Novia International SIPP — Review for Expat Investors
If you’re an expatriate with UK pensions and looking for a flexible, low-cost international pension vehicle, the Novia International SIPP is one of the leading options available today. It’s designed to give international investors continued control and professional management over their UK pensions, something that’s often reduced or lost once you leave the UK.
What Is the Novia International SIPP?
The Novia International SIPP is a version of the Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) tailored for non-UK residents. It allows individuals to consolidate existing UK pension schemes into one flexible account, access a wide investment universe, and maintain professional oversight and management while living abroad.
Often UK pension providers impose restrictions on investment management once you become a non-UK resident, limiting what can be bought, sold, or rebalanced within your pension.
Even when the provider itself doesn’t restrict management, a separate issue often arises: since Brexit, many UK-based financial advisers are no longer authorised to advise clients living overseas. Most UK advisers lost their EU passporting rights, meaning they cannot provide ongoing regulated advice to clients once they’ve left the UK.
This creates a double constraint for many expatriates, the pension provider’s own investment restrictions, and the adviser’s regulatory limitations. The result is that many expats find their pensions effectively “frozen”: unable to make active changes such as reducing equity exposure as they approach retirement, or transitioning from a growth-focused strategy during their working (accumulation) years to a more defensive, income-oriented approach when drawdown begins.
The Novia International SIPP aims to overcome these challenges by allowing for continued professional management, rebalancing, and risk adjustment throughout each life stage. This flexibility makes it particularly appealing for those who want their pension assets to remain actively monitored and managed while living overseas.
Key Features & How It Works
- No establishment fee – The Novia SIPP typically has no setup or initial charge.
- Quarterly SIPP wrapper fee – Fixed administration charge (approximately £45 + VAT per quarter).
- Tiered platform charge – Between 0.45% and 0.10% annually depending on total assets.
- Dealing and custody fees – Modest fixed cost per transaction and small custody percentage.
- Adviser fees – Agreed individually; Novia facilitates ongoing adviser remuneration.
- Multi-currency – Hold assets and cash in GBP, EUR, or USD.
- Fund range – Access to funds, ETFs, equities, model portfolios, and discretionary fund managers.
- No minimum holding period; partial or full transfers permitted.
Tax & Pension Benefit Considerations (for Expats)
The Novia International SIPP remains within the UK pension regime as a registered scheme.
Tax relief on contributions depends on your UK tax status — non-UK residents may not qualify for ongoing relief. Withdrawals follow UK pension rules, typically 25% tax-free and the remainder taxed as income under UK legislation.
Taxation abroad depends on your country of residence and applicable tax treaties, so professional tax advice is essential. Death benefits are flexible and can usually be passed to nominated beneficiaries. Transfers in from UK pensions or QROPS are permitted, with transparent fees and custody arrangements.
Pros
Cost transparency and competitive wrapper fees.
Full investment flexibility and access to global markets.
Robust reporting tools and online access.
Portability and ongoing adviser access for expats.
No setup charge and flexible withdrawal options.
Considerations
My Verdict
The Novia International SIPP stands out for its flexibility, transparent cost structure, and wide investment choice. It also provides a practical solution for expatriates who face limitations managing their UK pensions from overseas.
While it doesn’t suit every investor, for those who value active management, cross-border accessibility, and the ability to hold investments in multiple currencies, it represents a strong and well-regarded option in the international SIPP space.
If you live outside the UK and hold existing pensions, it’s worth understanding whether your current provider or adviser can still support you effectively — and how a structure like the Novia International SIPP compares in terms of flexibility, accessibility, and cost.