Frequently asked questions

A small number of existing James Hay products are not upgrading to the new Nucleus Platform. These are:

  • Aviva (Friends Life) scheme
  • IPS SIPP
  • IPS (2008) SIPP
  • IPS Pension Builder SIPP
  • IPS Family SIPP
  • Partnership SIPP
  • Phoenix scheme
  • Sarum scheme

Once we’ve launched the new platform, we’ll initially move the majority of our James Hay Online customers over to it. After that, we plan to upgrade customers from Curtis Banks and Nucleus Wrap to it as well.

Most of our customers will pay around the same on the new Nucleus Platform as they currently do now. Some will have a reduction and a small proportion will experience an increase due to the nature of their investment choices.

Where can I find charges schedules for current James Hay products?

Copies of James Hay charges schedules, updated for AWE (Average Weekly Earnings), are available, with the new Nucleus Platform charges schedule attached to it. Your Business Development Manager will be able to provide you with a copy.

You can view standard rate charges schedules either on the: 

Yes. In the letter we sent in August 2024 which contained a Key Changes Summary document, we also flagged that a copy of the related Terms and Conditions is available on our Customer upgrade support hub. We’ve since made a few changes to these Ts&Cs, and this is what we refer to in our latest letter.

Please note, an additional letter was sent in September 2025 to customers who joined the platform after this time, or who we have an updated address for. 

Full details of these recent updates are available to view on the Letters and Ts&Cs page, and also on the cover page of the Ts&C document itself.

The only change your clients will notice is that our name and the reference number they see on their bank/building society statement will be different after the upgrade. Our name on their bank/building society statement:

For ISA, GIA and Offshore Bonds our name will appear on their statement as:
Nucleus Financial Services Limited

For SIPPs our name will appear on their statement as:
James Hay Pension Trustees Limited

Their bank may also tell them that a new Direct Debit Instruction has beeen set up.

We’re writing to tenants to provide them with details of the new bank account for any payments following the upgrade (such as rent, service charge, and insurance). They’ll need to update the bank account details for any such payments made after this time.

If their property is managed by CBRE, payments will continue to be collected by them, and there will be no change.

We’re simplifying our product charging structure as part of the upgrade. There are some changes to the way in which charges are calculated and the dates on which charges are made. Full details are available on our Products page.

We'll no longer accept standing orders, except where related to commercial property investments (such as rent and service charge payments). Please change any existing standing orders which aren’t property related, to Direct Debits before the upgrade - we’ll then automatically set up their Direct Debits for them on the new platform.

This change will also affect employer contributions made by standing order, and standing order payments made into your product(s) by any other third party. Please therefore make them aware too where appropriate. They should contact their bank to cancel existing standing orders, and then contact us to set up a new Direct Debit.

No, unfortunately we can’t do that, due to the logistics involved in the mailing process. However, we will support your firm if you wish to issue your own supplementary communications to help position.

Not all customers currently have a James Hay Online account, so we weren’t able to use this message in our mailing. However, if your client does, then feel free to suggest that to them.

Please speak with your Business Development Manager, they’ll be able to provide it.

Copies of our standard rate charges schedules are available on the Letters and T&Cs page of our Customer upgrade support hub. 

Advisers won't be able to place any instructions within the restricted trading period. Full details of the deadlines are available on the 'Key dates and actions' page of our Help Hub. We've also written to your clients to make them aware of the restricted trading period.

Copies of the template letters will be available for advisers to view ahead of the mailings via this Help Hub. We’re also going to send an email to advisers ahead of each of the customer mailings, to share these letters. You can see all product specific versions of mailing packs issued to date on our Letters and Terms and Conditions page.

Copies of client specific letters are uploaded to James Hay Online shortly after the mailings are issued. They’ll also be available on the Nucleus Platform after the upgrade.

No, it doesn’t apply to the James Hay iSIPP (which will become Nucleus Flexi SIPP) or SIPPs acquired via a life company such as Aviva.

Yes, we’re pleased to share that Family linking is now available. This feature enables customers to have their plans linked with those of immediate family members so they can benefit from a reduction in charges for ‘on-platform’ assets.

This feature is available on an advised-only basis. Please speak with your Business Development Manager for more details.

Adviser charges (initial, regular and ad hoc) will normally be paid together monthly, four business days after the BACS processing date (25th of the month). If this falls on a non-business day, the processing and payment dates will be moved forward.

As you’d expect, we’re working hard to make sure our customers are aware of the systems upgrade and letting them know how it affects them. This includes sending a series of letters and providing a dedicated Customer Upgrade Support page. You can find out more on the Keeping your clients up-to-date section of our Platform upgrade news. We’ve suggested that it would be helpful for customers to contact their financial adviser if they have any questions about the upgrade.

If your client wishes to transfer a SIPP from another provider in-specie, assets will not be available on their account until the whole transfer (all assets received) has completed. 

Log into James Hay Online as usual at www.jameshay.co.uk/portal using your existing login details. You’ll then be guided through the process to register for and start using the Nucleus Platform.

If you're an adviser firm user, access can be set up through your firms' master user.