Fidelity Adviser Solutions introduces Flexible Investment and Retirement Solutions, strengthening support for advisers in retirement planning

• New facility enables advisers to create and manage multiple investment strategies within pension plans, alongside ISAs and Investment Accounts
• Launch builds on Fidelity’s strategic partnership with Standard Life, providing access to innovative income solutions
• Fidelity’s latest IFA DNA study highlights the growing need for retirement solutions, with three-quarters (75%) of advisers reporting that clients are worried about running out of money in later years

London, 08 October 2025: Fidelity International (“Fidelity”) today announces the launch of Flexible Investment and Retirement Solutions, a new facility held on the Fidelity Adviser Solutions platform that allows advisers to blend multiple investment strategies. For pensions, this means advisers can combine smoothed funds, model portfolios and guaranteed lifetime income in one place.

The new service supports a range of client needs, from immediate income and long-term growth to legacy or healthcare planning. It is also available for ISAs and Investment Accounts, offering advisers even greater flexibility to structure client portfolios around distinct goals.

This development builds on Fidelity’s strategic partnership with Standard Life, which has already introduced the Standard Life Smoothed Return Pension Fund and the Guaranteed Lifetime Income plan - both available exclusively through the Fidelity Adviser Solutions platform.

Paul Richards, Head of Adviser Distribution, Fidelity Adviser Solutions comments: “With the retirement landscape continuing to evolve, advisers are increasingly focused on solutions that make pension planning simpler and more centralised. Our award-winning¹ retirement proposition supports this by allowing advisers to manage multiple strategies in a single place, in line with the direction of travel outlined in the Retirement Income Advice Review.

“Looking ahead to the changes to the Inheritance Tax treatment of pensions due to take effect in April 2027 - and the greater responsibility this will place on personal representatives - consolidating clients’ pensions with one provider makes more sense than ever. Our solution is therefore a compelling choice for advisers seeking a centralised retirement proposition that reflects both regulatory priorities and client needs.”

Research findings highlight client challenges

Fidelity Adviser Solutions also recently published the sixth instalment of its IFA DNA study, conducted with NextWealth.

The annual research² finds that three-quarters (75%) of advisers say their clients’ foremost concern is running out of money in retirement. Other significant worries include inflation (56%), market volatility (47%), long-term care costs (47%) and leaving an inheritance (47%).

Reflecting these concerns, adviser recommendations continue to be dominated by drawdown strategies. Four in five (80%) say they recommend drawdown to all or most retirement clients, while annuity use has fallen back sharply. Only 9% now recommend annuities to all or most clients, compared with 32% in 2024. However, almost a quarter (23%) of advisers expect to recommend more annuities in the year ahead.

The findings also underscore how retirement is no longer a single “day one” event. Half of advisers (50%) say they make significant changes to clients’ financial plans once or twice over the course of retirement, while nearly a quarter (23%) say changes typically occur three to five times, underlining the ongoing role of advice in managing evolving needs.

Paul Richards added: “Our latest IFA DNA study shines a spotlight on the fundamental concerns clients have about retirement - most notably the risk of running out of money. Advisers are responding to these challenges by placing drawdown strategies at the centre of retirement planning, but our findings also suggest that guaranteed income products are regaining momentum as clients and advisers seek greater certainty.

“We recognise that retirement is no longer a single point in time but a journey that requires ongoing flexibility. With tools such as Flexible Investment and Retirement Solutions, advisers now have an enhanced toolkit to respond to these challenges and deliver secure, sustainable outcomes.”

Learn more about Fidelity’s Flexible Investment and Retirement Solutions facility here, and access the complete IFA DNA report with all accompanying data and insights here.