Self-invested personal pension (SIPP)
Start investing for your retirement with a low, fixed fee pension.
Capital at risk.
Important information: The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest. SIPP eligibility rules apply. Tax treatment depends on your personal circumstances and current rules may change.
Why choose a SIPP?
- Tax relief: contributions into your SIPP benefit from between 20% and 45% tax relief depending on your taxpayer rate.
- Cost savings: by combining multiple pensions into one accessible, low-cost account you could save on fees and charges.
- Visibility and control: Decide exactly how your pension is invested, choosing products that reflect your outlook on our changing world. Monitor performance and make decisions at the click of a button.
A SIPP is a pension designed for you to save until your retirement and is for people who want to make their own investment decisions. You can normally only draw your pension from age 55 (57 from 2028), except in special circumstances.
At present, Freetrade only supports Uncrystallised Fund Pension Lump Sums (UFPLS) for customers who wish to withdraw funds from their SIPP after their 55th birthday. We strongly encourage you to seek financial advice before making any withdrawals from your SIPP.
Top rated SIPP provider
- Which? Recommended Provider for SIPPs 2024
- Best value for money 2024 by Boring Money
- Best online trading platform 2024 at the British Bank Awards
Open a SIPP
Start saving for your future today. Download the app, choose the Plus plan and open your SIPP account in minutes.
Transfer a pension
Head to the app, choose the Plus plan, open a SIPP account and click ‘Transfer a pension’.
Pension transfer cashback offer
Transfer at least £10,000 to qualify. Cashback capped at £2,000. Annual subscription required. Terms apply.
Offer ends 31 December 2024.
Pensions that are transferred to the Freetrade SIPP may lose the protected pension age benefit. This means that you will not be able to draw the monies from the Freetrade SIPP until you are aged 57. Please ensure you know what this means for you and the effect it may have on you and your savings. Check before you transfer a pension to us that we can accept your investments, you won’t lose any guarantees, and that you know what charges you may incur. Seek advice if you are unsure about making a transfer.
Join the thousands of people with a Freetrade SIPP
Receive HMRC tax relief with our SIPP
For your pension contributions, we'll claim the 'Basic Rate' tax relief from HMRC on your behalf and deposit it in your Freetrade SIPP account automatically.
It normally takes around 6-11 weeks from the contribution to the tax relief appearing in your account. The HMRC tax relief depends on your eligibility. You can read more about tax relief here.
Why open a SIPP with Freetrade?
Our low, flat fee means your costs don’t grow if your investments do. SIPPs are included with our Plus plan (£11.99/mo or £119.88/yr).
Investing should be free, and we’re committed to providing this to our customers, forever. Other charges may apply.
Manage your portfolio from anywhere via our beautiful iOS and Android apps. We are proud to be a Which? Recommended Provider for SIPPs 2024.
Choose from thousands of stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts from the UK, US and Europe. We’re constantly adding more - see our full stock list.
Fast, friendly customer support when you need it. SIPP customers receive priority customer support as part of their Plus plan.
Unlimited commission-free instant trades during stock market opening hours. Set up automated investments, limited orders, stop losses, and more.
For more info, see our SIPP Key Features Document, Terms and Conditions, SIPP Charges and SIPP Declarations. See our full pricing table here.
Withdrawing money from your Freetrade pension
Cash that you put in your pension is intended for retirement. You will not be able to access money that you invest in your Freetrade pension until you’re 55 (rising to 57 in 2028), except in special circumstances, such as serious illness.
At present, Freetrade only offers a form of withdrawal called an “uncrystallised funds pension lump sum”. This is a payment taken from a pension, out of which you have not previously taken funds through another method, like a drawdown fund. This kind of withdrawal can impact the amount that you’re able to save into your pension in the future.
If you’re considering withdrawing money from your pension in the next few years, it’s important that you speak to a suitably qualified financial adviser to understand your options.
SIPP fees and charges
Your SIPP is included as part of the Plus plan for just £11.99 per month. With a simple and low monthly fee, your pension pot can grow without your fees growing too.
transfer-out fee
(per holding)
Before you transfer: Check before you transfer a pension to us that we can accept your investments, you won’t lose any guarantees, and that you know what charges you may incur. Seek advice if you are unsure about making a transfer. Always do your own research.
Pensions that are transferred to the Freetrade SIPP may lose the protected pension age benefit, if applicable to you, meaning that you will need to wait longer until you can draw monies from your Freetrade SIPP. Please ensure you know what this means for you and the effect it may have on you and your savings.
Freetrade won't charge you to transfer your pension to us, but please check with your existing provider what fees or restrictions may apply from them. We cannot provide you with any advice therefore it is your responsibility to ensure you are happy that transferring to the Freetrade Pension is right for you.If you're unsure if transferring your pension to Freetrade is right, you should take advice from a suitably qualified financial adviser. For more info, see our SIPP Key Features Document, Terms and Conditions, SIPP Charges and SIPP Declarations.
