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Aviva: Pension reviews

Name: Pension
Rating: 1.87 (187 reviews)

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1.87

Based on 187 reviews, last reviewed 24th Mar 2026

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

100% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

17%

68%

Latest highest rating:

4

old fashioned processes Good company but some old fashioned processes (need to download and print off forms and then send them in the post). Very limited functionality on the... Read more Reviewed on: 7th September 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

Mindlessly bureaucratic and frustrating Have an individual stakeholder plan which I was aware needed to be resolved before I hit 75 - it’s been with Aviva for decades. Long delays to speak... Read more Reviewed on: 24th March 2026

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About this product

Aviva offer a self-invested personal pension (SIPP).

There are five ways to invest in the Aviva SIPP. You can decide between the Universal Retirement Fund, a ready-made fund or choose an option from a fund shortlist provided by experts. You can also build your own portfolio or buy and sell shares and investments.

Aviva pension reviews share what it's like to have this pension. If you've used Aviva before, you can also leave your own review.

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Aviva Pension reviews (187)

Mindlessly bureaucratic and frustrating

Have an individual stakeholder plan which I was aware needed to be resolved before I hit 75 - it’s been with Aviva for decades. Long delays to speak to them, and advice initially very unclear. Managed on a second call to establish I could take the tax free lump sum but would need to set up a new pension arrangement for the small sum left. A tortuous call the next day to a different department left me feeling very frustrated and unsure about leaving the remaining pot with them. So, why on earth do I have to provide them details of my HMRC pension protection, tell them what I did before I retired, what I earned decades ago or even confirm my nationality.? Been with them for donkeys years but felt this was either a fishing trip for market data, or a bureaucratic tick box exercise with numerous health warnings about investments repeated endlessly. - along with telling me endlessly how I would have to manage my own pension with them. And why after decades with my bank could they not confirm my ID in their security vetting - never had that before and now leaving me in a position to have to post statements - and required in very prescribed format ( unredacted, with x many withdrawals, specified time etc etc). Then to boot a copy of the HMRC letter - why? . Needlessly detailed tick box process and very off putting. Let’s see how long it takes them to sort this out! . In contrast had a similar policy with another provider which was dealt with smoothly and effortlessly with none of this mindless bureaucracy. .Makes one wonder how easy they will be if I ( or my beneficiaries) have to address any issues with them in future.. Will see how it goes but may reconsider moving this pot when I can - left me cold! Reviewed on: 24th March 2026

Just a difficult company

After my mum had passed I had difficulty finding out any information. They were very cold and no empathy shown in the circumstances. They are just focused on policy rather than explaining information. No one knows how this works until they go through it but they are not firth coming in assisting you in the right way. They just assume you know what they are referring to. I took legal advice and they still went against this. They make the process so difficult in such an emotional time. Shocking! Reviewed on: 10th March 2026

Withdrawing funds

Pension was set up as annuity plan and was unable to transfer or do anything with it until I was 65. On reaching 65 as there was under £10,000 I was eligible to take a lump sum. Completed paperwork and weeks went by and heard nothing more paper was then sent out and it now looks like the lump sum option is not available as another annuity has been set up. Each time I have called you can only get to speak to customer services who then send a message through to the back office who have two weeks to respond. Just keep getting fobbed off. I have put in a formal complaint and received acknowledgment that they would keep in touch with progress, not heard from them and again you can’t speak to them. You just can’t get passed the contact centre. 3 months has now passed snd still no lump sum or any further forward. Reviewed on: 4th February 2026

Extremely Slow

when trying to access my funds I find it very frustrating that it takes weeks for my request to be completed, no matter how large or small the sum of money is, I have spent 45 minutes on the phone being questioned about my withdrawal then I receive the forms which I fill in and return, then wait patiently for 3 weeks and I have to phone again asking what the problem is, recent excuse was that there was a high demand over the Christmas period ,what makes it worse is that Aviva continually advertising for more customers when they cannot cope with current customers, very disappointed customer Reviewed on: 3rd February 2026

are Aviva scamming us?

I instructed Aviva to cash in my pension, filled in the appropriate forms and got confirmation in writing that payout should be within 15 business days of the 1st December, I booked a builder to do some work beginning the 6th January expecting the funds to be in my account by 22 Dec, nothing arrived! I called Aviva and was told there was a 5 day Delay due to the holiday period and staff sickness so I waited until 2nd Jan and called again only to be told there could be a further delay of 2 weeks??? at which point I had to cancel my building work. I lodged a complaint asking for a specific date when MY money would be available and received an email confirming my complaint with a case number and a contact phone number, however the phone number did not exist so I rang Aviva again asking for a payment date, after holding on the phone for what seemed like an eternity I was told that the payment team would contact me directly, as you probably guessed, nobody did so here I am posting this about a company I used to consider trustworthy. I am disgusted to think that Aviva are holding on to peoples own money just to earn a little more interest for themselves. Reviewed on: 8th January 2026

Incredibly slow & frustrating to deal with

I have been trying to cash in a small pension for over two months. The initial international call took over an hour during which it felt like they were resistant to my well thought through decision. I've filled in forms, I've had countless long calls. The people you speak to are pleasant but I've had so my stupid obstacles as to why they can't pay. The back office are slow to do anything. I had a payment a couple of days ago & it's half the amount I expected with no statement to understand the payment. Reviewed on: 22nd December 2025

Extremely frustrating admin dept!

Trying to arrange a one-off pension drawdown, I eventually got to speak to someone on my fourth time of ringing, who was polite and helpful. He explained I would receive an email with a link to a document to sign and that I would be sent a code by text. I just changed my telephone number so had to write to them to advise same and they responded 48 hours later to say the record had been updated. I clicked on the link, no luck, wouldn’t work. I’m currently waiting to hear back from them. again. I said on the phone and in my emails that it was pretty urgent. This complaint is not re the performance of the funds but the unavailability and lack of competency of the admin team - it ain’t easy to get your money out. Reviewed on: 12th December 2025

My pension provider was Friends Provident.

My pension provider was Friends Provident. Unfortunately,the company was acquired by Aviva. After 27 years I decided to draw down on the pension. What a performance from Aviva. Total lack of customer service. , zero communication and apathy. Still waiting for documents 9 weeks later. Complaint lodged but am not holding my breath. Reviewed on: 1st November 2025

Slow, understaffed and overpriced for what you get.

Slow, understaffed and overpriced for what you get. £3000 a year for a platform where you hold for an hour, on multiple days. Cheerful staff if you do get through but the scripts are hopeless. Eg They have to ask me about the utterly useless Pensionwise every call, many times a year, yet ive already read the annual b.s info pack, every year. Processing is super slow. Reviewed on: 6th October 2025

A Giant Dinosaur !!

Whilst other Pension Providers have light speed processing, Aviva moves like a dinosaur ! Takes them weeks to do anything, manual processes and a lot of chasing up to get the job done. Reviewed on: 30th September 2025

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