Western Pension Solutions (WPS) is a specialist pension consultancy founded by Ben Fowler and the Vestey family. We help family businesses manage legacy defined benefit pension schemes in ways that are fully aligned with their culture, values, and objectives. Our team understands the complex dynamics of family, business, and ownership, and translates them into effective pension strategies.

What we do

WPS is the only UK pension consultancy owned by a family business and dedicated to advising family-owned firms. We combine innovative professional advice with operational know-how to deliver successful de-risking strategies. We advise families, not trustees, ensuring objectives balance all stakeholder interests. Our culture and values align closely with those of our clients.

We work with family businesses of all sizes and sectors, from under £1m to over £500m in pension liabilities. Our approach begins with a discovery phase, analysing the scheme against business and family objectives. We then create a bespoke, integrated pension strategy and collaborate through implementation to achieve successful outcomes.

Services Offered to Family Businesses

Our core strategy focuses on de-risking and assisting clients to ultimately achieve a risk transfer of legacy defined benefit pension schemes, sometimes on accelerated timelines for succession or exit. Our services include:

- Funding and investment strategies

- Governance structures

- Liability management

- Benefit optimisation

- Financial education and guidance

-Pragmatic solutions for scheme closures, family demergers, restructuring, dividend policy, share buybacks, and M&A

- PPF levy advice, pension accounting, executive pensions, adviser procurement, governance design, and DC consulting aligned with family values and regulatory compliance.

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"At Western Pension Solutions, we believe that every family business deserves a pension strategy that reflects its unique culture, environment  and ambitions. Our experience as a family-owned consultancy gives us a genuine understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing family firms. We are committed to delivering solutions that support both business success and family legacy, both now and in the future."

Greg Morris, Managing Director, Western Pension Solutions