Benefits Guru Workplace Pension Rating 2025

We are proud to acknowledge Aviva for their outstanding performance in the Benefits Guru Workplace Pension and Auto-Enrolment Ratings 2025.

Achieving multiple ‘Overall Gold’ awards across their Designer, My Money, and Master Trust propositions, Aviva has demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering high-quality pension solutions, digital innovation, and member-focused services. Their excellence across Default Investment & ESG Strategy, Auto-Enrolment Functionality, Support Services, and Member App & Portal places them among the top-tier providers driving progress and setting standards in workplace pension provision.

The 2025 ratings reflect a rigorous analysis of over 12,500 data points across 18 propositions and 10 key categories. Aviva’s success showcases their ability to adapt to the evolving needs of members and advisers, with particular strengths in digital engagement, guided retirement, and operational efficiency. This recognition is a clear signal of Aviva’s dedication to improving outcomes for pension savers across the UK.

Default Investment & ESG Strategy:

Aviva’s lead default investment is My Future Focus, an Aviva Investors, ESG-integrated solution, where de-risking options can be selected to reflect a range of customer retirement outcome preferences.

Its other default options include My Future, a BlackRock passively managed, ESG-integrated solution, and Aviva’s Stewardship solution, which has stronger negative screening and sustainability characteristics.

In addition to its defaults, Aviva offer a very wide range of self-select funds on their platform consisting of both in-house and externally managed, with feature options including de-risking glidepaths (lifestyling), single-manager, multi-manager, single-asset, multi-asset, ethical, ESG integrated.

Support Services:

Aviva offer very good support services to both the adviser and employer, which includes an implementation hub/portal to assist with the implementation process and will track all the steps required in order to set the new scheme up. This includes dedicated teams to support scheme set up, transfers, new joiners and leavers. They offer call centre, web-based and online services. Aviva offer full training to all parties and the system implementation process takes less than 1 month which is monitored by a dedicated account manager.

Member App & Portal:

Aviva offer their members a full native app which has all the same features and functionality as the online member portal. The app now has transactional capability, and some data is updated in real time. As expected, both the app and portal allow members to update and change their personal details online. The app also includes a secure messaging functionality. Members can also consolidate their pensions online and via the app and charges are clearly displayed in £/p as well as %’s.

Digital, Blended & Guided Retirement:

Aviva supports members at retirement with flexible drawdown and FCA-compliant investment pathways tailored to four scenarios. Members receive sustainable drawdown guidance, risk-defined options, and annual pathway statements via the member portal. The platform includes warnings for cash investments, cost disclosures in pounds and pence, and access to regulated advice. Personalised glidepaths are available based on member data.

Auto-Enrolment Functionality:

Aviva will provide all relevant member communications, have no restrictions in terms of staff turnover and have automated systems in place to monitor employee earnings and enrol them once they meet the AE contribution threshold. Their systems will handle multiple payrolls, staging dates and all pay frequencies as well as having CSV integration with a wide range of payroll providers (including Sage, Iress and Xero). In under 1 hour their system is capable of processing over 5000 employee records. They offer a range of reports and services to assist the employer and adviser with certification, scheme assessment and compliance.

Life Events and Goal Based Planning:

Aviva provide guided journeys and tools for key life moments including buying a first home, getting married, and planning for redundancy. Members can set and track multiple financial goals with calculators, budgeting links, and personalised nudges. Joint goal setting and life-stage tailored education are supported.

Salary Exchange:

Aviva MyMoney provide a Salary Exchange tool for employers and advisers, with online and spreadsheet-based calculators accessible via mobile. The system captures pension details, supports regular and bonus contributions, and offers clear guidance for all parties. Contribution visibility is available across member channels, and support materials cover NI impacts and re-enrolment processes.

Individual & Bulk Pension Transfers:

Aviva offers direct offer communications for transfer to members of the existing scheme. There is no minimum pension amount and the majority of transfers are completed using the Origo Standard. The average Bulk transfer in is less than 10 working days, once they have all required information from scheme and/or members.

Value for Money & Member Outcomes:

Aviva show high digital engagement, with strong login activity and consistent use of retirement planning tools. Members benefit from segmentation and tailored communications, and the Retirement Income Modeller is the most used tool across all propositions. This modeller includes a new “Career Break” feature enabling members to model how career breaks, adjustments to future contributions, and different return-to-work scenarios such as part-time or reduced hours could affect their retirement income outcomesPension transfer activity and death benefit nominations are moderate, with consistent support across platforms.

Member AI Tools & Operating Efficiencies:

Aviva use AI to enhance platform efficiency, developer productivity, and member segmentation. Their systems support predictive analytics, fraud detection, and chatbot services with human handover. A dedicated insight team, cybersecurity partnerships, and staff training ensure responsible AI deployment.

Our annual ratings are designed to assist advisers, providers and employers in their decision-making process and highlight which providers have the greatest strengths in different areas of their pension propositions.

To view the full medals tables, all the awards and the accompanying provider factsheets please visit www.benefitsguru.co.uk/ratings/