Most bought pension funds so far this tax year

The end of the tax year, 5 April, is just weeks away. And with it, the opportunity to use your pension allowance.

A pension is one of the most tax-efficient ways to save and invest. You can get 20-45% tax relief (up to 48% for Scottish taxpayers) when you pay money in. And you when you come to take it out, you can take up to 25% tax free with the rest taxed as income.

You also don’t have to pay UK income tax or capital gains tax on investments in a pension.

However, you haven’t got long left to use this year’s allowance. Even if you don’t know where to invest, don’t miss the opportunity to secure your allowance now. You add cash before the deadline and choose your investments later on.

Here’s a look at some of the most popular funds that HL’s Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) and Drawdown clients have been buying this tax year.

Tax and pension rules change, and any benefits will depend on individual circumstances. You'll usually need to be 55 (rising to 57 from 2028) before you can access the money in your pension.

Where did HL's pension clients put their money this tax year?

The tables below show the most bought actively-managed funds (trying to beat the market) and tracker funds (trying to track the market), by HL's SIPP and Drawdown investors from 6 April 2024 through to 12 March 2025. This is by number of trade buys (minus any sales).

This article has been written independently of our investment research team to offer some inspiration, but isn't personal advice or a guide on how or where to invest.

Investments usually outperform cash savings over five or more years. But values rise and fall, so you could get back less than you invest. You’re responsible for your investment decisions. You should choose investments based on your own objectives and attitude to risk. If you're not sure whether an investment is right for you, ask for financial advice.

How to pick investments for a pension

Investing in funds won't be right for everyone. Only invest in a fund if its objectives align with your own, and there's a specific need for that type of investment within your portfolio. Investors should understand the specific risks of a fund before they invest and be investing for the long term (five years or more).

It's also important not to put all your eggs in one basket. Spreading your money and diversifying, gives you access to more opportunities and can reduce risk.

If you're looking for inspiration from our investment research team on where to invest your pension this tax year, explore our latest SIPP investment ideas.

Or you can use our Wealth Shortlist. It's designed to help investors build and maintain a well-balanced and diversified portfolio.

We've put funds under the microscope to make sure the list only contains the funds that our in-depth analysis shows have the greatest long-term performance potential.

Leave day-to-day investment decisions to the experts

If you’re investing or looking to invest for retirement and want a team of experts to look after the day-to-day investment decisions, consider our Ready-Made Pension Plan.

It’s a simple, low-cost investment solution, designed specifically for the HL SIPP. The plan is managed by experts and aims to grow your money when you’re younger, then lower risk as you get closer to retirement.

The underlying funds of the plan are managed by our sister company Hargreaves Lansdown Fund Managers Ltd.

Tax year and special offers end 5 April – don’t miss out

Are you planning to take advantage of your pension allowances before the deadline?

It's quick and easy to open or top up the award-winning HL SIPP and takes just minutes online.

Time is running out to secure your allowance and take advantage of our special offers, available to new and existing SIPP clients.

Add money by 5 April to secure your allowance and you could qualify for our cash prize draw. Or register for our cashback offers. Terms apply.