Ask your pension question. We'll tell you exactly what you need.
One question. One honest answer, within 48 hours — telling you which of three things applies to you. No jargon, no sales pitch, no charge to ask.
Here's how it works.
You ask. We do the thinking and tell you honestly what fits — there's no form to fill in guessing which package you want.
You ask your question
Type it in, as much or as little detail as you have. No charge, no signup.
A qualified adviser reads it
Personally — not a chatbot, not a call centre. Every question, every time.
You get told what fits
Free resources, a fixed-fee quote, or a regulated adviser intro — whichever is honestly right.
You decide, freely
Take the free answer and go. Say yes to a quote. Ask something else. No pressure either way.
Hi, I'm Paul Bartlett.
I'm a qualified financial adviser (DipPFS) with over twenty years' experience in the UK financial advice profession, including regulated planning work.
I built Pension Helper because most people don't need a full financial adviser to answer their pension question — they just need someone honest to tell them what would. Every question here is read and answered by me, personally.
The pension guides.
Six plain-English PDFs on the topics people trip up on most. Yours to download, no email required.
How pensions work — the basics
The three main pension types, how a DC pot really grows, and why the auto-enrolment minimum probably isn't enough.
Download PDF → Guide 02 · 2 pagesYour State Pension
2026/27 rates, who gets the full amount, and when filling gap years is one of the best deals in finance.
Download PDF → Guide 03 · 2 pagesTaking money from your pension
Drawdown, annuities, and the two tax traps (emergency tax and the MPAA) that catch almost everyone.
Download PDF → Guide 04 · 2 pagesCombining old pensions
When consolidating makes sense — and the guaranteed rates, protected cash and exit penalties you must never lose.
Download PDF → Guide 05 · 2 pagesPensions and tax
Relief in, growth in the middle, and the April 2027 inheritance-tax change that reverses standard planning.
Download PDF → Guide 06 · 2 pagesPlanning your retirement income
Three numbers to build a plan around, and the assumptions that quietly break every plan built on averages.
Download PDF →Anything else you'd want to know?
Is Pension Helper regulated by the FCA?
No — Pension Helper is a non-regulated guidance service. We provide factual analysis and guidance to help you understand the financial outcomes under different scenarios. We do not provide personal financial advice or make product recommendations. If your situation needs regulated advice, we'll introduce you to a qualified, FCA-regulated adviser.
What's the difference between guidance and advice?
Guidance means helping you understand your options and model the numbers, leaving the decision to you. Advice means an authorised adviser recommending a specific course of action after considering your whole financial position. Advice is FCA-regulated; guidance isn't. Both are useful, in different situations.
Rule of thumb: "what would happen if I did X, versus Y?" is usually guidance. "Given everything about me, what should I do?" is usually advice.
How does the pricing actually work?
Asking is always free. If your question needs a proper piece of work, we quote a fixed fee — from £99 for something straightforward, up to a few hundred pounds for something more involved, like a full pension remedy analysis. You always get a fixed number before we start, split 50% up front and 50% on delivery.
What if my question needs regulated advice?
We'll tell you honestly and offer an introduction to a qualified, regulated adviser.
Who actually reads my question?
Paul Bartlett — the person whose name is on this site. Not a chatbot, not a call centre. A qualified UK financial adviser who reads and replies to every question personally.
How quickly do I get a reply?
Within 48 hours in almost every case. If your question needs longer — for example if it means reading a scheme booklet first — we'll say so straight away and give you an honest timeline.
Is my data safe?
Yes. We only use your details to reply to your question, and never sell or share them. See our privacy policy for the full picture.
Still not sure? Just ask.
You might not need us at all. Half our replies are "here's a page on gov.uk that answers this" — and we'd rather tell you that than pretend otherwise. There's no obligation to buy anything, ever.