Standard Life UK Reviews 

Very disappointed with this company. They take your money, yet you try and transfer your funds to a different trusted company and they put blockers in place. Take your money, but don’t want to release funds. Hell bent on ruining your retirement. Avoid at all costs!!! If John Wayne was alive he would shoot them and deflect to the Red Indians.

As a lay person trying to navigate the drawing down of a pension, the quality of the information and efficiency of action on the part of staff is of paramount importance. Some correspondents are knowledgeable, others sadly don't know which way is 'up' and peddle nothing but bs, trying to be 'nice' but raising expectations as to how quickly things might happen. From inception of the contact with Standard Life to date it has taken nearly three months to 'happen' and we ain't there yet!

The response received from Standard Life via Trustpilot graphically illustrates the above point. When I submitted my review, I provided the plan number - I only have one - which enabled Standard Life (SL) to identify who I am. Their response claims that they need more information. Well, here goes:

I first contacted Standard Life on 30th April and over the following week it became clear that my best option was to consolidate another pension with my SL pension before drawing down a tax-free sum and then purchasing an annuity. So far, so good.

Conversations were held with various parties which included an instruction to consolidate the other pension with the SL one which was to happen via an origo transfer where SL contact the other provider to effect the transfer. Come 26th June, that action had still not been taken by SL.

Having finally managed to get SL trigger the consolidation, I then was told to contact SL as soon as the drawdown hit my account in order to progress the purchase of the annuity.

On 2nd July I received a bundle of documents from SL which appeared to suggest that the drawdown was to be paid into my account on 30th June, although nothing had been credited to my account on that day. I called SL and was told that the money had only been from my other pension pot that day (2nd July) and that it would be credited to my account the following week.

The 'following week' came and went and nothing appeared in my account, so, on 13th July I called SL again, only to be told that the 30th June date was 'just an illustration' and that the money had still not been received from the other provider, a total contradiction of what I had been told by an SL employee on 2nd July. That call was initially put through to the wrong department, so plenty of everyone's time was wasted explaining the situation more times than was necessary.

An email was received yesterday (21st July) from the other provider advising me that the transfer had taken place from them to SL, some 17 working days (wd) after the 26th June 'trigger', so in line with the 15-20 wd advised on 13th July.

So, between the origo transfer not being triggered until 26th June, the incorrect information being dished out on 2nd July and being put through to the wrong department on 13th July, we are now nearly three months on from my initial contact with SL and I am still not in possession of a lump sum or a pension.

That is not good service and deserves only three stars, possibly less given SL's inability to pick up on the plan number provided with the initial review and 'reach out' to me, as the Americans say...

Never ever go with standard life . Its probably the worst mistake u could make its like beating ur head against a wall. Every person you talk to tell you something different . It wouldn't be so bad but its easier to borrow 100% to buy a house then get your own . Ive been going around in circles for over a month now. I wish I knew the hassle id have trying to get my own money and I hope this helps other ppl from going through the same debacle I have . If it improves you may never read this but if you are then it probably got worse.

Super easy, you tell them the details on the app, they sort the transfer, there’s no cost and the app updates a few weeks later once the transfer completes. Awesome! 🙌🏻

I needed to transfer in some money from an existing pension. SL made it really easy and kept me informed along the way. Really helpful staff who were knowledgeable and efficient. Would recommend.

Standard Life’s Facebook slogan is “Helping people imagine the later life they want and live retired life their way.” You have to use your imagination because they aren’t going to part with your money.
I retired at the start April and it's now July. My financial adviser is trying to move my fund to another supplier who are performing much better. We asked for the available interest free sum to be paid to me. Each of the last 8 weeks (probably longer) Standard Life have told me, via my adviser, that the money will be paid "either Friday or at the latest Monday".
After several delays we were told they didn't have all the information despite this being passed to them. I don't know why we weren't informed earlier. The data was provided the same day but the cycle of delays just continued to repeat.
I am now robbing Peter to pay Paul. A complaint was raised by my adviser several weeks ago but we still have no resolution so I also raised a complaint.

My mum is a widow. Turned 65 in January 2026. Pension was meant to be paid out then.

We are now in in July, after countless phones calls and many many hours on the phone to SL, they still have not paid out the money we are owed.

They have a mysterious 'system error' that their IT can not resolve. (Little Britain, "Computer says NO")

My complaint should have been logged at first point of contact however we have been strung along and the first complaint was logged in May.

I emailed the CEO. Andy Briggs - Pheonix group.

Obviously no response from that end as he probably is laughing his way to the bank looking at his own pension. I don't think he would be waiting this long for it.

You would think with similar reviews about the same issue - they would act on this but its all silence.

They are dithering with their 8 week FOS letter, asking for more time. Another two weeks.

