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Self investment pension plans

What are the different kinds of SIPPs?

There are two kinds of SIPP:

• Full SIPP: this gives you the most choice over where to invest. This could be the best SIPP option if you have a large pension fund and lots of experience with investing. Although the charges are high, you get access to a team of experts with whom you can discuss your investments
  

• Low-cost SIPP: this is sometimes called a low-cost DIY SIPP or lite SIPP. It still offers plenty of choices on where you can invest, but not as much as a full SIPP. There's no option to own property or offshore funds, or to invest in unquoted shares. This could be the best option if you have a smaller amount of pension savings – you can start a low-cost SIPP with a £5,000 lump sum – and the charges are lower. With this kind of SIPP, you won't get any advice from the pension provider: low-cost SIPP providers simply act on your instructions

Whichever type you choose, it's important to find the SIPP provider that suits you best. Some offer a bells-and-whistles service with the latest technologies, while others are more no-frills. As you’d expect, no-frills providers are likely to be cheaper.

What can I invest in through a SIPP account?

Our SIPP comparison shows you which markets you can invest in when building your SIPP. The options include:

• shares in AIM and FTSE

• bonds

• Permanent Interest-Bearing Shares (PIBS)

• personalised pension funds

Research each market before choosing the SIPP provider that suits you best. SIPP providers all offer different funds, with varying investment strategies.

What fees do SIPP providers charge?

The costs can vary a lot, depending on how you invest. SIPP providers may also differ in what they charge.

There's a range of charges you might expect to see:

• Annual management fees are the most common type of fee. Your annual management fees can either be a percentage charge of your entire pension pot each year or a fixed fee

• Dealing charges are fees for buying and selling investments in your SIPP and are usually based on how often and how many times you make trades

• Annual administration charges are part of some accounts, but not others. It’s either an annual flat fee or a percentage of your investment. You might see this being called a platform fee

• Exit fees apply if you decide to transfer your SIPP to another SIPP provider. This could equate to a lot of money depending on how many shares you have, so check carefully

• Drawdown charges apply when you start taking money from your SIPP. There could be an initial set-up fee, plus ongoing charges, so check before you choose your SIPP

Before you start investing in a SIPP, make sure you do your research to determine the charges that apply with each of the SIPP providers you're looking at.

How do I manage my SIPP?

SIPPs are usually managed online, but some can be managed by phone or post. You might have to pay more for one that isn’t managed online. All SIPP providers are different and have varying rules, so you need to check the details to find out exactly what you need to do.

Managing your self-invested pension online is usually the easiest option. It works like online banking: you can buy and sell investments and monitor their progress with the click of a button.

When can I withdraw money from a SIPP?

Once you’re 55, you’ll be able to take money from your SIPP, as with any pension. Alternatively, you can leave the money there until you need it. 

What's the situation with SIPP tax relief?

A SIPP is the same as any other kind of pension in that you'll get income tax relief on the money you pay in. It’s a good way of protecting your money from the tax man.

When it's time to take the money out of your SIPP – on retirement or when you reach 55 – you can take 25% as a tax-free lump sum. You can choose how you receive the rest of your money but you’ll be taxed on it as income.

Do all SIPP providers allow you to transfer your pension?

Not always. But if your new pension company allows transfers in, and your existing pension company allows transfers out, you might be in luck. You might be able to do a pension-to-SIPP transfer, although you could be charged for it.

When SIPP providers allow transfers in, it's called “in specie”. This means that you don't need to sell the individual investments in your pension when you change pensions. Instead, you can just move ownership of them to another company.

In specie contributions are when you transfer an asset from outside of a pension fund into your chosen company. Be aware that in specie contributions are rarely used. That's because issues often occur when transferring the actual value of each asset.

How much can I pay into a SIPP?

You can put as much money as you'd like into your pension to build funds for your retirement. However, there are limits on the amount you can get tax relief on.

While you're earning, you can put in 100% of your earnings up to a maximum of £40,000 each year and qualify for tax relief. Over that, you won't get tax relief.

If you're a high earner and bring in more than £240,000 a year, the amount you can put in that’s eligible for tax relief gradually reduces. For every £2 earned over £240,000, the amount you can contribute reduces by £1, until the annual allowance reaches £4,000.

If you're not earning money, you can still pay into a pension scheme and qualify to have tax relief added. You can put £2,880 a year into your pension and get tax relief of £720 added, which means you can add £3,600 a year to your pot.

There's also a lifetime allowance on your pension. For the current tax year this is £1,073,100. This allowance marks the maximum value of the pension benefits you can access without having to pay tax.

Last updated: 6 April, 2022