Frequently asked questions

No – only you can access your individual secure account.

Your Aviva products, including your pension, belong to you. There may be some changes to the investment options available to you and, depending on the type of pension, you may not be able to continue to pay in. When you leave your employer Aviva will send you a pack to your home address which details your options, as well as providing contact details should you have any questions.

If you need financial advice relating to investments, pension or retirement options, you can find an adviser in your area at MoneyHelper.

Unless you're already a member of a pension plan that meets the government's standards, your employer will have to enrol you into the company pension if you:

• are between 22 and State Pension age
• ordinarily work in the UK, and
• earn £10,000 or more a year (this is the figure for the 2026/2027 tax year and it may change).

But you can opt out if you want to. If you do so within one calendar month of being sent written confirmation of joining, any contributions already paid will be refunded. If you opt-out later, this money will stay in your pension. We will check that your opt-out notice is valid and let you know.

Remember that if you opt out, you may be able to change your mind and opt back in. Please contact us if you would like to start contributions again if you do opt out.

If you stay opted out, your employer will normally put you back into the pension in around three years if you are an eligible jobholder – that is, you’re aged 22 or over and earn above the minimum earnings threshold for auto enrolment. But you can again choose whether to opt-out. Remember that the sooner you join the pension, the better your chance of a more comfortable retirement.

The amount you should pay into your pension depends on your circumstances and priorities, but please bear in mind that your employer may set a minimum contribution level. You will probably have to maintain that level of contribution in order to receive pension contributions into your pension from your employer. You can find more information about pension contributions on the 'When you become a member' page.

To help you get an idea of how much income you will need in retirement, you can use the following tools:

Shape my Future helps you think about the lifestyle you might like to have in the future, what your retirement income might be, how much the lifestyle you want could cost; and plan how you might make it happen.

One of the ways you can fund your retirement is by investing some money in a pension, which can:

• Supplement your State Pension
• Potentially give you greater financial security during your retirement
• Give you a tax-free lump sum when you take your retirement benefits

A pension is a good way to invest for your retirement. You make payments into your pension and your employer will contribute too, subject to eligibility criteria. The government chips in with tax-relief, which also boosts your pension savings.

Even if you receive a State Pension (and any other government benefits, if you're entitled to them), it's important to bear in mind that it might not be enough to fund the lifestyle that you want. You need to feel confident you're going to have enough money to provide you with a reasonable income during your retirement.

The more you can invest during your working years, the better standard of living you're likely to have when you retire. So, the earlier you start paying into your pension, the better. By doing this, you'll be able to invest more money over a longer period of time and your pension savings will have longer to grow. Just be aware that the value of your investment in your pension can go down as well as up and may be worth less than the amount paid in.

Your money is invested in funds when you pay it into a pension. When your money goes into funds, if you select the default fund with Aviva your money is pooled with that of other investors and invested with the aim of growing your pension savings. Pooled funds are a way of putting sums of money from many people into a large fund spread across many investments. Funds are managed by investment professionals. Investing this way can be easier and less risky than buying shares directly, for example.

With many pensions you can usually choose which funds to put your money into. There are many different types of funds, giving you plenty of options to choose from. If you're not sure which one(s) to pick, a financial adviser will be able to make recommendations for you. If you don’t make an active investment choice your payments will be invested in the default investment option that has been chosen for your pension.

Different funds take different levels of risk. A lower risk fund might aim for steady growth over a long period of time with a lower risk of losing money. A higher risk fund will usually be aiming for higher long-term growth but there is also a greater risk of losing money.

The types of assets that a fund invests in are an important factor in the returns you’re likely to get and the amount of risk that you’re taking. A higher risk fund might invest in shares of companies in either the UK or overseas which have the potential to provide good long-term returns, but which are also likely to see large ups and downs in value. A lower risk fund might invest in fixed income assets, and therefore government bonds. These assets are regarded as lower risk assets than company shares and tend to perform better when the economy isn't doing as well. However, as with all investments, your money is at risk.

Aviva will send you an annual pension fund statement. This statement shows you how much you've invested to date, and the current value of your pension savings.

You can also monitor and manage your pension online at any time by logging into your online account.

Help is always at hand if you have any questions about your pension, or if you want to make any changes to it. You can contact your employer, Aviva or a financial adviser using the contact details on this site. If you want to manage your pension yourself, you can do it online by logging into your online account.

Aviva is the company that your employer has chosen to provide your company pension. You can find out more on the About Aviva page.

Once you've joined the pension you can take advantage of discounts off your home, car and travel insurance when you buy direct from Aviva. You can find out more on the About Aviva page.

Once you've paid money into your pension savings, your money can normally only be accessed and used to provide pension benefits from the minimum pension age. This is currently age 55. From 6 April 2028 this will be age 57 unless you have a protected pension age. To find out more visit aviva.co.uk/nmpa

It is important to remember that there are two separate stages to a pension scheme. The first is the money you build up in your pension scheme from the payments you invest. The second is the retirement benefits you access yourself from the pension savings you have built up.

You can use your pension savings to provide retirement benefits. There are different options available, and you should take financial advice or guidance before choosing your option(s).

As you approach your chosen retirement date, or when you tell us you wish to take your benefits, we will inform you of your options and the pros and cons of each.

Help is also available from the government’s MoneyHelper service. This government service offers free and impartial guidance on your retirement options, either over the phone or face to face. You can find out more here.

Absolutely, you can bring your retirement age forward or move it back. You can usually take your benefits from the minimum pension age. This is currently age 55. From 6 April 2028 this will be age 57 unless you have a protected pension age. To find out more visit aviva.co.uk/nmpa

If you already have another pension plan (perhaps from a previous employer), you may be able to:

• continue paying into your existing pension as well as into your company pension
• leave your existing pension where it is and make all future payments into your company pension
• transfer your existing pension pot to your company pension.

The choice is yours. There’s no guarantee you’ll be better off by transferring. If you do think transferring your existing pension is an option for you, we recommend you seek independent financial advice to make sure that you won't be losing any valuable benefits or guarantees that your existing scheme may provide. You should also check for any exit fees or other penalties. In some cases you may be required to obtain advice for which a fee will be charged, before proceeding.