Metro Finance Pension Review Service
Don’t lose out to hidden fees, get your free pension review report
Whether you’re already taking income or just building towards retirement, your pension could be worth far more than you think. Many pensions carry ongoing percentage fees that add up, we show you clearly what you pay now and how that compares, potentially saving you thousands in hidden fees.
That’s why we’ve built the Metro Finance Pension Review Service, free, independent and designed to show you how to keep more of your money.
Who it’s for
- Any age, with £80k+ in pensions: If you’re paying percentage-based fees or not getting proper advice, you could switch to our low-cost, capped-fee model and save thousands over time.
- Over 55, ready to access your pot: We’ll help you understand all the ways you can take money, from tax-free cash and drawdown to annuities, and which mix works best for you.
How it works
- Start with a free review
- Request your free pension review report
- Then you can book a no-obligation chat with a regulated adviser for the real, personalised numbers.
- See all your options
- Switch or consolidate pensions: cut hidden fees and move to clear, capped charges.
- Annuities: guaranteed income for life, with enhanced rates if your health or lifestyle qualifies.
- Fixed-term annuities: security for 3–25 years while keeping future options open.
- Drawdown: take 25% tax-free cash and keep the rest invested, with flexibility on when you withdraw.
- Pay less in fees
- Transparent, flat-fee service.
- No hidden extras. Just clear, independent advice.
Get your free pension review report
Why Metro Finance’s service?
- Whole-of-market advice (not tied to any one provider).
- Free recommendations with no obligation.
- Access to the best annuity rates — with a £200 “beat-it” guarantee.
- Low-cost drawdown service using trusted investment funds.
Options available to you to access your pension savings
Lifetime Annuities – Guaranteed income for life
A lifetime annuity lets you swap your pension pot for a guaranteed income, paid every month, for the rest of your life. It’s about peace of mind, knowing you’ll always have money coming in, no matter how long you live.
How does it work?
Your income is worked out from things like:
- Age: older retirees often get higher payments.
- Health: conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure can boost your rate.
- Lifestyle: smoking or certain jobs may also count.
Enhanced annuities
If your health or lifestyle means your life expectancy could be shorter, providers may pay you more. Examples include:
- Health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes or a past serious illness.
- Lifestyle factors such as smoking or a high BMI.
Why shop around?
Not all providers offer enhanced annuities, and rates vary a lot. An adviser who searches the whole market can make sure you don’t miss out.
Key benefits
- Financial security: guaranteed income for life.
- Customisable: add spousal benefits or inflation protection.
- Potential for more income: enhanced annuities can pay more.
We compare all annuity providers — and if you find a better rate, we’ll beat it by £200.
Try our lifetime annuity calculator
Fixed-Term Annuities – Security with flexibility
A fixed-term annuity guarantees you an income for a set period, between 3 and 25 years. It’s useful if you want certainty now but flexibility later.
How does it work?
- Tax-free cash: take up to 25% as a lump sum.
- Flexible income: choose how much you want each year, this will be fixed for the duration of the term.
- Guaranteed Maturity Amount (GMA): at the end of the term, you get a lump sum back, agreed upfront.
What happens next?
When the term ends, you can:
- Reinvest in another retirement product.
- Withdraw the cash (subject to tax).
- Take further advice to decide your next move.
It’s a good fit if you want income now but don’t want to lock in for life.
Use our fixed-term annuity calculator
Pension Drawdown – Total flexibility
Flexi-access drawdown lets you keep your pot invested and take money when you need it.
What you can do
- Take 25% tax-free straight away.
- Withdraw when you like — occasional lump sums or regular income.
- Pass it on — unused funds can go to your loved ones.
This is popular if you want control and flexibility, especially if you’re still working part-time or want to dip in gradually.
Try our pension drawdown calculator
Free Guide – Accessing Your Pension
Our free guide explains:
- The key things to think about as you approach retirement.
- All the main pension options, side-by-side.
- How advice could help you keep more of your money.
- A step-by-step walk-through of how to access your savings.
Request your free guide today
Things to consider
- Investments rise and fall: with drawdown, your pot could shrink if markets dip.
- Risk of running out: taking too much too fast in drawdown can leave you short later.
- Tax impact: withdrawals (after the 25% tax-free) count as income and can push you into a higher bracket.
- Lifetime annuities are permanent: once set up, you usually can’t change or cash them in, so it’s important to get the right deal first time.
- Fixed-term annuities end with a lump sum: you’ll need to decide what to do next when the term finishes, so planning ahead is key.
Frequently Asked Questions
No — the review and recommendations are completely free, with no obligation to take things further. There would be fee if you proceed and complete, you will be made aware of this when speaking to the adviser.
The review itself is free whatever size your pension. But because of the typical initial advice fee, the service usually makes the most sense if you’ve got £80,000 or more in your pension savings.
Many people do — but not everyone realises how much they’re paying. Hidden fees and percentage-based charges can add up to thousands. With our low-cost, capped-fee model, you can often keep more of your money working for you. That’s why people of any age with a pension over £80k find it worth reviewing their setup.
That’s where we can help too. We’ll show you how to:
– Take up to 25% of your pot as tax-free cash.
– Compare annuities and drawdown options.
– Make sure you’re not losing out on income or flexibility.
No — our advisers search the whole market, so you’re not just stuck with the offer from your current pension company.
Yes — you can usually take up to 25% of your pot tax-free. The review shows how that could work for you.
If you have certain health conditions or lifestyle factors (like high blood pressure, diabetes, or if you smoke), you could qualify for a higher guaranteed income for life.
Because the rates and fees they offer might not be the best you can get. Shopping around often means thousands more in your pocket over retirement.
It gives you total flexibility, but yes, investments can go down as well as up. That’s why advice is key, so you don’t run out of money too soon.
Yes. Part of the free review is checking if your current pension already has valuable benefits or guarantees.
As part of the free review, we’ll identify any valuable benefits or guarantees attached to your existing pension, as well as any charges that may apply. All of this will be carefully considered when making a recommendation, which may even be to stay where you are.
Associated Newspapers Limited, trading as Metro Finance, is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Pense Limited, 1 Derwent House, Richmond Business Park, Sidings Court, Lakeside, Doncaster DN4 5NL. Pense Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority number 231629.