Our expert pension advice service can help you maintain your desired lifestyle once you stop working.
Whether you’re taking control of your investments or allowing our experts to take care of them for you, you can be confident Mattioli Woods will look after you, your investments and your pensions. With our strong background in administering and advising on SIPP and SSAS arrangements, you’re in good hands.
A pension is a tax-efficient, long-term savings vehicle that aims to provide you with sufficient income throughout your retirement. These dedicated funds hold both your and any employer's matching contributions (via workplace schemes), and they benefit from significant tax advantages.
Access to your pension becomes available upon reaching the minimum retirement age (currently 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028), unless you have a protected pension age or are retiring earlier due to ill‑health.
At this point, you’re entitled to withdraw up to 25% as a tax-free lump sum, with various options for structuring ongoing income from the remaining balance.
There are various types of pensions available to suit different scenarios, as we cover below. Our expert pension advice can help you select the right options for you today and in retirement.
SIPP offer sophisticated investors enhanced control over their pension investments. Our SIPP provide access to an extensive range of investment options, including direct commercial property holdings, supported by our professional pension advisers. Benefits include:
SIPP represent a powerful combination of tax efficiency, investment flexibility and retirement security, making them essential for anyone serious about building their financial future.
SSAS arrangements, typically used by company directors and key executives, offer maximum flexibility and control. Unique features include:
These features allow business owners to leverage their pension assets for company growth while maintaining control over investment decisions and potentially benefiting from tax advantages.
A personal pension is a pension you arrange yourself. Sometimes known as a defined contribution (DC) pension, this is the most common type of workplace pension, combining employee and employer contributions in a personally-allocated investment portfolio. The final pension value varies depending on not only the level of contributions made but also the investment performance.
Dean Cheeseman, Managing Director of Client Investment Solutions at Matiolli Woods, explains our products and tailored approach:
“We prioritise delivering peace of mind through sophisticated advice and holistic investment management. Whether your objectives include early retirement, tax-efficient income structuring, or integrating pension planning with business strategy, your dedicated adviser will develop and maintain an appropriate strategy.”
| Features | MW PP | SIPP | SSAS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mattioli Woods sets investment boundaries | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Individual scheme rules | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Regulated by | FCA* | FCA* | The Pensions Regulator |
| Limited company needed to establish | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Appointed to a master trust or standalone trust | Appointed | Appointed | Standalone |
| Can invest in Mattioli Woods’ DPM** and/or multi-asset funds | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Can hold multiple investment solutions | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Can hold commercial property | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Can loan money to connected business | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Can have multiple members | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
* The Financial Conduct Authority
** Discretionary Portfolio Management
Effective pension management has many clear perks:
Our pension financial advisers help you take control of your retirement journey, with products and strategies built around your life goals.
You will be assigned a dedicated pension adviser who will work with you to ensure you are working towards your pension goals. You will also have your own client relationship manager (CRM) who will deal with the day-to-day running of your account.
By having your own team of pension experts who know you and your goals, we can ensure you get the personal approach for your financial ambitions.
Yes ‒ merging several pots into a single pension plan can simplify management, reduce charges and offer access to broader investment options. It’s important to check for any valuable benefits you might lose, however. Our independent pension advice can clarify your current position and your best options moving forward.
All our fees vary depending on your circumstances, and one of our pension advisers can discuss this with you.
Currently, the annual allowance is £60,000 per year, per person (2025/26 tax year). This includes personal pension contributions plus those from employers. In certain circumstances, you may be able to use unused annual allowances from the previous three tax years.
Yes, you can still pay into pensions until age 75 to benefit from tax relief on personal contributions and tax-free growth. If you’ve started flexible withdrawals, the money purchase annual allowance (MPAA) may reduce your yearly limit to £10,000.
These depend on the type of pension you have/are looking to use, as explained above. As part of our pension advice service, your adviser will be able to create a bespoke investment strategy relevant to the appropriate wrapper being used. In summary, you may be able to invest in:
Please note ‒ The value of pension investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than was paid in. Investment returns are not guaranteed.
Yes ‒ pension funds are subject to market fluctuations, meaning your pension pot can decrease as well as increase in value. Our pension advisers help you choose investment strategies aligned with your risk profile to manage these risks.
