Standard terms

Smart style for specific words and phrases.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
API

Always capitalise it.

Account name

This is how we refer to the account name a user signs in with.

Adviser/Advisor

We use adviser unless writing for a US audience, when it's advisor.

Annual allowance

Sentence case.

Annual pension statement

Sentence case. Not "Annual statement".

Annuity

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".

Auto enrolment

Two words, no hyphen. Enrolment should have two L's (enrollment) if writing for a US audience.

Bacs

Not BACS. Full name is Bacs Payment Schemes Limited.

Breakdown

As in 'request your pension breakdown’.

Cancel

Our preferred CTA for cancelling an action.

Charges and fees

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).”

Continue

Our preferred CTA for continuing an action.

Coronavirus

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".

Customer support team

How we refer to our customer service department ("If you need help, our customer support team is happy to help")

De minimis

Technical term for a very small pension pot. Translated from Latin the term means "pertaining to minimal things".

Not 'de minimus'. Use sparingly.

De-risking

Always a small 'r', even if forming part of a name like the Smart De-risking Fund.

Dependent

Not dependant.

Direct Debit

It's a proper noun and needs to be capitalised.

Drawdown

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").

Email (verb), Email (noun), Email address (noun)

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."

Factsheet

One word, not two.

Faster Payments

Should be capitalised as it's a proper noun – it's a service offered by Pay.UK.

First name

Not forename.

Flexible income pot

Smart Retire's drawdown pot. Sentence case.

For example

Should always be written out in full, not eg or e.g.

Funds

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".

Glide path

Not glidepath, glide-path or Glide Path.

Glidepath

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.

Government

Lowercase G. For example, "In a series of indicative votes, the UK government failed to find a consensus on Brexit."

Guaranteed income (annuity)

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".

Inheritance Tax

Capitalised as a proper noun, according to the way that gov.uk uses it.

Inheritance pot

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.

Investment strategy

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".

J.P. Morgan

As per how they refer to themselves. Space before the last name. Not JPMorgan or JP Morgan or J.P.Morgan.

Last name

Not surname or second name.

Later life pot

A pot in Smart Retire where a user can leave some money to pay for an annuity. Sentence case.

Learn more/find out more links

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.

Lifetime allowance

Not life time allowance or Lifetime Allowance.

Log in (verb)

Don't use. Use "sign in" instead.

Log out

Don't use. Use "sign out" instead.

Login (noun)

(as in "please provide your login details) Don't use. Use "account details" instead.

Master trust

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.

Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA)

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.

National Insurance number

Title case as it's a proper noun.

OK

Not 'okay' or 'ok'.

Onboarding

All one word.

PAPDIS

It's an acronym for Payroll and Pension Data Interface Standard. So not papdis or Papdis.

Password

Not pass word.

Pension pot

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.

Pension savings

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.

Phone

Not telephone.

Phone number

Not telephone number.

Postcode

Not post code.

Rainy day pot

A pot in Smart Retire where a user can set aside money for emergencies. Write in sentence case.

Re-enter

For example, "re-enter your password".

Resend

No hyphen.

SAVA

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”.

Savings

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.

Set up / Setup

Use set up as a verb and setup as a noun. Don't use setup as an adjective.

Sign in

Not log in.

Sign out

Not log out.

Single employer trust

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.

Smart

When talking about the company.

Smart Pension

Two words.

Smart Pension Master Trust

Name of Smart Pension's master trust. Capitalise the M and the T.

Smart Retire

Two words.

Start now

Call to action for the beginning of a process.

State Pension

Capitalise.

Tax-free

Hyphenated.

The US

We always say "The US". Not "USA", "America", "U.S." or any other variation.

Trustees

Lower case "t" at the beginning, unless it is at the beginning of a sentence.

Up-to-date / Up to date

The former is a noun and the latter is an adverb. For example: Your up-to-date statement is kept up to date.

Username

All one word, not 'user name'. Some usernames are email addresses, but not all.

Wellbeing

One word, no hyphen in the UK and Australia. Hyphenated (well-being) in the US and the rest of the world.

White label

Sentence case, no hyphen, two separate words. For example, "we are selling white label partnerships".

Wifi

Sentence case. Not a proper noun. No hyphen. For example, "check your wifi connection"

Will (noun, legal document)

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".

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
hitherto

Instead of using the term hitherto use the term until now instead

hold in

Instead of using the term hold in use the term abeyance wait, postpone instead

hope and trust

Instead of using the term hope and trust use the term hope, trust (but not both) instead

if and when

Instead of using the term if and when use the term if, when (but not both) instead

illustrate

Instead of using the term illustrate use the term show, explain instead

immediately

Instead of using the term immediately use the term at once, now instead

implement

Instead of using the term implement use the term carry out, do instead

imply

Instead of using the term imply use the term suggest, hint at instead

in a number of cases

Instead of using the term in a number of cases use the term some (or say how many) instead

in accordance with

Instead of using the term in accordance with use the term as under, in line with, because of instead

in addition (to)

