It’s normal for the value of your pension savings to go up and down over the short term. This is because your pension savings are likely to be invested in company shares and other stock market investments that incur upwards and downwards price movements. This risk – known as volatility – is a necessary part of investing.
The prices of stock market investments have been particularly impacted over recent months, with issues such as the rising cost of goods and services, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and international political developments. More recently, UK interest rates and levels of inflation have become extremely volatile, as the markets react to the Chancellor’s ‘mini-budget’ on the 23rd September.
We would like to remind you that despite these challenging times, it is important to focus on the long-term nature of pensions. Your pension savings are likely to remain invested for many years and, whilst past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance, stock market investments have historically tended to outperform money held in savings accounts over the longer term.
It’s never a bad idea to review your pension investments, which you can do via our secure member portal by clicking on the ‘Log in to Hartlink Online’ button at the top of the screen. However, if you are reviewing your pension investments and considering making changes, we would strongly suggest discussing any potential changes with a financial adviser. Neither the Trustee nor the Company can provide financial advice, but you can find an independent financial adviser (IFA) in your area by visiting www.unbiased.co.uk. Please be aware that an IFA may charge for any services they provide, and FDR do not cover the cost of such services.