How to Find a QROPS Adviser: A Guide for British Expats

📚 QROPS Guidance Series (2025/2026)

This series brings together the most important guidance for British expats and returning UK residents with overseas pensions.
From understanding the latest HMRC rule changes to deciding whether to keep your QROPS or move to a UK SIPP, these articles provide clear, practical insights to help you make confident financial decisions.

📅 Last updated: November 2025 — reflects the latest HMRC rules and QROPS landscape

Many UK expats already hold a QROPS but feel unsure whether it’s still the right structure or whether their pension is being properly managed.

Some people simply want an impartial second opinion.

Others have lost contact with their original adviser, especially if they moved countries or the adviser left the industry.

Whatever brought you here, this guide will show you exactly how to choose the right QROPS adviser to support you going forward — someone qualified, knowledgeable, and genuinely experienced in cross-border pension advice.

Key Takeaways

Choosing a QROPS adviser is about experience and qualifications, not salesmanship.
A specialist should help you understand whether your existing QROPS is still appropriate, or whether a UK SIPP or alternative structure is now better.
Always verify qualifications, fee transparency and ongoing service.
Use a due diligence checklist to avoid unregulated or commission-driven advisers.

The right adviser will explain options clearly, review tax implications, and build a long-term retirement strategy.

Why Expats With Existing QROPS Often Seek New Advice

Most of the people who come to me for QROPS reviews fall into one of three categories:

1. “My adviser has disappeared or stopped replying.”

This is depressingly common. Many advisers who sold QROPS a decade ago have:

moved firms
left the industry
lost their licence
closed their companies
or simply stopped providing service

If this is you, you are not alone.

2. “I’m not sure if my QROPS is still suitable — I need a second opinion.”

Tax rules have changed. Residency has changed. You may be moving again. You might be thinking of returning to the UK. A QROPS that worked 10 years ago may not be right today.

3. “The fees seem high and I don’t understand what I’m paying for.”

Most good advisers hear this weekly. Opaque charging structures were very common between 2010–2020. Many clients were placed into:

expensive insurance-based QROPS
high-commission funds
products with exit penalties
advisers with no ongoing responsibility

A review with a properly qualified adviser can clarify the true costs and options.

What the Right QROPS Adviser Should Help You With

A professional QROPS adviser should be able to: ✔ Review whether your current QROPS is appropriate for your circumstances ✔ Compare your QROPS against a modern UK SIPP ✔ Explain the tax implications ✔ Review the investment strategy and fees ✔ Provide ongoing annual reviews ✔ Help you plan cash flow for retirement If an adviser can’t explain these areas confidently and clearly, they’re not the right person.

A Practical Guide for British Expats Reviewing Their Overseas Pension

Download my FREE QROPS Checklist

If you set up a QROPS several years ago, it may no longer be suitable for your circumstances. The rules have changed, costs may have risen, and your residency or tax position might be different. This checklist helps you quickly assess whether your QROPS still fits your goals or whether it’s time to seek professional advice.

How to Choose the Right QROPS Adviser

1. Look for Real Experience (Not Just Marketing Claims)

You want someone who:

Has advised UK expats for 10+ years
Understands QROPS and UK pension rules
Works with clients retiring overseas
Can show real case studies
Knows when a QROPS is not appropriate

Many advisers only understand how to sell QROPS, not how to manage them long term.

2. Check Their Qualifications

Look for a UK-qualified adviser with:

Level 4 Diploma (minimum)
Chartered Financial Planner status (gold standard)
Pension Transfer Specialist (critical for UK pension work)

If they cannot legally advise on UK pensions, they should not be advising on QROPS.

3. Confirm Their Regulation

A legitimate QROPS adviser will be regulated by:

The UK FCA, or
An EU MiFID II regulator, or
Another reputable international authority

Be very cautious of:

❌ Unregulated introducers

❌ “Consultants”

❌ Anyone who wants to transfer you again without a clear reason

❌ Advisers using only commission-based offshore bonds

4. Review Their Fees Carefully

You want an adviser who provides:

Transparent fees
No hidden commissions
No exit penalties
No long-term lock-ins

A proper review should explain:

What you currently pay
Whether it’s reasonable
Whether your structure should be modernised

5. Use This Due Diligence Checklist (Copy/Paste)

Ask any potential adviser:

Adviser Competency

Are you a Chartered Financial Planner?
Are you a Pension Transfer Specialist (PTS)?
How many QROPS clients do you currently manage?

