France has one of the largest British expatriate communities in Europe. British nationals living in France who transferred UK defined benefit pensions to SIPP or QROPS arrangements on unsuitable advice may be entitled to UK compensation.
Start your free assessment →The British expatriate community in France — concentrated in areas such as the Dordogne, Brittany, Normandy, and the Côte d’Azur — was heavily targeted by international financial advisory firms during the 2010–2022 period. Adviser firms operating under MiFID passporting arrangements or as unregulated entities approached British retirees and workers with recommendations to transfer UK defined benefit pensions into SIPP or QROPS structures.
Many of these firms were not FCA-authorised at the time of transfer. Adams v Options UK [2021] EWCA Civ 1188 confirmed that where the introducing firm was not FCA-authorised, the SIPP contract is unenforceable under FSMA s.27 and the full transfer value is recoverable. Fletcher [2024] confirmed FOS jurisdiction extends to overseas-arranged transfers.
If you were a British national living in France when you received pension transfer advice, UK compensation routes apply to your UK pension. Distance from the UK is not a barrier to making a claim.
Where the firm that advised you is still trading, a formal DISP complaint is the mandatory first step. The firm must respond within 8 weeks.
If the firm rejects your complaint or fails to respond, escalation to the FOS is free. The FOS has upheld 55–77% of DB transfer complaints nationally.
Where the adviser firm or SIPP operator has failed and been declared in default, the FSCS pays compensation directly.
£85,000 per firmWhere losses exceed the FSCS cap or FSMA s.27 applies, civil court proceedings may recover the full uncapped amount.
UncappedThe FOS applies a six-year absolute clock from the date of advice and a three-year awareness clock from when you first knew or ought to have known about your loss. Both clocks run simultaneously. For DB pension transfer advice given between 2015 and 2019, the six-year clock is now at or near expiry. Act immediately to preserve your claim rights. See redressadvisory.com/time-limits.
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You can complain directly to the firm, refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service or apply to the FSCS — all completely free. If you use the free routes, you keep 100% of any compensation.
| Redress received | Max % | Max fee |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £1,499 | 30% | £420 |
| £1,500–£9,999 | 28% | £2,500 |
| £10,000–£24,999 | 25% | £5,000 |
| £25,000–£49,999 | 20% | £7,500 |
| £50,000 and above | 15% | £10,000 |
Compensation is paid directly to you. We invoice after you receive your compensation. You pay nothing if unsuccessful. Source: FCA PS21/18 (Chapter 2, Table 1) & CMCOB 5.2. Excl. VAT.
Compensation is paid directly to you. We invoice after you receive your compensation. You pay nothing if unsuccessful. Source: FCA PS21/18 (Chapter 2, Table 1) and CMCOB 5.2. Excl. VAT.
Cancel any agreement with us within 14 days of signing, without charge or obligation. No questions asked.
Contact complaints@redressadvisory.com. If unresolved, refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge within 6 months of our final response.