I have had other pensions paid out in 10 working days. It has taken SL 182 days so far and counting.

This company is embarrassing. Trustpilot should open the option for ZERO stars.

My pension was due to be paid on my 65th birthday and all the paperwork etc was completed well in advance so as to ensure they wouldn't be any delay with payments.
I tried to contact standard life to find out the actual date the payments would paid so I could set up some standing orders. The number 08081640164 given to me by them is impossible to get through, I feel it is just a number they pass on to people to fob them off as I've been trying for weeks to get in contact with them but just get the annoying voice message.
I've left my phone number with them asking for a return call but nothing.
When you email them they reply with the same (we aim to process all requests within 5 working days) even after the 5 days have passed.
I had no other choice to go with this company as my pension was passed to them from REASSURE who are no more help as they just say contact STANDARD LIFE.
I've already put in a formal complaint to standard life with no satisfaction so now I put one in with THE PENSION OMBUDSMAN to see if they can get me satisfaction.
(Watch this space)

Worst pension provider ever! I'm trying to transfer out my pension and passed more than 35 days and they do not process the transfer. They do not give any feedback and always ask more days to analyse, even all the forms being sent promptly and many messages sent to try to understand what is going on. Avoid this provider.

Well I joined this company on 29th June take way too long for to take some cash from your pension 15 to 20 day they fob u off they there extra busy so if thinking off taking your pension over to them don't bother people pension and legal and general are much better after 14 years of waiting to recover my pension after great stress this company makes it worst got a reply there u want help u got my plan number get it sorted instead off more I've already been told

My father died in March. His pension should have transferred to my mother, his widow — a routine process. One hundred days on: no payment, no progress, no explanation. I've made two formal complaints. Twice I was promised a call back within 48 hours. Twice, nothing. Meanwhile, money that belongs to a bereaved widow sits with them. If you're expecting this company to look after your family when it matters most, think again. Appalling.

my father died and his pension transferred to my mother. 100 days later .... no progress, no pension, no answers...made a formal complaint twice and no response despite their promise to call back within 48hrs...twice. They appear to be stalling and I imagine earning interest on what should go to a widow. It should not take 100 days to sort out a simple transfer of benefits.

After filling in forms weeks ago for my pension on my 55th birthday I’m still waiting 7 days later whereas aegon and Aptia delivered on my birthday morning . Slow going by standard life

After getting in touch with Standard life to explain an error they made with my pension transfer, they opened an investigation & emailed me to admit that they had made an error. They explained how they would fix their mistake, which they did within a few days & kept me in the loop. I am happy with the outcome.

Pension Withdrawal is a nightmare. Incompetent staff, fake investigations into complaints,invent always new documents they need to see before payment and they ignore your emails when you ask for explanation! I think they should be barred from providing pension services as they are disorganised and unprofessional. Their strategy seems to be to dissuade customers from making claims or asking questions.alThey have a dedicated complaints department which colludes with the claims department and they like to issue final decisions when they are tired of dealing with you. In my case I ask led them to pay my small pension into my UK account.As I am not resident in the UK but they asked for another bank statemt which shows my living expenses, credit card etc.I asked that they give me the legal or regulatory basis for this demand, but they just ignored my request for information pointed to the ombudsman if I wanted to escalate.This is just a bunch of arrogant and useless client facing staff who do everything to deny and delay payouts be it from life insurance or pension etc I hope they will soon nreceive massive fines from the regulator or the judiciary for ongoing and recurrent customer abuse; Unfortunately I cannot give 0 or negative score!

Pirates. It’s been 3 months, 12 phone calls (taking a minimum of an hour on hold each time), and untold distress - and still the pension has not been paid to the named beneficiary/surviving spouse. Very simple claim and this company are simply not processing it. Managers avoid speaking to customers. Avoid them like the plague - they will take your money and never give it back.

Absolutley shocking.
Sent 3 emails within. 2 weeks and no answer!!!

Unable to transfer out your pension without taking the entire length of time possible... 3 other smaller pension provider have already moved there respective funds but a billion pound pension provider "struggles" to do things quickly... all of this would have been unnecessary if they allowed me to move my funds into one of there SIPPs but they advised I needed at least 60k to join their "boys club" this company is the reason pensions providers are known in a bad way.

Using the app to consolidate previous pensions scattered around from previous employer was very easy, the app also displays all the information required.

Standard Life have been treating me in a very unprofessional way for close to 8 weeks now. I sent them a form to be completed and sent back to me in May. This has still not been done. Worst still, they are ignoring my request to speak to the person dealing with the issue. I have rang them many times over the last few weeks. Even their complaints department have erroneously sent me an apology letter, claiming to have settled this issue and then realising that the form hasn't been sent yet. Why are they so unprofessional? Why can't you contact them on the phone when they are obviously not fulfilling their customer service?