Welcome to your GDST Flexible Pension Plan
Make the most of saving online with your employer
GDST have chosen Aviva to help you make the most of your savings.
The GDST Flexible Pension Plan aims to build up a fund that can be used when you retire. It also gives you a tax-efficient way to save, and you could benefit from a regular contribution from your employer.
The following video helps explain the importance of pension saving, and how much income you might need when you retire.
Transcript
Transcript not available
Where are you on your pension journey?
Starting to save
"Pension planning? Retirement? Isn’t that something I can worry about later?"
By saving more now it could lead to you having a better chance of you enjoying the retirement you want.
Building my savings
"When I think about my finances, I've got to pay the bills, the mortgage... A pension isn't my top priority."
But the fact is that tomorrow comes around sooner than most of us think…
Nearly done saving
"I'm nearly ready for retirement. I've only got a few working years left. Now to look to the future."
You’re getting closer to your selected retirement age which means more freedom to do the things you enjoy. To make the most of this new stage in your life you need to give some thought to your options, needs and goals.
Your pension
When you think ahead to your retirement, it can feel like there’s a lot to consider - how much you can afford to save right now and the sort of income you might need when you retire. Whatever stage of pension planning you’re at, the sooner you start saving, the more likely you are to be able to enjoy the kind of retirement you want.
Pensions contributions from your salary will be invested automatically in your pension. You can increase your contributions to reach your saving goals sooner - our retirement planning tools can help you see what impact making a change to your pension contributions now could have later in life.
It's important to remember that the money invested in your pension is invested in funds. This means your pension fund has the potential to grow over time. However, it also means the value of the fund could go down as well as up and may be worth less than the amount paid in.
You can find further information about the GDST Flexible Pension Plan within the document below.
Aviva Master Trust - WRA Member Guide
This document tells you how the Aviva Master Trust works.
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Financial education sessions
The Aviva Financial Education team has put together a series of presentations to guide you through the different aspects of saving into a pension
Aviva Financial Advice
Aviva's Financial Advice support team can help put you in touch with an Aviva financial adviser or refer you to one of our specialist partners. Call us on 0800 092 2585 or if you’re short on time you can book a call back with one of the team.
Helping to understand your pension
The following resources are available to help you get an idea of what your future could look like, and what you can do to make changes now.
Find out what you’ve already got, plan how much you might need - and protect your money from fraudsters for your retirement.
And remember, however busy you may be right now it’s worth taking time out to think about your future while there’s still time to make a difference to it.
FInding lost pensions
MoneyHelper
Protect yourself from fraud
Responsible investment for the future
Where can I go for financial advice?
You can also use our broad range of tools and resources to help you get to grips with your pension.
Contact us
Got a question? We are here to help
Calls to and from Aviva may be monitored and/or recorded.
Contact your employer
Email: pensions@wes.gdst.net
Activate your account
Once you've activated your account you'll be able to:
- View your payments, transactions and balances all in one convenient place.
- Set up or amend payments directly from your salary, bank or building society account.
- See what your savings and investment could be worth in the future with our interactive tools.
Frequently asked questions
Questions you might have about your pension scheme
What is a master trust?
This pension scheme is part of a master trust. A master trust manages pension schemes for lots of employers. It’s run by Aviva, and is looked after by the Trustees of the master trust.
It’s the Trustees’ job to make sure that the scheme is run for the benefit of its member. You can find out more in your member guide.
How does investing in a pension fund work?
The money you invest into your pension doesn't just sit there waiting for you to retire. Aviva pools your money with that of other investors and invests it with the aim of growing your pension fund over time. Pooled funds are a way of putting sums of money from many people into a large fund spread across many investments and managed by professionals.
Investing this way can be easier and less risky than buying shares directly and there are lots of funds to choose from. Please bear in mind that the value of your pension fund can go down as well as up and it may be worth less than the amount paid in.
Your employer will have selected an appropriate default investment fund suitable for most pension scheme members, so you don't have to select your own investments if you don't want to. You can find out more about this default investment approach within the Aviva Master Trust member guide above.
Guidance and Advice
This site does not provide financial advice.