Comparison Disclosure ⓘ
Comparisons to other SIPP providers are based on our understanding of their published costs on their websites as at 31 July 2024, for trading shares and ETFs within a SIPP account. They are shown for illustrative purposes only. For confirmation of their up to date charges and product information, you should visit their websites.
Hargreaves Lansdown:
SIPP account charges are 0.45% of the value of shares in your account, capped at £200/yr. Fee per trade reduces depending on the number of trades in the previous month to £8.95 per trade for 10-19 trades, and £5.95 for 20 or more trades. The FX fee reduces on a tiered scale, based on transaction value: 1% for the first £5,000, 0.75% for the next £5,000, 0.50% for the next £10,000, and 0.25% for anything above £20,000.
Interactive Investor:
Based on the Pension Essentials plan, which allows for a maximum portfolio size of £50,000 and charges a £5.99/mo account fee. For portfolios above £50,000, customers are automatically moved on to the Pension Builder plan, with a £12.99 monthly account fee. The FX fee reduces on a tiered scale, based on transaction value: 1.25% for trades between £25,000 - £49,999, 1.0% for trades between £50,000 - £99,999.99, 0.50% for trades between £100,000 - £599,999, and 0.25% for trades of £600,000 or more.
AJ Bell:
SIPP account charges 0.25% of the value of the shares in your account, capped at £10/mo. Each share or ETF trade is £5.00. Fee per trade reduces to £3.50 when 10 or more trades are done in the previous month. The FX fee reduces on a tiered scale, based on transaction value: 0.75% for the first £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001 - £20,000, and 0.25% for anything over £20,000.
What can I invest in?
See which are the most traded shares by the total value of buy orders over the past week on the Freetrade app.
Stocks
Invest in thousands of companies listed on the LSE, NYSE, NASDAQ and across Europe.
ETFs
Choose from a wide range of exchange-traded funds covering index funds, stock and bond ETFs from providers like Vanguard, iShares and Invesco, as well as HSBC and Xtrackers.
REITs
Diversify your investments with REITs, which allow you to add residential or commercial real estate assets to your portfolio without the hassle of buying and managing the properties yourself.
Investment trusts
Choose from over 150 investment trusts to diversify your portfolio across a wide range of sectors, geographical areas and markets worldwide.
SIPP FAQs
A SIPP is a self-invested personal pension. It's a pension pot you build yourself to live off in retirement. Unlike other types of personal pension, a SIPP gives you much more flexibility when it comes to what you can invest in.
To find out more about SIPPs and how they can help you save for retirement, check out our SIPPs explained jargon-free guide.
You can transfer the below types of pensions to a Freetrade SIPP:
- SIPP
- Individual Personal Pension (IPP)
- Stakeholder Pension Plan (SHP)
- Free Standing Additional Voluntary Contributions (FSAVC)
- Trust-Based Workplace Pension Plan*
*Subject to current plan rules. Some workplace pension plans cannot be transferred whilst still active.
Currently, we are unable to accept Final Salary Personal Pension, Defined Benefit Pension Plan or any pensions that contain Safeguarded Benefits including Protected Tax-Free Cash (PTFC), Protected Retirement Ages (PRA), Guaranteed Annuity Rates (GARs) or Guaranteed Minimum Pensions (GMP).
There is no limit on how many pensions someone can have (e.g. NHS pension and a Freetrade SIPP), but clients should be aware of their own circumstances. Check more details on how to transfer your pension to Freetrade.
Your SIPP is included as part of the Plus plan, which gives you access to everything Freetrade has to offer. Invest in the full range of 6,000 stocks and ETFs, use limit orders and stop losses to stay in control of your trading and earn 5% interest on uninvested cash up to £3,000. Your Plus plan also includes a tax-efficient stocks and shares ISA.
Yes. You can transfer other personal pensions to the Freetrade SIPP. Transfers from defined benefit pension schemes and schemes that provide safeguarded benefits are not accepted.
Before transferring your pension to Freetrade, make sure it is the right action for you to take. Please ensure that you will not lose valuable guarantees or incur excessive transfer penalties.
Contributions are capped at 100% of your annual income. You’re also able to claim tax relief on the first £60,000 you contribute each year.
No, transfers don’t use up your annual allowance. You should be aware, though, that some providers may charge exit fees or other surcharges in order to transfer - check all SIPP charges.
No, currently we don't accept employer contributions, but we hope to in the future.
We claim the 'Basic Rate' tax relief on behalf of the customer and deposit it in their Freetrade SIPP account for them automatically. It normally takes around 6-11 weeks from the top-up to the money entering their account.
Yes, you are able to move cash from your stocks and shares ISA or general investment account (GIA) directly into your Freetrade SIPP.
To close your Plus plan or downgrade to a Standard plan, you’ll have to transfer your SIPP to another provider first. This is because SIPPs are a bit different to other investment accounts and operate under slightly different rules.
