What is Pension Drawdown?

Pension Drawdown lets you access 25% cash tax-free from your Defined Contribution pension pots and leave the rest invested, giving you the flexibility to choose how and when you withdraw the rest of the money.

Leaving your money invested gives it more chance to grow, though, as with any investment, there's a chance it could go down in value too.

If you're comfortable keeping some of your pension pot invested, and that you can manage your pension pot to make sure you have enough money in retirement, pension drawdown could be a good choice.

 

  • Access your tax-free cash

    After you transfer into the pension drawdown we’ll pay the tax-free cash sum.

  • A flexible income

    You're in control of how much you take and when. You could choose to take a regular and/or occasional income, or no income at all.

  • Simple investment choices

    Choose one of four objectives for what you would like to do with your money within five years and the objective you choose will be linked to an investment solution.

  • Transfer your existing pension drawdown

    When you apply for our Personal Pension Drawdown, you can transfer your existing drawdown to have access to our digital platform to setup and manage regular withdrawals as well as make additional withdrawals whenever it suits you.
    • Pension Wise free guidance appointment

      Pension Wise is a government service from MoneyHelper that offers free impartial pension guidance. Available if you're 50 or over, you should consider having a free Pension Wise appointment, before you decide how to access your pension.

    • Am I eligible for Pension Drawdown?

      You must be aged 55 or over and have a Defined Contribution pension. We can't accept pensions that are already in drawdown so you must not have accessed the tax-free cash from your pension yet. We can only accept transfers of your full pension pot.

    • I’m happy to apply for pension drawdown online

      You can only apply for pension drawdown online, we’re unable to process applications over the phone.

    • I want control over my pension

      If you're happy to choose one of four objectives which will be linked to an investment solution, this option may be right for you.

    • I want a flexible drawdown income

      If you don’t need a guaranteed income and want to have the flexibility to dip into your pension when it suits you, this product may be right for you.

    • What if I'm a member of a Legal & General Workplace Pension?

      If you’re a member of a Legal & General Workplace Pension, you may have the option to access drawdown in that scheme, which could be more suitable for your needs. Please contact us for more information and details on how to get a quote.

  • The income you draw down is taxable

    After you've taken your tax-free cash, any income you take will be subject to income tax. The amount of tax you pay on income from the plan will depend on your circumstances, and may change in the future.

  • Your state benefits could be affected

    This plan could affect your entitlement to any means tested state benefits.

  • The value of your pension pot is not guaranteed

    The value of your pension pot isn’t guaranteed and will depend on several things such as how much you pay in and when you choose to take your money. It’s also important to note the value of your pension pot can go down as well as up. Further details on the potential risks can be found in the Key Features Document.

  • You may run out of money

    You should regularly review the amount you are withdrawing. Because your income isn’t guaranteed, if your investment returns do not meet your expectations, if you live longer than expected or if you take too much money out too quickly then you could run out of money.

  • There are some costs involved

    There are charges for managing your account and charges applied to the investments you hold. We have a service charge of 0.25% of the value of your Pension per year. There is also a Fund Management Charge which differs from fund to fund. More detail on charges can be found below and in the Key Features Document.

  • Transferring your pension may affect your guaranteed benefits

    Before you transfer a pension to us you should check if you have any valuable benefits with your existing provider. We don’t accept Defined Benefit Pensions, those with Guaranteed Annuity Rates, With Profits or Guaranteed Minimum Pensions.

Legal & General Retirement Advice Service

Our advisers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to give advice on an independent basis. 

Investment pathways are a way for you to select the funds that you're investing in when you're in drawdown. You choose one of four objectives for what you would like to do with your money within the next five years and the objective you choose will be linked to an investment solution. When you choose your investment pathway, you won't be locked in and can change it at any time. There's also more detail on the objectives themselves within the application.

 

Objectives Investment Key Investor Information Document
I have no plans to touch my money in the next five years Multi-Index 5 Fund Download PDF
I plan to use my money to set up a guaranteed income (annuity) within the next five years Sterling Corporate Bond Index Fund Download PDF
I plan to start taking my money as a long-term income within the next five years Multi-Index 4 Fund Download PDF
I plan to take out all my money within the next five years Short Dated Sterling Corporate Bond Index Fund Download PDF

Pension Drawdown calculator

Our Pension Drawdown calculator helps you see how much income you could receive with pension drawdown, and allows you to compare this with the income you could receive from a pension annuity. You don't need to include any final salary pensions or your state pension.

I am years old and I have saved in my pension pots

Results

Total pension pot
£100,000
Tax-free cash 25%
£25,000
Remaining pension pot
£75,000

The example below gives you an idea of the income our pension drawdown product might provide. It assumes you take the maximum 25% tax-free cash sum available but you can choose to take less. The result is an example only and is not advice. The actual income you can get will depend on your individual circumstances.

Flexible income you can take when you want, it's not guaranteed

Pension Drawdown

Annual income
Investment return
  • You decide the amount of income and when it’s paid
  • The value of your pension can go up or down and you could get back less than you paid in
  • Income isn't guaranteed, you could run out of money

The 'Annual income' figure shows the amount before any tax has been deducted. You can change it using the drop-down – the more you take, the less time your money will last. You can see the effect of three different rates of return on the size of your pot by using the 'Investment return' drop-down.

Guaranteed income for the rest of your life

Pension Annuity

£3,096
a year
for the rest of your life
  • Can pay higher income for health conditions and lifestyle risks.
  • Can provide an income for your spouse, civil partner or beneficiary after you die.
  • Can’t change your options once the plan has started.

The figure above shows the gross income before any tax is deducted.

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Apply for Pension Drawdown online

Get a personalised illustration that takes into account your personal circumstances, such as the value of your pension pot and how you plan to use the money. If it's right for you, and you have your pension details and paperwork ready, then you can apply online today.

If you're 50 or over, you should consider having a free Pension Wise appointment, before you decide how to access your pension.

Before applying for Pension Drawdown, make sure you read the documents below.

Personal Pension Drawdown key features

Personal Pension Drawdown terms and conditions

Is your current pension drawdown not as flexible as you would like?

Moving your current drawdown

You can now transfer your existing drawdown into our Personal Pension Drawdown.

Once completed, you'll have access to our digital platform to setup and manage regular withdrawals as well as make additional withdrawals whenever it suits you.

Transfer now

Man on phone

Retirement Advice Service

At retirement pension planning advice from our team of expert financial advisers.

Our advisers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to give advice on an independent basis. That means they won’t just include our products in the recommendation they give you – if there’s a better option available, they’ll let you know.