Advice Quality

Can you compare my QROPS with a SIPP?
Can you advise on UK pensions as well as QROPS?
Do you understand the tax treatment of my QROPS?

Costs

What are your ongoing fees?
Are you paid commissions by any product provider?
Can I leave at any time?

If they dodge or waffle, move on.

Case Study: “My Adviser Vanished, and I Had No Idea What My QROPS Was Doing”

Client: Simon, 67

Location: Portugal

QROPS Established: 2014 (Malta)

Problem: Adviser left the industry — no contact for years

Simon had a QROPS transferred from his UK defined benefit scheme in 2014.

He believed he was receiving “ongoing management,” but his adviser stopped replying in 2019.

His concerns were:

No annual reviews
Rising fees
No idea what he was invested in

What we discovered:

Hidden commissions inside an insurance bond
A complex fund structure costing 3.6% per year
No rebalancing for five years
QROPS no longer suitable given his UK return plan

Outcome:

We moved Simon into a low-cost, modern structure with transparent fees and simplified his investments.

His annual costs dropped by more than half, and he now receives proper annual reviews and retirement income modelling.

Lesson: Choosing the wrong adviser can cost years of lost performance. Choosing the right one can transform your retirement outcomes.

❓ FAQ — Choosing & Reviewing a QROPS Adviser

1. Do I need an adviser if I already have a QROPS?

Yes. QROPS rules, fees, and tax implications change over time. An annual review is essential.

2. My adviser disappeared. Can someone else take over?

Yes. A new adviser can adopt, review, and manage your existing QROPS.

3. How do I know if my QROPS is still suitable?

A proper review compares your QROPS against other options, taking into account your tax residency, retirement plans, investments, and costs.

4. Can I transfer my QROPS back to a UK SIPP?

Often yes, and it may save fees or simplify tax planning, especially if you are planning on returning to the UK.

5. Why are the fees inside my QROPS so high?

Many older QROPS were set up with insurance bonds, high-commission funds, or legacy fee structures. A review can clarify your true costs and identify if lower-cost alternatives are available.

6. What are the biggest red flags with QROPS advisers?

Unregulated advisers, commission-only fees, no ongoing reviews, and advisers who can’t compare QROPS to other options.

7. Will a QROPS review trigger tax charges?

No. Reviewing and receiving advice is tax-neutral.

8. Can I change the investments inside my QROPS?

Yes. A new adviser can update, rebalance, or completely redesign your portfolio.

9. Is my QROPS safe if I move to another country?

Usually yes. But tax treatment in the new country may change dramatically, making a review essential.

10. What if I don’t need my QROPS anymore?

A proper adviser will help determine whether modernising, restructuring, or transferring is appropriate.

🧠 Final Thoughts

If you already have a QROPS, the most important step is making sure it still aligns with:

where you live
where you plan to retire
your tax exposure
Your investment needs
and, most importantly, your long-term financial plan

A trusted, qualified adviser doesn’t try to sell you anything.

They help you make sense of what you already have and guide you toward the best structure for the next stage of your life abroad.

Talk to an Expert

Choosing a QROPS adviser isn’t about who shouts loudest — it’s about regulation, fees, and cross-border expertise. The right adviser should explain HMRC rules, check the official ROPS list, avoid commission-heavy wrappers, and show you when a UK SIPP may be safer, cheaper and better protected.

I’m Ross Naylor, a UK-qualified Chartered Financial Planner & Pension Transfer Specialist with nearly 30 years’ experience helping British expats compare QROPS with SIPPs, uncover hidden costs, and structure pensions compliantly for life abroad — and for a potential return to the UK.

My approach is expert, impartial and transparent: clear fee disclosure, documented suitability, and practical guidance on currency, tax residency, and future flexibility. If you want a second opinion before you commit, I’ll give you a straight, jargon-free assessment.

Book a QROPS adviser second opinion