Instead of using the term in addition (to) use the term and, as well as, also instead

in advance

Instead of using the term in advance use the term before instead

in case of

Instead of using the term in case of use the term if instead

in conjunction with

Instead of using the term in conjunction with use the term and, with instead

in connection with

Instead of using the term in connection with use the term for, about instead

in consequence

Instead of using the term in consequence use the term because, as a result instead

in excess of

Instead of using the term in excess of use the term more than instead

in lieu of

Instead of using the term in lieu of use the term instead of instead

in order that

Instead of using the term in order that use the term so that instead

in receipt of

Instead of using the term in receipt of use the term get, have, receive instead

in relation to

Instead of using the term in relation to use the term about instead

in respect of

Instead of using the term in respect of use the term about, for instead

in the absence of

Instead of using the term in the absence of use the term without instead

in the course of

Instead of using the term in the course of use the term while, during instead

in the event of/that

Instead of using the term in the event of/that use the term if instead

in the majority of instances

Instead of using the term in the majority of instances use the term most, mostly instead

in the near future

Instead of using the term in the near future use the term soon instead

in the neighbourhood of

Instead of using the term in the neighbourhood of use the term about, around instead

in view of the fact that

Instead of using the term in view of the fact that use the term as, because instead

inappropriate

Instead of using the term inappropriate use the term wrong, unsuitable instead

inception

Instead of using the term inception use the term start, beginning instead

incorporating

Instead of using the term incorporating use the term which includes instead

incurred

Instead of using the term incurred use the term have to pay, owe instead

indicate

Instead of using the term indicate use the term show, suggest instead

inform

Instead of using the term inform use the term tell instead

initially

Instead of using the term initially use the term at first instead

initiate

Instead of using the term initiate use the term begin, start instead

insert

Instead of using the term insert use the term put in instead

instances

Instead of using the term instances use the term cases instead

intend to

Instead of using the term intend to use the term will instead

intimate

Instead of using the term intimate use the term say, hint instead

irrespective of

Instead of using the term irrespective of use the term despite, even if instead

is in accordance with

Instead of using the term is in accordance with use the term agrees with, follows instead

is of the opinion

Instead of using the term is of the opinion use the term thinks instead

issue

Instead of using the term issue use the term give, send instead

it is known that

Instead of using the term it is known that use the term I/we know that instead

jeopardise

Instead of using the term jeopardise use the term risk, threaten instead

locality

Instead of using the term locality use the term place, area instead

locate

Instead of using the term locate use the term find, put instead

magnitude

Instead of using the term magnitude use the term size instead

manner

Instead of using the term manner use the term way instead

manufacture

Instead of using the term manufacture use the term make instead

marginal

Instead of using the term marginal use the term small, slight instead

material

Instead of using the term material use the term relevant instead

materialise

Instead of using the term materialise use the term happen, occur instead

may in the future

Instead of using the term may in the future use the term may, might, could instead

merchandise

Instead of using the term merchandise use the term goods instead

mislay

Instead of using the term mislay use the term lose instead

modification

Instead of using the term modification use the term change instead

moreover

Instead of using the term moreover use the term and, also, as well instead

negligible

Instead of using the term negligible use the term very small instead

nevertheless

Instead of using the term nevertheless use the term but, however, even so instead

notify

Instead of using the term notify use the term tell, let us/you know instead

notwithstanding

Instead of using the term notwithstanding use the term even if, despite, still, yet instead

numerous

Instead of using the term numerous use the term many (or say how many) instead

objective

Instead of using the term objective use the term aim, goal instead

obtain

Instead of using the term obtain use the term get, receive instead

occasioned by

Instead of using the term occasioned by use the term caused by, because of instead

on behalf of

Instead of using the term on behalf of use the term for instead

on numerous occasions

Instead of using the term on numerous occasions use the term often instead

on receipt of

Instead of using the term on receipt of use the term when we/you get instead

on request

Instead of using the term on request use the term if you ask instead

on the grounds that

Instead of using the term on the grounds that use the term because instead

on the occasion that

Instead of using the term on the occasion that use the term when, if instead

operate

Instead of using the term operate use the term work, run instead

optimum

Instead of using the term optimum use the term best, ideal instead

option

Instead of using the term option use the term choice instead

ordinarily

Instead of using the term ordinarily use the term normally, usually instead

otherwise

Instead of using the term otherwise use the term or instead

outstanding

Instead of using the term outstanding use the term unpaid instead

owing to

Instead of using the term owing to use the term because of instead

partially

Instead of using the term partially use the term partly instead

participate

Instead of using the term participate use the term join in, take part instead

particulars

Instead of using the term particulars use the term details, facts instead

per annum

Instead of using the term per annum use the term a year instead

perform

Instead of using the term perform use the term do instead

permissible

Instead of using the term permissible use the term allowed instead

permit

Instead of using the term permit use the term let, allow instead

personnel

Instead of using the term personnel use the term people, staff instead

persons

Instead of using the term persons use the term people, anyone instead

peruse

Instead of using the term peruse use the term read, read carefully, look at instead

place

Instead of using the term place use the term put instead

possess

Instead of using the term possess use the term have, own instead

possessions

Instead of using the term possessions use the term belongings instead

practically

Instead of using the term practically use the term almost, nearly instead

predominant

Instead of using the term predominant use the term main instead

prescribe

Instead of using the term prescribe use the term set, fix instead

preserve

Instead of using the term preserve use the term keep, protect instead

previous

Instead of using the term previous use the term earlier, before, last instead

principal

Instead of using the term principal use the term main instead

View full PDF