Three people talking over coffee

The free financial health check

About an hour on the phone or video, and a written picture of where you actually stand.

We gather what you already hold, work out what it is really doing, and tell you what is missing. You get that as a written summary which is yours to keep and act on with us, with somebody else, or on your own.

The health check is free. If there is work worth doing afterwards, you get the recommendation and the cost in pounds before you decide.

What the health check covers

Will your pension actually fund your retirement?

We add up what you have, project what it is likely to produce and compare that with the life you say you want. The gap, in either direction, is usually the most useful number you will see all year.

Is your money working, or just sitting?

Cash has a job and it is a short-term one. We look at what you hold, what it costs you in charges, and whether the risk you are taking is the risk you meant to take.

What happens to your family if you cannot work?

Life cover, critical illness and income protection: what you have, what it would really pay, and whether it is written in trust so it reaches the right person quickly.

Are you paying more than you need to on your mortgage?

When a fixed rate ends, what happens next is usually decided by inertia. We check whether a better product exists and what switching would actually save you.

Is there a valid, current will?

56% of UK adults do not have one, on the Money and Pensions Service's count. Of those who do, plenty have one that predates a marriage, a divorce, a child or a house move.

Are you using the allowances you are entitled to?

ISA allowance, pension annual allowance, gifting exemptions, the marriage allowance. Most people leave some of these behind every year.

Three short steps

  1. 1

    Ask for a time

    Email or message us and we will agree a time that suits you, and tell you what to have to hand.

  2. 2

    The review

    About an hour. We work through what you have, what it is doing and what is missing. You can ask anything.

  3. 3

    Your summary

    A clear written picture of where you stand and what we would suggest, in plain English, yours to keep.

What to dig out beforehand

Whatever you can find: pension statements, ISA and investment valuations, your mortgage offer or latest statement, any life or critical illness policies, and a rough idea of income and outgoings. If some of it has gone missing we can trace most things.

Before you book

Is it genuinely free?

Yes. The health check is free. If there is work worth doing afterwards we will set out the recommendation and the cost in pounds, and you are free to say no.

How long does it take?

Around an hour, sometimes split across two shorter calls. Gathering the paperwork beforehand is usually the longest part.

Will you try to sell me something?

You will get what we think you should do. Often that includes leaving existing arrangements exactly where they are, particularly older pensions with guarantees attached, which are frequently worth more than anything available today.

Do I have to come into an office?

No. Most of this is done by phone or video, wherever you are in the UK.

Will your pension pay for the retirement you want?

Whether your pensions will cover the retirement you want, and by how much they miss.

Answered in full

Longer answers to the questions that come up most on this subject.

Ask for a health check.

Tell us roughly when suits and what is on your mind. We will come back with a time and a short list of what to have to hand.