Workplace Pensions and Financial Wellbeing

Simplifying pensions, strengthening futures

Workplace pensions are one of the most important ways employers can support their people’s long-term financial security. Our Defined Contribution (DC) pensions and financial wellbeing services combine deep pensions expertise, data-driven analytics, and independent advice to simplify the complexity of workplace pensions.   

What are Defined Contribution (DC) Pensions? 

A DC pension is a workplace pension where both the employee and employer pay money into an individual pot. That pot is invested, giving it the chance to grow over time. The value at retirement depends on how much is paid in, how long it’s invested, and how the investments perform. 

Unlike Defined Benefit (DB) pensions, which promise a set income in retirement, DC pensions give employees visibility and control. They can see how much they’ve saved, make decisions about contributions and investments, and feel confident they’re building towards the future they want. 

For employers, DC pensions are flexible, transparent, and a powerful way to support long-term financial wellbeing, while also strengthening recruitment, retention, and employee engagement. 

Whether you’re an employer, trustee, or provider, we work alongside you to deliver solutions that meet your objectives, engage your people, and drive better long-term outcomes.  

A great workplace pension is about more than meeting your legal requirements, it’s about helping your people prepare for life after work. Done well, DC pensions can boost workforce engagement, strengthen financial well-being, and support sustainable business growth. By combining our consulting know-how, global market insight, and technology-led solutions, we give you clarity, confidence, and the flexibility to adapt to a fast-changing environment.  

Analytics that empower your workforce

GEM (Governance, Engagement and Monitoring) is our unique tool that turns pensions data and analytics into action .
  
With real-time insights, forecasting, and benchmarking, GEM helps you make confident governance decisions across all areas of people, organisation and finance. For employees, it delivers clear, engaging tools that bring their pensions and wider benefits to life.

Our DC consulting services

Pension Consultancy 

We’re your strategic partner in helping you maximise the value of the DC pension scheme you offer. From day one, we’re here to ensure that your employees are getting the most from their pensions, right up to retirement. 

We’ll work closely with you to understand your business, your workforce, and your goals. Our support is hands-on, personal, and always focused on making your DC pension strategy as effective and employee-centred as possible. Our wide-ranging services cover investment strategy and Value for Money assessments, through to regular, tailored checks and audits to keep you on track. 

As your one trusted adviser, our guidance is independent and data-led, focused on measurable outcomes for members and your business. 

The benefits of working with us 

• One trusted adviser for your pensions and wider employee benefits. 
• Independent advice you can rely on - free from product bias. 
• Smarter decisions through data and insights, powered by GEM analytics. 
• Market scale and consulting expertise for the best of both worlds. 
• Solutions shaped around you - balancing affordability, compliance and employee value. 
• Better outcomes for your people and measurable value for your business. 

DC governance: beyond the basics 

Our governance framework ensures that your pension provider isn’t just meeting your goals, they're exceeding them. We keep a sharp eye on everything: contribution levels, provider competitiveness, and much more. We’re not about ticking boxes, we’re about ensuring your DC pension offering is the best it can be. 

Using our GEM analytics tool, we provide transparent dashboards, benchmarking and year-on-year trends so you can track value for money, investment performance and member outcomes with confidence. 

And we’re not afraid to ask the questions: Is your provider performing well? Is your plan truly competitive and serving your employees’ needs? We keep you ahead of the curve. 

Salary Exchange: Smart savings for all  

Pension salary exchange is a simple, tax-efficient way to boost pension contributions while saving on National Insurance (NIC). Employees agree to reduce their gross salary by the amount of their pension contribution, and you pay it directly into their pension scheme. The result? Lower income tax and NIC for employees and savings on employer NIC. 

We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. That’s why we’ll work with you to review your workforce demographics and model potential take-up and outcomes to ensure salary exchange makes sense for your business. We’ll help you communicate the changes clearly, so everyone is on the same page. 

DC provider research and selection 

Choosing the right DC pension provider is key. But what happens when it’s time to reassess? Whether it’s been a while since your last review, the market has shifted, or service quality has dipped, we’re here to help you consider your options. 

We take an independent, data and insight-led approach to finding the right provider for your business. We’ll get to know your goals and timelines, dive deep into the market, and lead you through every step of the selection process. With GEM, we apply transparent scoring and benchmarking, so decisions are evidence-based and auditable. We make it simple, ensuring a smooth transition and ongoing success. 

Employee Engagement: Empowering Your Team 

We know that empowering your employees to take charge of their DC plans is key to their financial success. Whether they’re just starting or nearing retirement, we offer everything from educational workshops to one-on-one guidance, ensuring they have the support they need every step of the way. 

We understand pensions can feel complicated – but they don’t have to. Our goal is to turn pensions from a ‘chore’ into a source of confidence. Through clear communications, we help employees take charge of their financial future. Whatever stage they’re at, they’ll feel supported, informed, and motivated to act. 

Financial Wellbeing: More Than Just Retirement 

Financial wellbeing is about more than saving for retirement. It’s about making sure your employees feel secure and in control of their money today as well as preparing for tomorrow.  

Our financial wellbeing service can help your employees manage their daily expenses, plan for the unexpected, and take charge of their financial future with confidence. 

We’ll work with you to create personalised solutions that meet your workforce’s needs, offering everything from budgeting advice to investment planning, we can provide support with: 

• Savings 
• Debt management 
• Mortgages and financial planning 

By integrating financial wellbeing into your pensions and benefits strategy, we create joined-up solutions that improve engagement and long-term outcomes for your people and your business. 

Communication: Making Pensions Easy to Understand 

Pensions can seem confusing. But that doesn’t mean they have to be a barrier to engagement. Our in-house communication team will work with you to create messages that are clear, concise, and tailored to your employees’ needs. Whether they’re new to the scheme or nearing retirement, we ensure everyone feels informed and confident about their retirement planning. 

We’ll help you craft the right communication strategy. And then we measure impact, refine regularly, and make pensions easier to understand – so your employees feel confident about their financial future. 

Auto-Enrolment: Getting it Right 

Auto-enrolment is not just about signing up eligible employees – it’s about ensuring your scheme is set up correctly and stays compliant. If you’re looking to revisit your auto-enrolment process, we’re here to help. 

Our specialist DC audit service ensures everything’s in place. If we find any issues, we’ll work with you to resolve them, helping you stay compliant while streamlining the process for your business and employees. We provide clear action plans and ongoing checks, reducing compliance risk and admin time. 

New Company Set-Up: Starting Strong 

Setting up a DC pension scheme for the first time can be overwhelming. But with our expert guidance, you’ll navigate the entire process with confidence. We’ll help you design a pension plan that fits your business, select the right provider, and ensure compliance with all regulations. 

No matter your company’s size, we’ll tailor the solution to meet your needs. With ongoing support and updates, we’ll help you establish a DC pension scheme that works for both your business and your employees, securing their financial future. From design to delivery, our independent, outcomes-focused approach keeps your scheme on track.