Standard Life UK Reviews 

Zero for customer service
I have my pension plan with Standard Life and have been a customer for decades. Earlier this year (in February), I decided to nominate a beneficiary for my pension plan and contacted Standard Life about it via their online platform. I explained that I wanted to nominate a Trust rather than a person, but was unable to use their online form for this purpose as it did not provide any options for nominating a Trust. They responded by sending my a printed form in exactly the same (unusable) format as the online form. After some toing and froing via their mailbox which led nowhere, I decided to send them a letter with all the relevant details of my Trust. Instead of nominating the Trust as the beneficiary, they then proceeded to nominate my brother as the sole beneficiary of my pension plan. I contacted them by phone to have the information rectified and was told by the service agent to send in the form again. I protested, explaining about the letter I had sent, so he checked my records, apologised and told me the matter would be dealt with. Shortly after, I received a message in my mailbox via the Standard Life online platform with another apology, saying the issue would be resolved within 2 working days. That was on 3rd June. Today is the 11th June. Needless to say, I'm still waiting for my beneficiary to be nominated. You just couldn't make it up!

Standard Life annuities support - telephone wait times are dreadful. Also emails are supposed to be replied to within 5 working days. This does not happen.

Tried again today. Same dreadful waiting times. Also it appears that all the effort to send in tax coding info was a waste of time.

*Update* - Still no response from SL even though I have sent further emails and a final response request through their complaints form and on emial. I have never experienced customer service as bad as this.

Appalling level of service from Standard Life following the sudden passing of my father. It took multiple frustrating phone calls and emails just to find the right department to handle his pension annuity. The staff offered zero guidance or help.

Once paperwork was completed, they sent a letter confirming monthly payments. However, after a single payment, all money and communication stopped. Trying to get in touch by phone is impossible due to ridiculous waiting times, and emails went completely ignored.

When I finally got a response, I was promised the delayed payments would arrive within 10 to 15 working days due to a "technical issue." I was told it was being dealt with as a "highest priority." It is now well past that deadline, and I have still received absolutely nothing.

Losing a parent suddenly is traumatic enough without having to constantly chase a company for what was rightfully left behind. This ongoing neglect is emotionally draining and completely unacceptable. Standard Life needs to fix their issues and pay what is owed immediately.

Very poor co-ordination between staff during my withdrawal of my cash from my pension fund. I waited two weeks for my money to come through then received an email saying that they wanted more evidence of who I was (drawn money previously!).

Poor customer service !
I have been a customer with Standard Life for over 35 years.
In April 2026 I by luck realised that my pension pot was missing 5k, when I contacted customer service with my complaint they replied to me with an apology blaming I quote (a glitch) how convenient!
To this day I am still waiting for my money to be paid back to my account!
I asked to be provided with statements no reply!I asked to get in touch with the management team no reply !
This is not acceptable as it looks like they don’t care about it.
So it looks like I will have to to take it to the FCA.
Last not least when you contribute to a pension for over 35 years you would expect great service from Standard Life but I guess I am dreaming..
I will keep everyone updated on this matter.
Kind regards
Mario Marin

Made tranfering my pensions supportive and easy

Absolute disgrace of a company! My policy was moved from Legal and General to Standard Life, and ever since, I have had nothing but problems. Poor communications to non-existent. Badly trained staff who do not know the company's own policies and just make things up. Inexcusable delays, first contacted them in November 2025, still trying to access my pension in June 2026! They have admitted they made a mistake, then they have dragged their heels to delay paying out as long as they can. I started a formal complaint as I was advised that it might speed things up, and if anything, they have used it to slow things down! Avoid like the plague if at all possible.

Transfer in from another company was handled very efficiently - as opposed to the chaotic actions by the donor scheme.

Asked for a withdrawal from my personal pension. Normally takes a working week but the money is in my account next day. Keep it up. Thanks.

Fantastic customer service and help/support team. Good pension and retirement savings platform.

