Skip to main content

Is this approach right for you?

When stability is more important than growth, this lower risk and slower growth approach is designed to keep things steady.

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.


Download Key Information

Highlights

Lower risk

Likely to be a much less 'bumpy' ride than with our growth approaches.

Lower growth, more stability

Keeps things steady if you're okay with limited potential for growth.

All done for you

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

Apply now

How your money's invested

At least 75% of your money is invested in lower risk assets with potentially lower returns. The rest is invested in assets that aim to provide a higher potential return but carry a higher level of risk.

Our experts review this mix regularly within the adjustment range and in line with the investment objectives.

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 15%

    invested for higher growth potential with higher risk

  • Typically 85%

    invested for lower risk with lower growth potential

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 September 2024.

Key:
Higher riskShares (emerging markets): 5%
Higher riskShares (UK): 4%
Higher riskReal estate investment trusts: 1%
Higher riskShares (overseas developed): 6%
Higher riskBonds (emerging markets): 2%
Higher riskBonds (high yield): 3%
Lower riskGlobal corporate bonds: 5%
Lower riskUK corporate bonds: 10%
Lower riskGlobal government bonds: 16%
Lower riskUK Government bonds (Gilts): 10%
Lower riskShort maturity bonds: 21%
Lower riskCash: 17%

Higher risk

  • 5% - Shares (emerging markets)
  • 4% - Shares (UK)
  • 1% - Real estate investment trusts
  • 6% - Shares (overseas developed)
  • 2% - Bonds (emerging markets)
  • 3% - Bonds (high yield)

Lower risk

  • 17% - Cash
  • 21% - Short maturity bonds
  • 10% - UK Government bonds (Gilts)
  • 16% - Global government bonds
  • 10% - UK corporate bonds
  • 5% - 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 September 2024.

  1. abrdn Liquidity Fund
  2. abrdn Global Government Bond Index Fund
  3. L&G ESG GBP Corporate Bond 0-5 Year Fund ETF
  4. Vanguard UK Government Bond Index Fund
  5. abrdn Short Dated Global Inflation-Linked Bond Tracker Fund
  6. Vontobel TwentyFour Sustainable Short Term Bond Fund
  7. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ESG Enhanced UCITS ETF
  8. abrdn Global Inflation-Linked Bond Tracker Fund
  9. abrdn Short Dated Global Corporate Bond Tracker Fund
  10. abrdn Sustainable Index UK Equity 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.

Here's the detail at 30 September 2024.

Key:
£7.5k
£10k
£12.5k
  • Sep-19: £10,000
    Sep-19: £10,000
    2019
  • Oct-19: £9,902
    Oct-19: £9,943
  • Nov-19: £9,897
    Nov-19: £9,963
  • Dec-19: £9,884
    Dec-19: £9,950
  • Jan-20: £10,005
    Jan-20: £10,087
  • Feb-20: £9,978
    Feb-20: £10,110
  • Mar-20: £9,597
    Mar-20: £9,800
  • Apr-20: £9,847
    Apr-20: £10,056
  • May-20: £9,986
    May-20: £10,177
  • Jun-20: £10,078
    Jun-20: £10,269
    2020
  • Jul-20: £10,119
    Jul-20: £10,344
  • Aug-20: £10,089
    Aug-20: £10,342
  • Sep-20: £10,127
    Sep-20: £10,377
  • Oct-20: £10,112
    Oct-20: £10,338
  • Nov-20: £10,308
    Nov-20: £10,521
  • Dec-20: £10,382
    Dec-20: £10,578
  • Jan-21: £10,364
    Jan-21: £10,513
  • Feb-21: £10,185
    Feb-21: £10,383
  • Mar-21: £10,257
    Mar-21: £10,409
  • Apr-21: £10,341
    Apr-21: £10,494
  • May-21: £10,364
    May-21: £10,495
  • Jun-21: £10,438
    Jun-21: £10,607
    2021
  • Jul-21: £10,561
    Jul-21: £10,718
  • Aug-21: £10,615
    Aug-21: £10,756
  • Sep-21: £10,485
    Sep-21: £10,633
  • Oct-21: £10,549
    Oct-21: £10,663
  • Nov-21: £10,613
    Nov-21: £10,748
  • Dec-21: £10,594
    Dec-21: £10,730
  • Jan-22: £10,415
    Jan-22: £10,521
  • Feb-22: £10,290
    Feb-22: £10,363
  • Mar-22: £10,253
    Mar-22: £10,230
  • Apr-22: £10,080
    Apr-22: £9,932
  • May-22: £10,034
    May-22: £9,917
  • Jun-22: £9,766
    Jun-22: £9,708
    2022
  • Jul-22: £9,994
    Jul-22: £10,012
  • Aug-22: £9,842
    Aug-22: £9,784
  • Sep-22: £9,428
    Sep-22: £9,415
  • Oct-22: £9,510
    Oct-22: £9,424
  • Nov-22: £9,702
    Nov-22: £9,675
  • Dec-22: £9,613
    Dec-22: £9,497
  • Jan-23: £9,802
    Jan-23: £9,740
  • Feb-23: £9,695
    Feb-23: £9,582
  • Mar-23: £9,787
    Mar-23: £9,768
  • Apr-23: £9,812
    Apr-23: £9,803
  • May-23: £9,736
    May-23: £9,768
  • Jun-23: £9,728
    Jun-23: £9,804
    2023
  • Jul-23: £9,809
    Jul-23: £9,841
  • Aug-23: £9,762
    Aug-23: £9,809
  • Sep-23: £9,677
    Sep-23: £9,651
  • Oct-23: £9,635
    Oct-23: £9,555
  • Nov-23: £9,890
    Nov-23: £9,890
  • Dec-23: £10,174
    Dec-23: £10,215
  • Jan-24: £10,086
    Jan-24: £10,207
    2024
  • Feb-24: £10,083
    Feb-24: £10,221
  • Mar-24: £10,235
    Mar-24: £10,349
  • Apr-24: £10,138
    Apr-24: £10,166
  • May-24: £10,165
    May-24: £10,276
  • Jun-24: £10,312
    Jun-24: £10,397
  • Jul-24: £10,398
    Jul-24: £10,564
  • Aug-24: £10,476
    Aug-24: £10,661
  • Sep-24: £10,559
    Sep-24: £10,767
2019 2024
Virgin Money Defensive Fund comparisonSeptember 2019 to
September 2020		September 2020 to
September 2021		September 2021 to
September 2022		September 2022 to
September 2023		September 2023 to
September 2024
This fund1.3%3.5%-10.1%2.7%9.2%
Performance Comparator*3.8%2.5%-11.5%2.5%11.6%
This fund launched in November 2020. 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 its launch. The simulated return takes into account total annual charges of 0.40% 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 85% bonds and 15% shares. 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, total return (income reinvested).
Performance comparator changes

Key information

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

Apply for Careful Defensive approach

If you're ready to get started, select an option

Move existing pensions
Open a new pension

See how much your money could grow

Use our quick and easy calculator to see how bright your financial future could be.

Self-Drive pension calculator

Our other approaches

Learn about our Investment Mix

Cautious Growth approach

A slower, cautious approach to growing your money.

View approach

Balanced Growth approach

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

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.

Explore Navigator
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