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Is this approach right for you?

Balancing caution and adventure. The middle risk choice out of our three growth approaches.

Our experts use Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations to help select what to invest in. Read more about our responsible investing approach including ESG considerations.


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Highlights

Balances risk and reward

Likely to be a bit more of a ‘bumpy’ ride than lower risk investments.

Aims for steady growth

A balanced approach to growing your money in the longer term.

All done for you

Managed for you by our dedicated team of investment experts. All in one neatly packaged approach.

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How your money's invested

Typically 70% of your money goes into higher risk investments with higher potential returns and 30% into lower risk investments with lower potential returns.

Our experts review this mix regularly within the adjustment range, for higher growth potential.

Investment Mix

Adjustment rangeThe adjustment range gives our experts the flexibility to make investment changes based on their assessment of the market outlook, but they always aim to stick to the balance of risk and reward for the approach.

  • Typically 70%

    invested for higher potential returns with higher risk

  • Typically 30%

    invested for lower risk with lower potential returns

Remember, the value of investments can go up and down, so you may get back less money than you put in. Tax depends on your individual circumstances and the regulations may change in the future.

Where your money's invested

Our experts manage the mix of investments, within the adjustment range and to achieve the approach objectives.

Here’s the detail at 30 June 2024.

Key:
Higher riskShares (emerging markets): 12%
Higher riskShares (UK): 5%
Higher riskReal estate investment trusts: 4%
Higher riskShares (overseas developed): 45%
Higher riskBonds (emerging markets): 8%
Higher riskBonds (high yield): 5%
Lower riskGlobal corporate bonds: 12%
Lower riskUK corporate bonds: 0%
Lower riskGlobal government bonds: 3%
Lower riskUK Government bonds (Gilts): 0%
Lower riskShort maturity bonds: 2%
Lower riskCash: 4%

Higher risk

  • 12% - Shares (emerging markets)
  • 5% - Shares (UK)
  • 4% - Real estate investment trusts
  • 45% - Shares (overseas developed)
  • 8% - Bonds (emerging markets)
  • 5% - Bonds (high yield)

Lower risk

  • 4% - Cash
  • 2% - Short maturity bonds
  • 0% - UK Government bonds (Gilts)
  • 3% - Global government bonds
  • 0% - UK corporate bonds
  • 12% - Global corporate bonds
What do these terms mean?

How the fund invests

Your money is invested in a group of funds, rather than directly in stocks and shares. This is known as a fund of funds.

Top holdings

The following is up-to-date as of 30 June 2024.

  1. abrdn Sustainable Index World Equity Fund
  2. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ESG Enhanced Units Fund
  3. abrdn Sustainable Index American Equity Fund
  4. iShares Continental European Equity ESG Index Fund
  5. L&G ESG Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund
  6. iShares ESG Screened Global Corporate Bond Index Fund
  7. Virgin Money Climate Change Fund
  8. iShares ESG Sterling Corporate Bond Index Fund
  9. abrdn Sustainable Index UK Equity Fund
  10. abrdn SICAV I - Responsible Global High Yield Bond Fund
How the fund is invested

What you could've earned already

The graph below gives you an indication of how much you could've earned, after charges, if you had invested £10,000 in this approach five years ago. Remember, past performance isn't a reliable guide to future performance.

The following is up-to-date as of 30 June 2024.