You can only cancel or close a SIPP within the first 30 days of opening it. After this point your SIPP cannot be closed and the pot of money you’ve built up will be preserved until you reach the age at which you’re allowed to access your pension (currently 55).
To cancel within the first 30 days of opening your Plus plan, let us know through the in-app chat within the 30 day cancellation period. When you cancel within the first 30 days we will refund any account fees taken.
For more information take a look at SIPP key features.
The first thing to know is that a SIPP or self-invested personal pension is a type of personal pension. They are both pension pots that you build yourself.
The key thing to know about a SIPP is that it tends to offer investors a wider choice of investment options. Other types of personal pensions, such as personal and stakeholder pensions, tend to have restricted invested options.
For more details on how pensions work in the UK, check our guide on what pensions are.
You normally need to be at least age 55 to access money in a pension fund.
If you want to take money from your Freetrade SIPP, please contact our Customer Service team in-app and they will send you a Retirement Options Pack.
At present, Freetrade only offers “uncrystallised funds pension lump sums” (UFPLS) payments, but there are other options available that you can consider when deciding how to access your pension fund.
We have to tell you about your options before we can start processing your request as it’s important that you consider which option is right for your personal circumstances. The Retirement Options Pack will help you understand your options, but if you’re not sure, please take advice from a suitably qualified financial adviser.
If you then decide to access funds from your pension plan using UFPLS, you can ask us to send you an application form and risk warning questionnaire.
An “uncrystallised funds pension lump sum”(UFPLS) or lump sum payment is one way of withdrawing money from a pension.
You take cash from your pension fund as and when you need it and leave the rest invested, where it can continue to grow tax-free.
Normally the first 25% of each UFPLS payment is tax-free and the rest is taxed as income.
If you take money from your pension fund using UFPLS, the amount you can pay into your pensions and get tax relief on in the future is restricted. If you want to carry on saving into a pension, this option may not be suitable.
Before you withdraw money from your pension fund using UFPLS, you should think about whether it’s right for your personal circumstances, including the tax impact of taking UFPLS payments. If you’re not sure, please take advice from a suitably qualified financial adviser.
Yes.
You can use both drawdown and UFPLS to take benefits from just some of your pension fund or from all of your pension at once.
With UFPLS you take money out of your pension as a lump sum payment 25% of which is normally tax free and 75% taxable. With drawdown you can normally take up to a quarter (25%) of the money in your pension fund as a tax-free lump sum. The rest is moved to a drawdown pension fund, where it is available to provide taxed income. You can start taking your income straight away or wait until a later date and take your income at times to suit you.
If you take money from your pension fund using UFPLS, the amount you can pay into your pensions and get tax relief on in the future is restricted. With drawdown the same restrictions apply, but only once you have taken taxable income (not the tax-free cash) from your pension.
Please note, currently there is no option to take benefits as drawdown from your Freetrade SIPP and you would need to transfer some or all of your pension fund to another pension plan in order to take your pension benefits using drawdown.
If you want to take a lump sum from a pension that you haven’t accessed previously, you can contact customer service in-app who will send you an application form. Please note you normally need to be at least age 55 to request this.
Before you take UFPLS, you should consider whether it’s right for your personal circumstances. If you’re not sure, please consult an independent financial adviser first. By withdrawing money in this way, you may limit valuable tax benefits from your pension in the future.
At present, Freetrade only offers uncrystallised funds pension lump sums (UFPLS), but other options are available to consider when deciding how to access your pension funds.
- Use your pension fund to get a guaranteed income for life, also known as a lifetime annuity. The income is taxable, but you can choose to take up to 25% of your fund as a one-off tax-free lump sum at the outset.
- Use your pension fund to provide a flexible retirement income (flexi-access drawdown). Normally you can choose to take up to 25% of your fund as a one-off tax-free lump sum. The rest of your fund is then held in your pension plan to draw out as taxed income as and when you like and whatever amount you like, including setting up regular payments, until it has all gone. You still have the option to get a lifetime annuity with the remaining pension fund at any time.
- Take a lump sum. You can take a lump sum from your pension fund when you like for any amount you like. Normally the first 25% of each lump sum payment will be tax-free and the rest will be taxed.
- Mix your options. Choose any combination of the above, at the same time or at different times, using different parts of your pension fund.
Currently you will have to transfer your Freetrade pension fund to another provider if you want to take money from your pension as an income (drawdown) or to convert it to an annuity.
Before you withdraw money from your pension fund using UFPLS, you should think about whether it’s right for your personal circumstances, including the tax impact of taking UFPLS payments. If you’re not sure, please take advice from a suitably qualified financial adviser.
Each UFPLS withdrawal from your Freetrade SIPP will cost £240.
Have questions? Email us at hello@freetrade.io or reach out via in-app chat.
When you invest, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest.
Learn more about SIPPs
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