Consolidating pensions

DRS1

"They are still called Scottish Widows. Both they and Halifax are part of Lloyds, and if you have the Halifax app it shows the SW pension fund total ,whether you want it to or not. However to look at details of your pension, such as alternative investment fund choices as suggested above, you will have to access SW directly."

When I still had a SW pension and it appeared on my Halifax online accounts list there was a button you could click which took you straight to your Scottish Widows web page for the pension (you may have had to log in to SW to get there, I can't remember). Don't know about the app.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82122922#Comment_82122922

When I still had a SW pension and it appeared on my Halifax online accounts list there was a button you could click which took you straight to your Scottish Widows web page for the pension (you may have had to log in to SW to get there, I can't remember). Don't know about the app.

I can not check my Halifax app anymore as I have been switched to the Lloyds app, with the Halifax brand disappearing. On the Lloyds app, you can click through for more details about the SW pension, but only if you have the SW app on your phone. I am not a great fan of carrying around details of large sums of money on my phone, so I do not have pension/investment apps on my phone. Just current accounts and credit cards apps.

Bandy2023

I've downloaded the Scottish Widows app to get more info on the pension

"You can't manage this on the app at the moment, please go to the website"

I've gone to the website

"You can't manage this online"

What an utter PITA. 😫

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123369#Comment_82123369

The trouble with many larger providers is that :

1. A proportion of existing pensions will be rather old, so have old IT associated with them, that is not compatible with the current website/app.
2. Often they have bought or merged with other providers, so those pensions are running on legacy IT systems that are not compatible with the current SW website/app.

For example I had a workplace pension run by Zurich. Their pensions business was bought by SW. I can still access it via the website - it is basically the same layout as the original Zurich one but with the names changed.

However it is different from the main SW website, from where I can not access this pension.

QrizB

For example I had a workplace pension run by Zurich. Their pensions business was bought by SW. I can still access it via the website - it is basically the same layout as the original Zurich one but with the names changed.

That also describes mine. I can see the pension total balance (updated daily) in the Lloyds app, but to see any details etc. I need to log in to the SW (ex-Zurich) website.

DRS1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123369#Comment_82123369

I suppose it depends what they mean by "manage". My rather ancient SW pension needed calls and forms sent in the post to "manage" it - eg to change the investments around. Same when I took the annuity - calls and post.

But you could still see a current value online and a breakdown of how it was invested. They also had a fund centre so you could read up on the alternative funds in which you could invest your pension (once you have narrowed the list down to those that are actually available to you). It is here in case it may become relevant

Fund Prices, Charges & Updates | Scottish Widows

For my similar vintage Aviva pensions it was much the same. The details available on MyAviva were pretty limited and don't think of trying to make any investment changes "online". That could just be because they dated back to the 80s and 90s.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123682#Comment_82123682

I guess a lot of people unfamiliar with how companies and IT systems operate, will just assume that a large company will just have one modern IT system and with every part of the company upgraded to it.

Of course that is not the case, especially if there have been takeovers or mergers. Or there is too much cost involved to upgrade.

DRS1

Amusingly today I got a text on my mobile from Scottish Widows saying "We are looking to improve our digital experience and would value your feedback." They then invite me to complete a survey about their app.

I don't know how to break it to them that I have never knowingly used an app.

QrizB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124402#Comment_82124402

You too? 😂

DRS1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124507#Comment_82124507

Maybe Scottish Widows are reading this thread!