Always capitalise it.
Plain English pensions
Here you will find a list of pension terminology explained in layman's terms, from the Plain English campaign.
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This is how we refer to the account name a user signs in with.
We use adviser unless writing for a US audience, when it's advisor.
Sentence case.
Sentence case. Not "Annual statement".
We say "Guaranteed income (also know as an annuity)" in the first instance, and "guaranteed income" in all other instances. The exception to this is if we're referring to a specific annuity product – in which case we would say "annuity".
Two words, no hyphen. Enrolment should have two L's (enrollment) if writing for a US audience.
Not BACS. Full name is Bacs Payment Schemes Limited.
As in 'request your pension breakdown’.
Our preferred CTA for cancelling an action.
In running copy or headings use "charges" and avoid "fees". For example, don’t use "Our charges and fees" in a heading when "Our charges" does the job.
The exception is when referencing the specific name of a charge, such as "Monthly flat fee" - a charge applied to Smart Pension Master Trust members.
We say:
“Monthly flat fee – we charge this fee to cover the time spent and technology used in administering your pension. If you no longer contribute to your Smart Pension account and your savings are worth less than £100, we won’t charge this fee.”
For Annual Management Charge, we say:
“Annual Management Charge (AMC) – we charge a small amount as a percentage of your investments each month for managing and investing your pension. Some investments have extra operating costs which we add to the AMC. This total charge is called the Total Expense Ratio (TER).”
Our preferred CTA for continuing an action.
In the first instance on a page or document style as "Coronavirus (COVID-19)" at the beginning of a sentence, or "coronavirus (COVID-19)" in the middle of a sentence. In any further instances, just say "coronavirus".
How we refer to our customer service department ("If you need help, our customer support team is happy to help")
Technical term for a very small pension pot. Translated from Latin the term means "pertaining to minimal things".
Not 'de minimus'. Use sparingly.
Always a small 'r', even if forming part of a name like the Smart De-risking Fund.
Not dependant.
It's a proper noun and needs to be capitalised.
We say "flexible income (income drawdown)" in the first instance, and "flexible income" after this. An exception is when referring to the legal or financial process of drawdown – in this instance, say "drawdown" (for example, "your pension fund is now in drawdown").
For example, "please can I have your email address so I can email you that document" or "I received your email at my email address."
Lower case.
One word, not two.
Should be capitalised as it's a proper noun – it's a service offered by Pay.UK.
Not forename.
Smart Retire's drawdown pot. Sentence case.
Should always be written out in full, not eg or e.g.
Should only be used to refer specifically to investment funds. For a sum of money in a scheme/pot use "pension savings" and not "pension funds".
Only capitalise the word "fund" if it forms part of a proper noun (name). For example, "Your savings are divided up between four funds, including the Smart Sharia Fund and the Smart Future Fund".
Not glidepath, glide-path or Glide Path.
Refers to how a user's savings, when using an investment strategy managed by the pension provider, are moved into different investments the closer the user is to their nominated retirement age. This is often done to reduce risk.
The full definition is in progress. This term is used rarely in client-facing comms. This may change in early 2023.
Remember that glidepath is all one word, not glide path.
Lowercase G. For example, "In a series of indicative votes, the UK government failed to find a consensus on Brexit."
We say "Guaranteed income (also known as an annuity)" in the first instance, and "guaranteed income" in all other instances. The exception to this is if we're referring to a specific annuity product – in which case we would say "annuity".
Capitalised as a proper noun, according to the way that gov.uk uses it.
A pot in Smart Retire where the user can set aside some money to leave to loved ones or a charity when they die. Write it in sentence case.
A pre-built investment offering available to our members instead of choosing their own funds. You can say "pre-built investment strategy" if you'd like. We never say "model strategy" or "model investment strategy".
As per how they refer to themselves. Space before the last name. Not JPMorgan or JP Morgan or J.P.Morgan.
Not surname or second name.
A pot in Smart Retire where a user can leave some money to pay for an annuity. Sentence case.
Avoid unless put in context. For example, "Learn more about the later life pot". If you have to use learn more/find out more anchor text, make sure the link is correctly tagged for screen readers.
Not life time allowance or Lifetime Allowance.
Don't use. Use "sign in" instead.
Don't use. Use "sign out" instead.
(as in "please provide your login details) Don't use. Use "account details" instead.
Two separate words. In a sentence it is written as "master trust" as it is not a proper noun. Only use capitals if the two words for part of a brand name, for example, the Smart Pension Master Trust.
The Money Purchase Annual Allowance is the amount of pension contributions you get tax relief on if you have already started taking an income from a defined contribution pension.
We write it out in title case in the first instance, followed by the acronym in brackets – "Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA)". Further instances on the same page can be expressed as an acronym only.
Title case as it's a proper noun.
Not 'okay' or 'ok'.
All one word.
No hyphen.
It's an acronym for Payroll and Pension Data Interface Standard. So not papdis or Papdis.
Not pass word.
Generally, try to avoid ‘pension pot’. Instead refer to money held with Smart as ‘pension savings’. You can see how to use 'pension savings' in the entry below.
Smart Retire has ‘pots’. Someone who joins Smart Retire can split their pension savings between four pots, each designed to meet a different need in retirement. These are called the flexible income pot, later life pot, rainy day pot and inheritance pot.
To refer to money held with Smart. Not "pension funds". Always use "pension savings" in the first instance. You can refer to them as "your savings" from then on if appropriate.
Not telephone.
Not telephone number.
Not post code.
A pot in Smart Retire where a user can set aside money for emergencies. Write in sentence case.
For example, "re-enter your password".
No hyphen.
SAVA is the name of Smart's virtual assistant.
SAVA uses she/her pronouns.
We always use upper case for her name as it is an acronym for Smart's Avatar Virtual Assistant.