Key:
£7.5k
£10k
£12.5k
£15k
£17.5k
  • Jun-19: £10,000
    Jun-19: £10,000
    2019
  • Jul-19: £10,274
    Jul-19: £10,281
  • Aug-19: £10,220
    Aug-19: £10,255
  • Sep-19: £10,290
    Sep-19: £10,286
  • Oct-19: £10,150
    Oct-19: £10,141
  • Nov-19: £10,242
    Nov-19: £10,284
  • Dec-19: £10,317
    Dec-19: £10,336
  • Jan-20: £10,298
    Jan-20: £10,370
  • Feb-20: £9,973
    Feb-20: £10,099
  • Mar-20: £8,989
    Mar-20: £9,371
  • Apr-20: £9,441
    Apr-20: £9,924
  • May-20: £9,860
    May-20: £10,320
  • Jun-20: £10,106
    Jun-20: £10,542
    2020
  • Jul-20: £10,018
    Jul-20: £10,529
  • Aug-20: £10,196
    Aug-20: £10,752
  • Sep-20: £10,246
    Sep-20: £10,782
  • Oct-20: £10,084
    Oct-20: £10,624
  • Nov-20: £10,734
    Nov-20: £11,207
  • Dec-20: £10,910
    Dec-20: £11,365
  • Jan-21: £10,826
    Jan-21: £11,278
  • Feb-21: £10,801
    Feb-21: £11,242
  • Mar-21: £11,025
    Mar-21: £11,496
  • Apr-21: £11,284
    Apr-21: £11,784
  • May-21: £11,247
    May-21: £11,717
  • Jun-21: £11,505
    Jun-21: £12,039
    2021
  • Jul-21: £11,507
    Jul-21: £12,102
  • Aug-21: £11,752
    Aug-21: £12,350
  • Sep-21: £11,610
    Sep-21: £12,142
  • Oct-21: £11,704
    Oct-21: £12,377
  • Nov-21: £11,781
    Nov-21: £12,496
  • Dec-21: £11,950
    Dec-21: £12,591
  • Jan-22: £11,466
    Jan-22: £12,208
  • Feb-22: £11,286
    Feb-22: £11,955
  • Mar-22: £11,566
    Mar-22: £12,143
  • Apr-22: £11,329
    Apr-22: £11,750
  • May-22: £11,200
    May-22: £11,725
  • Jun-22: £10,724
    Jun-22: £11,301
    2022
  • Jul-22: £11,106
    Jul-22: £11,872
  • Aug-22: £11,148
    Aug-22: £11,790
  • Sep-22: £10,571
    Sep-22: £11,223
  • Oct-22: £10,659
    Oct-22: £11,394
  • Nov-22: £11,067
    Nov-22: £11,789
  • Dec-22: £10,951
    Dec-22: £11,382
  • Jan-23: £11,325
    Jan-23: £11,803
  • Feb-23: £11,260
    Feb-23: £11,636
  • Mar-23: £11,230
    Mar-23: £11,800
  • Apr-23: £11,265
    Apr-23: £11,806
  • May-23: £11,213
    May-23: £11,807
  • Jun-23: £11,355
    Jun-23: £12,024
    2023
  • Jul-23: £11,578
    Jul-23: £12,200
  • Aug-23: £11,400
    Aug-23: £12,098
  • Sep-23: £11,288
    Sep-23: £11,975
  • Oct-23: £11,014
    Oct-23: £11,765
  • Nov-23: £11,490
    Nov-23: £12,252
  • Dec-23: £11,994
    Dec-23: £12,706
  • Jan-24: £11,948
    Jan-24: £12,748
    2024
  • Feb-24: £12,121
    Feb-24: £13,093
  • Mar-24: £12,445
    Mar-24: £13,397
  • Apr-24: £12,295
    Apr-24: £13,112
  • May-24: £12,399
    May-24: £13,342
  • Jun-24: £12,630
    Jun-24: £13,625
2019 2024

June 2019 to
June 2020		June 2020 to
June 2021		June 2021 to
June 2022		June 2022 to
June 2023		June 2023 to
June 2024
This fund1.1%13.8%-6.8%5.9%11.3%
Performance Comparator*5.4%14.2%-6.1%6.4%13.3%
This fund changed strategy in October 2021. To help you compare it with other funds we have replicated the performance of the markets the fund invests in, to indicate what the performance may have been prior to the strategy change. The simulated return takes into account the current annual charge of 0.45% and that the mix of assets are rebalanced once per month, but does not include the separate account fee of 0.30% per year.

*The fund doesn’t use a benchmark as a guide for investing or as a target to beat. But we do use a performance comparator which investors may want to compare the fund’s performance against. This comprises 60% shares and 40% bonds. Shares are represented by the MSCI All Countries World Index GBP, whilst bonds are represented by the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index – GBP Hedged. The fund invests differently to the performance comparator therefore returns will always be different. For example there are differences in the way the fund is built vs. the comparator, along with the cost of investing, which is included for the fund return, but not the comparator. You cannot invest in the performance comparator.

Source: Lipper, year on year, it runs from 30 June 2019 to 30 June 2024, bid to bid with net income reinvested.

Key information

In our important documents you’ll see our Balanced Growth approach referred to as the Virgin Money Growth Fund 2. Before applying, please make sure you’ve read the following:

Apply for Balanced Growth approach

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Our other approaches

Learn about our Investment Mix

Careful Defensive approach

To minimise and defend against ups and downs.

View approach

Cautious Growth approach

A slower, cautious approach to growing your money.

View approach

Adventurous Growth approach

For higher growth potential, but more ups and downs than with our Balanced Growth approach.

View approach

Want someone else to drive?

Switch to our steered-for-you Navigator pension. It’s like sat nav for your retirement journey.

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Let someone else do the driving

Got a question?

We've got the answer.

We make things easy to help you understand and choose the approach that’s right for you. There are guides to get you started and if anything needs a bit more explanation, just give us a call on 03455 28 88 52.

We can’t give you financial advice though, so if you need advice you could try:

Use the app or sign in to Online Service and track the performance of your investments – we update your account balance every day. You'll also get a statement every six months.

Yes. It's a good idea to review your investments regularly – and it's simple to switch all or part of your money to a new approach. Just sign in to Online Service and follow the on-screen instructions.

View more questions and answers