One-off financial review in the UK: your options

Plenty of people want someone to look over their finances once, answer a few questions and leave them to it, without signing up to a fee every year. That is possible. There are four main routes, from free guidance to fixed-fee regulated advice, and the right one depends on whether you need a recommendation or just clarity. If you are not sure you need any outside help, start with do I need a financial adviser.

By Syd Lawrence, DipFA. Founder of Delphina.

Last reviewed 28 October 2026

Delphina provides guidance, not regulated financial advice.

First, decide what you need

The key distinction is between guidance and advice. Guidance explains your position and your options. Advice is a personal recommendation from an FCA-authorised adviser about what you should do, and it comes with complaint rights through the Financial Ombudsman Service.

If you want to transfer a defined benefit pension worth more than £30,000, the law requires regulated advice, so only route 1 below will do. For most other questions, such as whether you are on track, how much to save or how to read your pension statements, guidance is often enough.

Four ways to get a one-off review

1. Fixed-fee advice from an FCA-authorised adviser

Many advisers will quote a fixed price for a single piece of work: a pension review, a retirement income plan or a decision on a lump sum. You get a written recommendation and no ongoing service unless you ask for one. It is the only route that gives you a regulated recommendation and the complaint rights that come with it.

Cost: varies with the work. Ask for the fee in pounds before you agree, and compare it with the percentage fees in our guide to how much a financial adviser costs. Check the firm on the FCA register.

2. Pension Wise (free, 50 and over)

A free, government-backed appointment for people aged 50 or over with a defined contribution pension. A specialist explains your options for taking your pension: leaving it, taking cash, an annuity or drawdown, and the tax on each. They will not tell you which to choose.

Cost: free, by phone or face to face, booked through MoneyHelper.

3. MoneyHelper (free, any age)

The government's free money guidance service covers pensions, debt, savings and benefits by phone, webchat and online tools. Good for understanding a specific issue; it does not give personal recommendations. It also has a directory for finding a retirement adviser.

Cost: free.

4. Financial coaching

A coach works through your whole picture with you: what you have, what you want, whether the numbers add up and what to do first. Coaching is guidance, not regulated advice, so a coach will not recommend a specific product. It suits people who want to understand their position and build confidence rather than hand a decision over. Delphina offers this: a starter session at £99 or a comprehensive review at £249, as one-offs with no ongoing fee. Other independent coaches offer similar services.

Cost: fixed per session. See Delphina coaching, and our comparison of a financial coach vs a financial adviser.

What a good one-off review covers

Whoever does it, a useful review should leave you with answers to a short list of questions, in writing:

Where you stand today. Every pension, ISA and savings balance in one list, and your State Pension forecast.
Whether it is enough. Your expected retirement income set against what you expect to spend, with the gap stated in pounds.
What you are paying. Platform, fund and any advice charges across all your accounts, in pounds a year.
What to do first. One or two actions in order, rather than a long list you will never finish.
Whether you need regulated advice for anything, such as a defined benefit transfer or a complex tax question, and why.

If a review ends without a clear answer to most of these, it was a conversation rather than a review. That is worth knowing before you pay for another one.

How to get the most from a one-off review

Bring your latest pension statements, your State Pension forecast from GOV.UK, ISA and savings balances, and a rough monthly spending figure.
Write down the one or two questions you most want answered. A review that tries to cover everything answers nothing well.
Ask for a written summary at the end, so you can act on it later or take it to an adviser.
If you already have an adviser and want a fresh view, read getting a second opinion on your financial adviser.

Do the free part first

Whichever route you choose, it helps to know your own numbers first. Check whether you are on track for retirement before the review, so the time goes on decisions rather than adding things up. Delphina is guidance, not regulated advice, and does not recommend advisers or products.

Questions

Can I get financial advice without an ongoing fee?

Yes. Many FCA-authorised advisers offer one-off or fixed-fee advice on a single question, such as a pension review or a retirement income plan, with no ongoing service. Ask for the fee in pounds and for what the written recommendation will cover before you agree.

Is there a free financial review in the UK?

MoneyHelper offers free, impartial guidance on money and pensions, and Pension Wise offers a free appointment if you are 50 or over and have a defined contribution pension. Both explain your options; neither recommends a product.

What is the difference between a one-off review and one-off advice?

A review can be guidance: someone helps you understand your position and options. One-off advice is a regulated personal recommendation from an FCA-authorised adviser, which comes with complaint rights through the Financial Ombudsman Service. Know which one you are buying.