Her name is pronounced the same as the word “saver”.
To refer to money held with Smart. Not "funds". Always use "pension savings" in the first instance. You can refer to them as "your savings" thereafter if appropriate.
Use set up as a verb and setup as a noun. Don't use setup as an adjective.
Not log in.
Not log out.
Use sentence case unless it forms the name of a specific single employer trust. You can follow the first instance with the acronym in brackets – "Single employer trust (SET)" and use the acronym for further instances if you would like.
When talking about the company.
Two words.
Name of Smart Pension's master trust. Capitalise the M and the T.
Two words.
Call to action for the beginning of a process.
Capitalise.
Hyphenated.
We always say "The US". Not "USA", "America", "U.S." or any other variation.
Lower case "t" at the beginning, unless it is at the beginning of a sentence.
The former is a noun and the latter is an adverb. For example: Your up-to-date statement is kept up to date.
All one word, not 'user name'. Some usernames are email addresses, but not all.
One word, no hyphen in the UK and Australia. Hyphenated (well-being) in the US and the rest of the world.
Sentence case, no hyphen, two separate words. For example, "we are selling white label partnerships".
Sentence case. Not a proper noun. No hyphen. For example, "check your wifi connection"
Not capitalised. For example, "If you make a will you can also make sure you don’t pay more Inheritance Tax than you need to".
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Don't use (a) large number of – use many, most, or just say how many.
Don't use (a) percentage of – use some, or say what percentage.
Don't use (an) absence of – use no or none.
Don't use (have) regard to – use take into account.
Don't use (it is) compulsory – use (you) must.
Don't use (it is) mandatory – use (you) must.
Don't use (it is) obligatory – use (you) must.
Don't use (please find) enclosed – use we have enclosed.
Don't use (the) tenant– use you.
Don't use (to) liaise with – use to meet with, to discuss with, to work with (whichever is more descriptive).
Don't use (to) progress something – describe what is going to happen.
Click only applies to users who have a mouse that will click a button or a navigation item. It doesn't apply to users on mobile, trackpads or using voice command.
Use 'Select' instead.
For example, 'Select the Pay Now button', not 'Click the Pay Now button.'
Instead of looking to, say have you thought about or would you like to, instead.
Use "you can" instead of "you are able to"
Don't use abundance – use enough, plenty, a lot, or say how many.
Don't use accede to –use allow or agree to.
Don't use accelerate – use speed up.
Don't use accentuate – use stress.
Don't use accommodation – use where you live or home.
Don't use accompanying – use with.
Don't use accomplish – use do or finish.
Don't use according to our records –use our records show.
Don't use accordingly –use in line with this or so.
Don't use acknowledge –use thank you for.
Don't use acquaint yourself with – use find out about or read.
Don't use acquiesce– use agree.
Don't use acquire – use buy or get.
Don't use additional –use extra or more.
Don't use adjacent – use next to.
Don't use adjustment – use change or alteration.
Don't use admissible use the term allowed or acceptable.
Don't use advantageous – use useful or helpful.
Don't use advise – use tell or say, unless you're giving advice (in which case, make sure it's compliant!)
Don't use affix – use add, write, fasten, stick on, fix to.
Don't use afford an opportunity –use let or allow.
Don't use afforded – use given.
Don't use aforementioned or aforesaid –use this or earlier in this document.
Don't use aggregate – use total.
Don't use aligned –use lined up or in line.
Don't use alleviate – use ease or reduce.
Don't use along the lines of –use like or as in.
Don't use ameliorate – use improve or help.
Don't use amendment – use change.
Don't use anticipate – use expect.
Don't use apparent – use clear, plain, obvious, seeming.
Don't use applicant (the) – use you.
Don't use application – write use.
Don't use appreciable – use large or great.
Don't use apprise – use inform or tell.
Don't use appropriate– use proper, right, suitable.
Don't use appropriate to – use suitable for.
Don't use approximately – use about or roughly.
Don't use as a consequence of – use because.
Don't use as of the date of –use from.
Don't use as regards – use about or on the subject of.
Don't use ascertain – use find out.
Don't use assemble – use build, gather, put together.
Don't use assistance –use help.
Don't use at (your, our, its, their) discretion – use can or may.
Don't use at an early date – use soon, or say when.
Don't use at the moment – use now.
Don't use at the present – use now
Don't use attempt – use try.
Don't use attend –use come to, go to, be at.
Don't use attributable to – use due to, because of.
Don't use authorise – use allow or let.
Don't use authority – use right, power, may.
Don't use axiomatic – use obvious, or goes without saying.
Don't use belated – use late.
Don't use beneficial – use helpful or useful.
Don't use bestow –use give or award.
Don't use breach –use break.
Don't use by means of – use by.
Don't use calculate –use work out or decide.
Don't use cease– use finish, stop, end.
Don't use circumvent – use get round, avoid, skirt, circle.
Don't use clarification –use explanation or help.
Don't use combine – use mix.
Don't use combined – use together.
Don't use commence– use start or begin.
Don't use communicate – use talk, write, or telephone – be specific about the method of communication.
Don't use competent – use able or can.
Don't use compile – use make or collect.
Don't use complete – use fill in or finish.
Don't use completion – use end.
Don't use comply with – use keep to or meet.
Don't use component – use part.
Don't use comprise – use make up or include.
Don't use conceal – use hide.
Don't use concerning – use about or on.
Don't use conclusion – use end.
Don't use concur – use agree.
Don't use condition – use rule.
Don't use consequently – use so.
Don't use considerable – use great or important.
Don't use constitute – use make up or form.
Don't use construe – use interpret.
Don't use consult – use talk to, meet, ask.
Don't use consumption – use amount used.
Don't use contemplate – use think about.