The minimum retirement age in the UK is 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028, unless you have a protected pension age or are retiring earlier due to ill‑health. You will then be entitled to withdraw 25% of your pension pot tax free, subject to your lifetime limit, or ‘Lump Sum Allowance’ (LSA). Please speak to your financial adviser, who will be able to provide you with the most useful advice for your situation.
If you’re under the normal withdrawal age and suffering from ill health, you may be able to access your pension early. This usually requires medical evidence and depends on your pension scheme’s criteria.
Both SIPP and SSAS pensions offer a wider range of investment opportunities than a traditional pension, but there are some key differences.
| Feature | SIPP (self-invested personal pension) | SSAS (small self-administered scheme) |
| Who’s it for? | Individuals seeking flexibility and control over their personal pension investments | Company directors and key employees looking to combine retirement planning with business benefits |
| Number of members | Single member (personal pension) | Up to 11 members, typically directors or senior staff |
| Investment options | Wide range: stocks, funds, commercial property and more | Similar flexibility, plus ability to loan funds back to the sponsoring employer |
| Property investment | Yes – can purchase commercial property within the pension | Yes – can purchase commercial property, often used for business premises |
| Loanback facility | Not available | Yes – up to 50% of scheme value can be loaned to the sponsoring employer (subject to rules) |
| Control and governance | Managed by the individual with professional trustee/administrator support | Members act as trustees, giving direct control over decisions |
| Tax benefits | Tax relief on contributions, tax-free growth, and 25% tax-free lump sum | Same tax advantages as SIPP, plus potential business funding benefits |
| Complexity | Relatively straightforward for individuals | More complex due to trustee responsibilities and regulatory requirements |
| Best suited for | Individuals who want personal control and a broad choice of investments | Business owners who want to combine pension planning with corporate financial flexibility |
If you’re unsure which is right for you, seeking professional pension guidance can give you the clarity and confidence you need.
If you wish to access your pension after age 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028), unless you have a protected pension age or are retiring earlier due to ill‑health, you can use flexi-access drawdown.
Using flexi-access drawdown means you can take up to 25% of your pension as a tax-free lump sum. The remaining 75% will stay invested. You’re then able to withdraw as much or as little as you require from the invested portion. However, it’s important to note that these withdrawals will be taxed at your marginal Income Tax rate.
For the majority, the standard tax-free cash entitlement will be 25% of your total pension pot. This can be taken either through small amounts via flexi-access drawdown, or as a single lump sum.
However, there are some instances where this may differ, so you should seek pension tax advice from your financial adviser.
Yes. Mattioli Woods does not handle clients’ money.
This means all cheques or bank transfers must be made payable to the issuer of the investment unless it is for the settlement of our fees.
While Mattioli Woods is the provider of the pension, this essentially means we act as professional trustee and administrator. Your money is therefore ringfenced and held with the underlying investment provider or bank, for the benefit of your pension trust.
Commercial property
Pensions have been used to hold commercial property in one form or another since the 1970s. These days, not all SIPP providers can facilitate the purchase of commercial property, and there are always benefits and disadvantages of any such investment strategy within a SIPP or SSAS. We strongly advise speaking with a Mattioli Woods adviser for more information. You can also request our brochure on pensions and commercial property.
Loanbacks
Loanbacks are a successful way for you to help with the cash flow needed to develop your business further, without having to approach a bank. Used as part of a SSAS, a loanback allows you to loan funds from your pension arrangement to your business, in return for capital and interest repayments.
There are several provisions that must be satisfied to facilitate a loanback. Therefore, it’s important to speak with one of the Mattioli Woods advisers who are well-versed in these arrangements. They’ll ensure these provisions can be met and that a loanback is a suitable strategy for you and your business.
Most pension types, including personal pensions, SIPP and SSAS, can usually be passed on to your nominated beneficiaries, either as a lump sum or as ongoing income.
Personal pensions and SIPP offer greater flexibility for beneficiaries, but from 6 April 2027, any money left may incur an Inheritance Tax charge. With SSAS pensions, the trustees manage how benefits are distributed.
Our pension experts will help you structure your pension to ensure your loved ones are looked after and that any tax implications are managed effectively.
