IN TOUCH

We're here to help

Do you have a query about your pension scheme or trustee duties? Just fill out the form and one of our experts will be in touch shortly.