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Scottish Widows: Pension reviews

1.16
Based on 62 reviews, last reviewed 21st Mar 2025
No new 5 star reviews
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200% increase in 1 star reviews
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Latest highest rating:

5

Great customer and digital services Switched all my pensions to my workplace pension with Scottish Widows. Such a smooth process, I was kept well informed throughout. Their app is great,... Read more Reviewed on: 12th January 2022
Jonny West's avatar
Jonny West

Latest lowest rating:

1

Everything was a struggle. Everything was a struggle. Two GDPR breaches. Still pending information on why the plan performance was so dire. Reviewed on: 21st March 2025
Emma B's avatar
Emma B

About this product

Scottish Widows pension reviews 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 Scottish Widows pension reviews to find out what life at Scottish Widows is really like. If you hold this pension, we'd love you to write an honest review here too!

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Scottish Widows Pension reviews (62)

Pension Ponzi Scheme - Scottish Widows steals pensions

1
Work placed pension switched from Fidelity to this thieving company in April 2021. Since then Scottish Widows has stolen 37% of my contributions and overall my pension pot is 10% down in one year. Please do not use this company for a pension. If you do you will find you have far less after giving them money. Utter criminals Reviewed on: 23rd June 2022

Scottish Widows are shockingly bad

1
I'm 56 and I was considering drawing down some funds this year. I had planned and hence I moved my Scottish Widows Uk stock market tracker pension to their balanced and supposedly lower risk Pension Portfolio 2 and 4 Series 2 in Nov 21 trusting those clever SW manager folk (led by Philip chandler) to protect the pension pot I had with them. Now in May 2022 they have lost a £1000 a week in their lower risk funds -??? I have complained to Scottish Widows who responded Brexit has impacted fund values (sorry I do not accept from Nov 21 to May 22 brexit has caused them to lose my fund £1000 a week from their managed balanced and lower risk funds what a ridiculous response) So I have complained now to the Ombudsman. Will update with any developments but my view is do not go near Scottish Widows as a pension manager. See update above I am hoping to meet my local MP next two weeks to raise these concerns Reviewed on: 22nd May 2022

Pension lost 8%

1
I have 2 pension pots my large one is with the Prudential which is still performing at around a 4.8% return. My second pension pot is the smaller and with Scottish Widows. This is currently returning a loss of around -1.9% and has caused me to lose slightly over 8% in the last 4 months. So glad that the Scottish Widows pension is only a small one and not one on which I rely. Reviewed on: 4th May 2022

DONT USE THEM

1
Move a pension to them , everytime i need to take to them it takes a hour waiting for someone to answer , today i spent 45 minutes waiting , agent answers , then asks a few questions and dumps me back in the queue for another 20 minutes then call ends . Disgrace you should be ashamed , last straw for me im moving my pension Reviewed on: 8th April 2022

Frustrating

1
Would have been quicker to paint forth bridge than get pension out Reviewed on: 3rd April 2022

Great customer and digital services

5
Switched all my pensions to my workplace pension with Scottish Widows. Such a smooth process, I was kept well informed throughout. Their app is great, showing me what I need to know and providing thorough information on financial wellbeing. Feel like they are going above and beyond to help people help themselves. Reviewed on: 12th January 2022

Great Eco Product

5
I got pension 25 years ago and it slowly rose in value, with climate change it surged nearly 25% this year. Ethical investing pays. Reviewed on: 9th October 2021

Very poor in all aspects.

1
I have two pensions. One with Scottish Widows (Clerical Medical), the other with Aviva. In comparison, SW/CM were exceptionally poor on all fronts, when compared with the competition. Over 20 years their investment return was a fraction of others, their record keeping and sharing of investment data is secretive, and suspiciously absent, and now their customer service provides delays and lip service. Mark Radin. Reviewed on: 28th September 2020

Par Excellence

5
First class customer service, clear honest transactions, future advice and transparency. Options discussed, and a tailor made service to meet your needs. Reviewed on: 4th February 2019

Don't waste your money

1
Dug meat company don't waste your time or your money with a company which does not invest in its staff or technology. Lloyds banking group try to run this as a bank and do not invest any time or resources into this once successful firm Reviewed on: 17th July 2018

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