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Royal London: Pension reviews

Name: Pension
Rating: 1.76 (98 reviews)

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1.68

Based on 98 reviews, last reviewed 3rd Apr 2025

200% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

200% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

17%

4 star

79%

Latest highest rating:

5

Royal London provided all the answers in one phone call Royal London provided all the answers I needed regarding my pension. If they couldn't address a query, they connected me with someone who could. I was... Read more Reviewed on: 26th February 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

Royal London pensions scammers Trying to access my pensions which was originally with Abbey National then went over to these idiots,ive sent all my id off and I'm not getting anywhe... Read more Reviewed on: 3rd April 2025

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About this product

Royal London pension reviews are written by Smart Money People like you. For many of us, our pension is an important part of our financial future. Finding a pension provider that you can trust and rely on is a must for many people. Take a look at our Royal London pension reviews to find out what life at Royal London is really like. If you hold this pension, we'd love you to write an honest review here too!

Royal London Pension reviews (98)

Review of the Royal London, Pension:

Excellent life insurance benefit

Provides excellent life insurance benefits within the pension scheme if your unlucky enough to die whilst in service. This part was paid out quickly and efficiently. However, with the pension itself I was waiting and having to send excessive information. They did sort this out in the end though. Reviewed on: 20th May 2024

Terrible Customer Service

They don't get back to you. You have to chase constantly. Taken 3 weeks of emailing multiple teams and gotten nowhere for a simple request. Do not use. Reviewed on: 25th June 2021

Very slow, unhelpful and hanging on to my money (3 months pension so far - over 2K now)

I had an ex CIS pension that was transferred to Royal London.. Recently reached 65 but in the run up to this, Royal London wouldn't reply to letters and emails and had to be chased again and again about annuity quotes. The process dragged on for months. Now over 3 months after my pension start date I still haven't had any money. They now tell me payments will start next month but not back dated and it is my fault for applying too near retirement. They have effectively stolen 3 months of my pension. They said it was because I applied late. Not the case - they wouldn't communicate with me or my IFA in spite of constant chasing. Absolute rubbish and I think fraudulent as well. Disgusted. Reviewed on: 10th June 2021

Poor performing funds with the default pension option invested in one of their worst.

Of the 179 Royal London funds analysed 64.3% rated as poor performing 1 or 2-star funds. https://www.yodelar.com/insights/royal-london-review Most of their funds are actively managed and fail to beat the benchmark whilst charging you activley managed fees. Moreover, the default option for pensioners is one of their governed portfolios (depending on how long you are from retirement) which have performed simply awfully. I'm 41 years from retirement and so should be looking to take a fair amount of risk and I've been stuck in governed portfolio 4 with a 5 year average annual return of 6% ish. Compare this to the 5 year return of the S&P 500 of 15%+ over the same time period (at the time of writing 30/4/21) this is simply a terrrible option from Royal London. Moreover, the fees available to put your money in the S&P 500 are as low as 0.07% (from Vangaurd and others) whereas RL charge an astonishing 1% (at their cheapest!) for you to lose money relative to the benchmark. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some strategy to put the majority of pensions in these low performing funds to keep them afloat as the fund managers continue to lose you money relative to the benchmark. Do your due diligence and check their fund performance for yourself: https://www.royallondon.com/pensions/investment-options/investment-performance/ And please please if you do chose RL (or have no choice) edit your pension away from the default option into one of the high performing tracker funds. If it's a tracker fund the fund managers can't actively lose you money and then charge you for doing so! :) Reviewed on: 30th April 2021

Communications non exsitant!

Will not use phones pr emails to communicate. Deliberately delay payments by putting obstacles in the way and passing to different departments. Drip feed you bits of information by post. Never by email or phone. I have also wasted over an hour trying to get through on the phone. I know pensions are a long term thing, but they deliberately delay your pensions presumably so they can keep getting interest on your money! Reviewed on: 8th March 2021

The Satan Of The pension World

I have requested to transfer my Pension and have taken FCA approved financial advice, yet still they refuse to allow me to move MY money. I’ve now wasteD £1296 Seeking full approved financial advise. A quite disgusting company, avoid a ALL cost! Reviewed on: 29th October 2020

Totally useless

I have never known such a useless company Totakly useless Un professional and un helpful Do not invest any money or pensions thru this company you will never get it back It takes 2 months for them to reply to anything and another 7 weeks to send mail You phone them and they can't help have no idea what they are doing Can't get our pension money back Hard earned cash that we have earnt Next stop is ombudsman Furious Reviewed on: 16th October 2020

Terrible

our financial advisor recommended Royal London along with a couple of others to choose from. Wish we had never gone with Royal London. The charges taken by Royal London and our advisor are seriously wrecking an already poorly performing pension. We are changing both advisor and pension provider. Incidentally we have been told by a number of financial advisors we should never have gone with Royal London. Reviewed on: 3rd October 2020

Very Poor indeed

This company has made calculation errors on my pension statement for the past 5 years at least and having requested a transfer value the errors were identified and a poor letter of apology received. I have £20,000 less in value than was communicated and the Ombudsman will be advised. The offer of £1k is equally unacceptable. Trust is important in your chosen provider as is integrity and the ability to add up! Reputation is clearly not priority #Royalcockup Reviewed on: 27th August 2019

Very professional

I have been with the company for many years and I have always felt in safe, competent hands. Statements are on time and bonuses are progressive. I highly recommend Royal London to anyone - for all your pension needs and income protection. Reviewed on: 21st July 2019

Excellent Service

I could not have asked for a better service from Royal London and in particular their representative Mel Mullender. Could not fault them. Reviewed on: 8th July 2019

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