Ready-made pension

Our low-cost, low-maintenance, simplified pension

Open a Ready-made pension View our charges

Remember that investments go up and down in value, and you could lose money as well as make it. How you’re taxed will depend on your circumstances, and pension and tax rules can change. We don’t offer investment advice. Remember, you can't usually access a pension until age 55 (57 from 2028).

What is a Ready-made pension?

If you’re looking to build a pension pot, but don’t know where to start, the AJ Bell Ready-made pension is a low-cost, simple solution that removes the hassle of managing your investments.

Simple choiceWe have four AJ Bell growth funds to pick from, ranging from cautious to more adventurous investing.

We’ll manage it for youOur in-house team of experts will manage your investments, meaning less work for you.

One all-in chargeNo set-up costs, no additional fees, just one low, annual charge.

Currently, our Ready-made pension is only available to new AJ Bell customers and you can only hold one of either of our pension accounts at a time. If you already have an AJ Bell SIPP, you will not be able open a Ready-made pension and vice versa.

What do I need to get started?

Sounds like the right option for you? Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1

Tell us a bit about yourself

It only takes a few minutes to get your AJ Bell Ready-made pension account set up.

2

Choose your investment fund

Take your pick from four ready-made funds, carefully curated and managed by our experts.

3

Pay into your account

With either a one-off payment, a regular direct debit or by using our pension finding service.

What can I invest in?

The beauty of a Ready-made pension is its simplicity. There are no set-up costs, just one low, annual charge, aligned to the fund you select. Just decide which of our four funds you want to invest in, how much you’d like to invest, and our in-house team of experts will manage it for you.

Once you’ve made your initial investment, every pension contribution from that point will be automatically invested into your chosen fund. And if you decide you want to switch your fund, you can do so at any time.

By making the Ready-made pension and AJ Bell funds available to you, we’re not making a personal recommendation.

AJ Bell Pension builder fund

0.45% Annual charge

Lower risk

Higher risk

Typically lower rewards

Typically higher rewards

AJ Bell Cautious fund

0.45% Annual charge

Lower risk

Higher risk

Typically lower rewards

Typically higher rewards

AJ Bell Adventurous fund

0.45% Annual charge

Lower risk

Higher risk

Typically lower rewards

Typically higher rewards

AJ Bell Responsible growth fund

0.60% Annual charge

Lower risk

Higher risk

Typically lower rewards

Typically higher rewards

Paying into my Ready-made pension

Once you’ve set up your new Ready-made pension, you’ll have a choice of how you’d like to initially fund it. You can only pick one of these to start with, but once your account is up and running, you can choose any way to pay into your new pension. You can either:

  • Make a single payment
    This may be a good option if you have a lump sum you’d like to invest.
  • Set up a regular payment
    An option if you want to gradually build your pension pot over time. You can get started from as little as £25 per month.
  • Round up your lost pensions
    Not sure where all your pensions from previous employers are? Our free Pension finder tool tracks down and automatically invests them* into your chosen AJ Bell growth fund.

*Not all pensions can be searched for. Please do not provide details from your current employer or any public sector pensions, jobs you left before 1990 or before turning 22, that you held for less than three months or less than two years before 2000.

Why find my lost pensions?

Did you know that one in four UK adults has lost track of a workplace pension?

By tracking down your lost workplace pensions with our Pension finder tool, and combining them into one pot, you’ll be able to:

  • Keep better track of how much you’ve got saved for retirement
  • Pay a single, low-cost account fee, instead of multiple charges
  • Have greater control over how your pension is invested
Learn about our Pension finder

Is a Ready-made pension right for me?

Our Ready-made pension is a great option for people who want a simple, low-cost pension, but don’t want the hassle of managing it. If any of the below sound like what you’re looking for, our Self-invested personal pension (SIPP) might be better suited for you instead.

You want to build and manage your own pension investment portfolio

You want access to a wider range of investments, including individual shares, bonds and exchange traded funds

You want to access your pension soon. The Ready-made pension is designed to help you combine and grow your retirement savings only. Drawdown is only available with a SIPP

View our SIPP account

Why should I choose AJ Bell as my Ready-made pension provider?

As one of the UK’s largest and most popular investment platforms, we want to help you feel good, investing. Here are just some of the reasons why over 503,000 customers choose AJ Bell.

We’ve got pension pedigree

As the UK's first online Self-invested personal pension provider, we know a thing or two about helping you save for retirement.

Experience and expertise

Established nearly three decades ago, we’re one of the most financially secure providers around. Oh,
and we’re listed on the FTSE
250.

The support you need

Whether it's over the phone, email or webchat, our friendly team will be there to support you, when you need it, the way you need it.

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I open a Ready-made pension if I already have another type of pension?

  • Are you able to help me choose the AJ Bell fund for my Ready-made pension?

  • How do I pay into my Ready-made pension?

  • Can I switch my investment to a different AJ Bell fund?

More FAQs

We'll help you get investing

For over 25 years, AJ Bell has made investing simple and affordable. We’re a 5x Which? Recommended Provider, with an award-winning range of accounts.

Learn more about us

AJ Bell Which

Can we help?

If you’d like more information about AJ Bell’s accounts and services, get in touch with our friendly customer services team - we’re here to help.