Getting financial advice

The ARP Trustees have appointed a regulated firm of financial advisers to help you make informed choices about your Aon OnePlan pension savings.

Appointed financial adviser

The ARP Trustees have appointed Origen Financial Services Limited ('Origen’), a firm authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The Trustees have negotiated a competitive rate with Origen for members of the Aon OnePlan.

This includes members who are currently contributing and members who are no longer contributing.

This is a valuable benefit as Origen’s rate is likely to be less than any rate you’re quoted on the open market as an individual.

Regulated advice from Origen

Origen can provide a range of services to help members at different stages of their retirement journey. Select each of the headings below for more information.

Who are Origen?

Origen is a long-standing, regulated, national firm of financial advisers.

For more detail about Origen, head to their website: www.origenfs.co.uk.

How Origen can advise you

Origen can advise you on the following:

Your investment choices
Growing your Aon OnePlan savings
Options at retirement
What to do once you’ve accessed your pension savings

In providing you with advice, Origen will take into account other relevant factors, for instance, pension savings that you may have elsewhere, when helping you decide how to use your savings at retirement.

The Aon OnePlan member website also has information about Origen and their services.

Watch Origen's video

Watch this short video for an introduction to Origen and the service they provide.

To arrange advice with Origen

Contact Origen to arrange an advice call at any time.

By phone

You can contact them on the following number:

0800 161 5603

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm except bank holidays.

By email

You can contact them by email:

ARP@Origenfs.co.uk

You’ll need to let them know that you’re a member of the Aon OnePlan and that you’d like to arrange an advice call.

Alternatively, you can ask the 'Contact Centre Team' to book an appointment for you.

If you have additional ARP pension benefits or savings

The terms for receiving financial advice from Origen differ if you have DB benefits or DC savings in one or more other sections of the ARP – that is, if you were a member of the ARP before 1 October 2024.

If you have additional benefits in the ARP, visit the 'Getting financial advice' page of that area of the ARP website to see those terms before contacting Origen or any other independent financial adviser.

Using a different financial adviser

If you don’t want to use Origen and you don’t have an appointed financial adviser, there are organisations that can help you find one.

They can also give you a list of some of the things to check when deciding who to appoint. Some of these organisations (and how to contact them) are set out below.

Please remember that a financial adviser will charge you for providing advice and they should discuss their fees with you before you use their services.

Paying for financial advice

You can pay directly for any financial advice you receive, or you can arrange payment through your Aon OnePlan account.

How does this work?

There are two ways to pay through your Aon OnePlan account, as explained below. Whichever way you use, payments are currently tax-free as they count as ‘authorised payments’ under the 2004 Finance Act.

Adviser Charging

The amount you can use for advice from your pension savings is not restricted by law.

However, the advice that is being paid for can only relate to your Aon OnePlan savings and not to any other pension savings you may have elsewhere (or within the ARP).

Pension Advice Allowance

The amount you can use for advice from your pension savings is restricted by law to £1,500 in total, with a maximum of £500 in any tax year up to three times over your lifetime.

The advice that is being paid for can relate to all DC pension savings, whether in the Aon OnePlan or elsewhere (including within the ARP).

Origen is aware that members have these payment options.

How can I find out more?

For more information about these payment options, see the 'Questions and answers' page, or for full details refer to the member guide on the Aon OnePlan member website.

The Financial Conduct Authority

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates financial services firms (including financial advisers) and financial markets in the UK.

Its website has a section on choosing and using a financial adviser, including the questions you should ask.

Check your financial adviser is regulated and authorised

Before you appoint a financial adviser, you should check the firm you’re dealing with is suitably authorised and registered.

They must be:

qualified at Level 4 or above of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (equivalent to the first year of a university degree); and
have an up-to-date Statement of Professional Standing.

How can I find out more?

The FCA publishes on online register of regulated financial advisers which you can search via the MoneyHelper website.

Alternatively, call the FCA consumer helpline on . . .

0300 500 8082 (UK); or
+44 207 066 1000 (from overseas).

They will then check for you.

MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper provides helpful information on all money matters, including access to regulated financial advisers.

It has a searchable directory of financial advisers who specialise in providing advice about retirement.

Go to:
www.moneyhelper.org.uk

Freephone:
0800 011 3797

Free guidance from Pension Wise

MoneyHelper also provides free guidance on retirement options for taking DC pension savings (such as your Aon OnePlan pension savings) if you’re age 50 or over.

You can find out more about its Pension Wise service and book an appointment online.

The Pension Wise service provides guidance on DC pension savings, but not the State Pension or Defined Benefit (DB) pensions (which can be on a 'final salary' or 'career average' basis).

Visit www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-wise

Important

The law doesn’t allow the Trustees, Aon or anyone connected with the ARP to give you financial advice.

The terms of the offer for paid-for impartial financial advice from Origen is subject to change and will be kept under review. The Trustees reserve the right to withdraw the offer at any time. We’ll let you know if this happens.