I have an ongoing complaint with Standard life, a fault on their system has caused me significant financial worries. They seem unable to resolve the situation even though I have offered a very reasonable compromise. Many phone calls and emails,with a complaint handler who is unable to take the complaint any further, and is unable to let me deal with someone who can. Historic transaction no longer showing on my account (removed).
complaint has been taken to the financial Ombudsman.
lets see if anyone is monitoring this?

Everything explained in simple and easy to understand terms

Very easily and user friendly system

Unfortunately my experience was not the best I first applied for the pension transfer from Legal and General to my Standard life pension in Oct / Sept 2025 and my transfer only completed on 26/05/26 which is not acceptable, granted at a couple of points Legal and General did not help maters but the overall service and help from Standard life was very poor to say the least, The only time it seemed like things moved was when I filed a complaint and when the complaints department got involved things started to move and the communications were allot better thank yo to this department.

Standard Life & the app makes everything really easy. Just transferred a pension and with a few clicks it was done...no hassle

I have had on going issues with Standard Life now since 02/04. My initial complaint which is written here in April was upheld and I received a £100.00 compensation. Case closed ? no reopened about a week or so later as multiple payments (my regular monthly pension payment) were made to me over April and May .The problem is I did not receive all of them. My Inland Revenue account shows I received 4 payments this tax year . My SL app shows I have received 4 payments. I have received 3. My instructions to SL is one payment per month on a specific date. I have now cancelled any further regular monthly payment until this is resolved. To my counting and what I saw I believe a fifth payment was made but not received by me. All I am told time and time again is my case is urgent , has been escalated. I was asked on 14/05 if one payment that was made which was in a suspense account could be refunded to me. I confirmed same day , yes refund this to my account. I have had no notification at all if this had been done 12 days later..As far as I am concerned it has not.
Why ?.
My opinion of SL while things are going well is great. However, encounter an issue (my money missing) there is no communication of any worth. No manager from the payment team will speak with you. All you get is placated. I have today sent yet another e mail to customer service with no great expectation. I have now set up another pension account with another provider. I am very very close after 14 years as an SL customer to pulling the plug. Whatever I do I will not let this go and have every piece of communication ready to send to the financial ombudsman which I believe can get involved after 8 weeks if no conclusion reached.
Extremely poor communication , like 0 and customer service when things go wrong. Remember it’s my pension fund money missing and I feel I am a nuisance by pursuing it. My patience has now run out:

If you have a problem I wish you luck. Trust Pilot rating 3.1 says it all.
Ian

My mother has been awaiting her pension since January, every time I call to check for an update, I keep getting the same reply ‘internal system error’. This is totally unacceptable, really uncalled for. I shudder to think for the elderly who have to deal with this on their own.

The only reason I am giving any stars at all is because of two SL employees Erin and Rebecca who showed total empathy and have tried their best to raise my ticket. I put in an official complaint on the 18th of May and still nothing, no update. Not even acknowledgment that my complaint has been received by the relevant department. The systems team really need to get their act together and sort this out. How many others are potentially in this situation? I shudder to think.

My mother has had to put her plans on hold since January because of this ridiculous ‘system error’. Almost approaching six months now. If this is not resolved, I will be contacting the financial ombudsman service and potentially seeking legal advice because this is just dragging on. Not happy at all. I hope no one else goes through this because it is such a stressful experience especially for my mother who is now doubting if she will ever receive her pension? I try to reassure her many times, many times but truthfully speaking, this has been a stressful, traumatic experience.

I made an online withdrawal from my pension and they sent me an email confirming the transaction and a new illustration which showed the position after the withdrawal. I emailed to see how long it would take and they replied up to 20 working days. The next day they replied again, this time to say they had not received my request (despite having issued the documents). I have spoken to 2 customer representatives and both promised to look into it and call me back. But neither of them has.

Updated 28/05.
They have provided an explanation and the apparently the payment is now underway.

Very thorough helpful and easy to understand

Absolute bullshit. I’ve the tiniest amount I would like to withdraw but of course. Hurdle upon hurdle.. nest on the other hand amazing. Do your self a favour and swerve this lot or switch straight away..