About Scottish Widows
Scottish Widows is a long-established UK financial services provider offering workplace pension and savings solutions for employers and their employees. Their proposition includes workplace pensions, workplace savings and retirement planning support, backed by decades of heritage as part of Lloyds Banking Group. The employer hub provides guidance, insight and tools to help businesses support employees’ financial futures.
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Perkwise Insight
Scottish Widows is one of the UK's most established financial services companies, specialising in workplace pensions, life insurance, and retirement solutions. Founded in 1815 during the Napoleonic Wars—originally to provide financial security for widows—the company has evolved into a modern pensions powerhouse managing £232 billion in assets for over 10 million customers across the UK. For employers, Scottish Widows offers both Group Personal Pensions (GPPs) and an award-winning Master Trust solution designed to meet auto-enrolment obligations while providing employees with professionally managed investment portfolios and strong governance oversight.
Mid-market to large companies
No monthly fee
10m+ in the UK
Key Features & Benefits
Award-Winning Master Trust Solution
Provides a trust-based pension scheme with independent governance, where an independent board of trustees oversees member outcomes separately from Scottish Widows itself.
This governance structure adds an extra layer of protection and oversight. The trustees actively monitor fund performance and make adjustments to ensure employees' pensions are managed in their best interests. Plus, pensions are ring-fenced—if your business faces financial difficulties, employee pension savings remain protected.
Comprehensive Employer Hub and Retirewell Portal
Provides employers with online tools for scheme management, compliance tracking, and ready-made employee engagement campaigns. The Retirewell portal offers webinars, resources, and communication materials to help employees understand their pensions.
Auto-enrolment compliance can be complex, with re-enrolment requirements every three years. Scottish Widows' employer tools help you stay on top of obligations while their engagement resources (like campaigns focused on the gender pension gap) help employees value their pension as a genuine benefit.
Mobile App with Pension Consolidation Tools
Allows employees to view their Scottish Widows pension, track progress toward retirement goals, and consolidate old pensions from previous employers—all through a mobile-first experience.
Pension engagement has traditionally been poor, with many employees barely aware of what they're saving. The Scottish Widows app (used by 500,000+ members) makes pensions feel more tangible and accessible, particularly for younger workers who prefer managing finances on mobile devices.
Implementation & Support
Setup Process
- Initial Consultation: 1-2 weeks for needs assessment and scheme design
- Scheme Setup: 2-4 weeks for contracts, system configuration, and payroll integration
- Employee Communication: 2-3 weeks for enrolment materials and communication rollout
- Go-Live: 6-10 weeks total for most implementations
Technical Requirements
- Payroll system integration (Scottish Widows supports most major UK payroll software)
- Secure online portal access for scheme administrators
- Employee email addresses for digital communications (though paper options available)
- Accurate employee data including earnings, age, and employment dates
Support Options
- Dedicated Employer Support Line
- Online Employer Hub
- Dedicated Account Management
- Technical Support
- Employee Helpline