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Aviva: Pension reviews

Name: Pension
Rating: 2.02 (164 reviews)

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1.97

Based on 164 reviews, last reviewed 16th Apr 2025

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

50% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

18%

70%

Latest highest rating:

5

Traditional and basic Great company. They have many services and their size offers security and trust. Most functions need to be done by phone as their online services are ... Read more Reviewed on: 16th April 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

6 months and still waiting for my cash withdrawal fr... 6 months and still waiting for my cash withdrawal from my pension, excuse after excuse, the advice us on to avoid scams, pity no-one adviced me about... Read more Reviewed on: 26th March 2025

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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.

Aviva Pension reviews (164)

Review of the Aviva, Pension:

Aviva is devaluing annuities it has bought

Aviva acquired a small annuity I had been forced to take out on a small personal pension pot with Sun Life - the law back then forced me to buy an annuity. Despite the capital value of the annuity being less than £10,000, Aviva refuses to allow me to encash it. Also, Aviva has consistently paid my annual annuity a day late, with customer service perpetually telling me I have the date wrong. Aviva has now admitted to the Ombudsman that "we always add a day". I believe they have also altered residual value calculations, so that my estate will get less than it should when I die. Essentially, by delaying payment by a day and probably taking at least a week off residual value, Aviva are diminishing the value of my annuity by at least 2.4%. I firmly believe it is illegal to change the T&Cs of an annuity already in payment, and am waiting to hear what, if anything, the Pensions Regulator will do to address Aviva's daylight robbery. The point is, if Aviva is doing this to all the annuities it has bought, it will add up to tens of millions of pounds added to Aviva's profits - and taken away from annuitants. If you are in the same position as me, make a formal complaint to the Regulator; the Ombudsman is restricted in what they can do about this blatant daylight robbery. Reviewed on: 20th June 2024

Traditional and basic

Great company. They have many services and their size offers security and trust. Most functions need to be done by phone as their online services are limited only viewing the account is available. Reviewed on: 16th April 2025

6 months and still waiting for my cash withdrawal fr...

6 months and still waiting for my cash withdrawal from my pension, excuse after excuse, the advice us on to avoid scams, pity no-one adviced me about these sharks Reviewed on: 26th March 2025

Its a solid brand and not flashy and risky.

Its a solid brand and not flashy and risky. Reviewed on: 27th February 2025

Aviva turned my acorn into an oak

My modest income & contributions have grown thanks to my Ethical Pension with Aviva. After years on very modest Charity Sector earnings, I should be able to retire with a monthly income a bit higher than any I have earned in my career! Reviewed on: 26th February 2025

My father cannot withdraw his pension

My father has been trying to withdraw his pension for nearly 5 months and yet to receive anything. Has had to ring them multiple times to be told something is missing despite his own bank contacting them also. They have said they would send documents and they were never received (again 3 time on the phone to chase them) when they had been received and finally sent back no communication over the “missing” information a formal complaint was made by himself back in November and as of today still had no response to this. He is now having to use his savings to live off of he were in more unfortunate circumstances this would have sent him into debt. They cause unnecessary stress to my parents and have yet to do anything to compensate. Withholding a pensioners own money which is criminal! Reviewed on: 6th February 2025

Aviva provide a great SIPP.

Aviva provide a great SIPP. Easy to access and use online with lots of information provided along with a safe place for all online correspondence. Reviewed on: 13th January 2025

Poorest investment pension returns

Having invested for around 15 years and year on year investment loss. Nearly 40pc. And that on money put in. With no returns. Now fees are eating at what’s left. They have the cheek to say put more in. Having several smaller pension pots making more money. Losses of pension not covered by ppf. Stay well clear. Reviewed on: 22nd December 2024

Delays, but sorted out in the end.

I had a Friend Provident pension which was taken over by Aviva. I decided to buy the annuity from Aviva to get the benefit of the guarantee. Every step of the process was slow and at one stage it took 3 weeks (and 2 more phone calls) to get a prepaid envelope (which should have been included in my pack in the first place). Even getting a quote took 8 weeks. After the forms had been filled in there was an inexplicable delay (5 weeks) until I got my first payment. Which was then 2 weeks after my scheduled retirement date. However, I am now completely satisfied with the outcome and staff have always been polite and friendly. Reviewed on: 13th December 2024

The total lack of Customer Service.

The total lack of Customer Service makes it hard to leave anything but a negative review. You have to wait for over an hour on the phone to speak to people, they don't answer emails and they appear to be totally incompetent. Nothing about them has been any good in my experience. I'm surprised they're still in business. Reviewed on: 10th December 2024

My husband has had a terrible experience with this o...

My husband has had a terrible experience with this outfit who are completely incompetent and unprofessional. Its taken over six months for him to get his tax free pension, he has spent hours on the phone, they kept promising to call back and it never happened, he had misinformation and had to repeatedly send through the same information, completely incompetent and then after he formally complained and rhey said they would look into it, finally came back and said it was due to third party advice!!! Really??? Taking no ownership for a completely incompetent service!! Reviewed on: 10th November 2024

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