Standard Life UK Reviews 

I have had to move my pension to Standard Life from ReAssure. I was given an estimated date for things to have happened by. We are now a month past that date and the only contact I have had from Standard Life is this chance to review them....

Same as Review posted below by Penny . My regular monthly payment apparently failed on 02/04 , due to me on 09/04. I was never contacted to explain why my regular payment was not sent / failed. I have had to chase and chase via telephone and message service receiving the same reply of its being investigated or its being done manually which it obviously has not. I requested a call from Standard Life twice now to allow them to explain and update but no call received. This in my opinion is awful customer service. I have been a SL customer for many years and would expect much better.My regular monthly payment which was due on 09/04 still not paid 14/04 with no information as to when I may receive it.If a SL employee did not receive their salary on the allotted day I wonder how that would go ?.Now received my regular monthly payments showing April and May by ad hoc system not regular payment however…

On going issues. Now have more regular monthly payments showing in my transactions via SL app than I have received.Also , worryingly according to my inland revenue account I have received 4 payments this tax year. I have received 2. My app shows another payment dated yesterday which I have not received so in total 5 payments over April and May. That last showing payment is still to hit my IR account . I have noted this with IR. Over April and May I have received 2 payments. My account dropped just short of 3000.00 pounds overnight with a fund growth of 0.052 !!.It appears to me that transactions are being deducted from my account but I am not receiving them and Inland Revenue are being told I have had them !!.Call SL frequently and message only to be told my case is escalated. No one from SL calls me back (since 09/04) from the relevant department after countless promises.I have now requested no further payment leave my account. Next step press and ombudsman as what other recourse do I have.

Fantastic service. Consultations were detailed and informative to my personal needs. My financial adviser (Ben Whisken) was polite and easy to communicate with. Thank you

This company took over Phoenix insurance and obviously do not take their responsibilities seriously. They do not action any complaints that are reported. I am still waiting for resolution a year down the line, even when I have got a solicitor involved we are no further forward. Absolutely disgraceful.

I had just transferred over another pension and decided to retire and travel for a bit, I needed another way to receive my security link.
I found the Two I talked to very understanding, professional and prompt.
I would like to express my sincere thanks.
10/10

We have been trying to set up a trust for our grandchildren via our financial advisor for over a year now. We have filled multiple forms, so have our doctors and responded to all their queries immediately. They are sitting on our money and noting is happening. We will be contacting the FSA now and probably the media to warn people that Standard Life is either incapable of setting this up or completely incompetent. We having worked hard all our lives to be duped by this company. Following the reply from standard Life below, no email received. Avoid at all costs.

Get a life policy with them if you want to be penalised for living too long. End of life policy has went down £7000 in one year so don’t live too long if you want your beneficiaries to receive anything. Also if you get a terminal diagnosis you’ll be offered about £5000 to cash in if you’re lucky. Decide to leave it for once you’ve passed and the policy goes down £7000 a year. Absolute joke

Never had any problems using standard Life pension.
The app is easy too navigate and use.

The worst company I have ever come across. I have had nothing but trouble since the day I started to draw my pension twelve months ago. I quickly had an issue which took so long to sort out I ended up having to complain. The issue was so bad I was granted £200 compensation. I had two pots. One very small so was soon needing to take funds from my second pot. A quick phone call I got to a call handler that was very helpful and efficient who started asking me lots of questions. I said I’d never been asked before and turns out the operator I spoke to when drawing my first pot did not take all of the information needed to correctly work out my tax free lump sum. That was in January and now finally in April I am told that Standard Life have paid me too much tax free cash which I must pay back and is still not resolved. This is despite being told twice I have £400 tax free lump sum still to take. Roll on setting up my regular payment on the 1st March. 4th March I still had no money. I made a call and they said the regular payment set up had failed and someone would investigate and call me back that afternoon or the next day. No call. I called again and explained how urgent it was because it was my only income which fell on deaf ears. I called several times and sent several messages saying I was now desperate and was having to borrow money from family to stop me going in to debt and still nothing was done. I raised my third complaint since drawing my pension before anything was sorted. I was told in the 13th March that the payment had been sent, but it failed again. I only found out when I called again when it wasn’t received. One operator told me I needed to be patient and the next one told me the payment had failed again and would need investigating. I had to contact them almost daily. Not once did anyone make contact with me. Not even the complaints team. I finally got an email on the 19th March from the complaints team who said payment was on its way. I finally got my money on the 19th March TWICE!! I called again and agreed I would send the second incorrect payment back. I did this ten days ago and it has still not been allocated back to my pension pot. I am now at my whits end and left with no option but to transfer my pension to another provider. If you have a choice do not choose Standard Life. They have a 5-10 working days for everything and you’re lucky if it happens at all. It is the most shocking service I have ever had.
UPDATE: I rest my case that everything takes 5-10 days. Below it took 6 days to even respond to feedback. I have had contact from the complaints team today and guess what apparently there is another technical issue. Everything gets blamed on a technical issue. The call is just too late. I have now made contact with the ombudsman who have agreed if I get the documentation over they will look at my complaint. I have foolishly given Standard life 7 days to fix it then I will follow through with the ombudsman. I cannot wait to get my pension transferred to my husbands pension company who receives a request and within three days money is in his account. He’s never had one single problem. I know I’m foolish giving them one more chance and the only reason I have is because I know it will take the ombudsman longer to get it resolved. I live in hope.

I attempted to change my name and the process has been abysmal. I submitted my request in June 2025 and have only just had it actioned when i put a complaint in.

My complaint was closed stating they requested additional ID at the time i sent in my documents. This isn’t made clear when requesting to update your name on the app, essentially setting customers up to fail when they aren’t able to provide requirements. Common sense would suggest after the second time i submitted my request; a call should be made confirming what we need?

The handler only attempted to call me once before issuing a letter that my complaint was closed.

I would like to mention Reece Aitken and his colleague Mike (apologies I didn’t catch your last name). Both amazing on the phone and when i experienced technical issues during my call with mike, he attempted to call me back. This is not something that has happened during my other calls with standard. Thank you so much Reece and Mike for your help.

Part of the phoenix life group. Lost thousands of pounds, due to their delays and incompetence.

Been waiting 4 weeks now for my money..every time I ring fobbed off..joke

The worst customer service. Staff don't have the knowledge required, they never call back when then promise too, and so far I am 4 months in with no resolution to a bereavement issue, made worse by the poor service. Avoid them at all costs.

Easy to deal with, all the correct information available in one place. Handled my transfer with minimal fuss, quick to update portfolio. Pleasant experience

Easy to deal with, very good assistance from the agent

Abysmal. Left work to start up my own business with my partner and decided to cash in my pension to give our business a boost for stock etc. They paid the tax free amount into the correct bank account on 3rd March 2026 and the taxable amount into an incorrect account. I am still waiting for them to pay me my money on 30th March. They say they are waiting for the money to be returned. Why must I be penalised for their error. Never call me back when promised. Even my financial advisor is on the case for them to send me MY money and for them to track down the money they sent in error. This has seriously affected my mental health. I don't know when I'll receive my hard earned money as no one seems to know what's happening. Truly atrocious way to treat someone. A multi million pound company can't even send me my small amount to help our new business.

No problem transferring my pension from ReAssure to Standard Life, really helpful in call centre and would definitely recommend.

If I could give a minus score I would extremely poor service when you phone them seems like you're on for ages only the be cut off by the automated line hardly answer emails . Never use these again

Great customer service really helpful explaining everything step by step I now understand the process they did everything they told me they would

Reliable service hastle free responsive