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Is this approach right for you?

Cautious by name, cautious by nature. The lowest risk choice out of our three growth approaches, aiming for modest returns.

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

Reduces risk

Likely to be a less 'bumpy' ride, compared with higher risk investments.

Aims for gradual growth

A slower, cautious 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 40% of your money goes into higher risk investments with higher potential returns and 60% 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 40%

    invested for higher potential returns with higher risk

  • Typically 60%

    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): 7%
Higher riskShares (UK): 3%
Higher riskReal estate investment trusts: 2%
Higher riskShares (overseas developed): 19%
Higher riskBonds (emerging markets): 0%
Higher riskBonds (high yield): 4%
Lower riskGlobal corporate bonds: 24%
Lower riskUK corporate bonds: 6%
Lower riskGlobal government bonds: 19%
Lower riskUK Government bonds (Gilts): 0%
Lower riskShort maturity bonds: 15%
Lower riskCash: 1%

Higher risk

  • 7% - Shares (emerging markets)
  • 3% - Shares (UK)
  • 2% - Real estate investment trusts
  • 19% - Shares (overseas developed)
  • 0% - Bonds (emerging markets)
  • 4% - Bonds (high yield)

Lower risk

  • 1% - Cash
  • 15% - Short maturity bonds
  • 0% - UK Government bonds (Gilts)
  • 19% - Global government bonds
  • 6% - UK corporate bonds
  • 24% - 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 Global Corporate Bond Screened Tracker Fund
  2. abrdn Global Government Bond Tracker Fund
  3. abrdn Sustainable Index World Equity Fund
  4. abrdn Short Dated Sterling Corporate Bond Tracker Fund
  5. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ESG Enhanced UCITS ETF
  6. iShares ESG Sterling Corporate Bond Index Fund
  7. iShares Continental European Equity ESG Index Fund
  8. abrdn SICAV I - Responsible Global High Yield Bond Fund
  9. Vontobel Fund TwentyFour Sustainable Short Term Bond Fund
  10. L&G ESG Emerging Markets Government Bond Index 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 September 2024.

Key:
£7.5k
£10k
£12.5k
£15k
  • Sep-19: £10,000
    Sep-19: £10,000
    2019
  • Oct-19: £9,926
    Oct-19: £9,915
  • Nov-19: £9,958
    Nov-19: £9,975
  • Dec-19: £9,997
    Dec-19: £9,983
  • Jan-20: £10,055
    Jan-20: £10,085
  • Feb-20: £9,914
    Feb-20: £10,013
  • Mar-20: £9,209
    Mar-20: £9,567
  • Apr-20: £9,546
    Apr-20: £9,923
  • May-20: £9,783
    May-20: £10,134
  • Jun-20: £9,954
    Jun-20: £10,268
    2020
  • Jul-20: £9,962
    Jul-20: £10,313
  • Aug-20: £10,018
    Aug-20: £10,385
  • Sep-20: £10,054
    Sep-20: £10,418
  • Oct-20: £9,978
    Oct-20: £10,341
  • Nov-20: £10,360
    Nov-20: £10,653
  • Dec-20: £10,475
    Dec-20: £10,741
  • Jan-21: £10,408
    Jan-21: £10,670
  • Feb-21: £10,320
    Feb-21: £10,570
  • Mar-21: £10,404
    Mar-21: £10,667
  • Apr-21: £10,542
    Apr-21: £10,814
  • May-21: £10,542
    May-21: £10,795
  • Jun-21: £10,682
    Jun-21: £10,970
    2021
  • Jul-21: £10,723
    Jul-21: £11,066
  • Aug-21: £10,828
    Aug-21: £11,168
  • Sep-21: £10,716
    Sep-21: £11,020
  • Oct-21: £10,752
    Oct-21: £11,112
  • Nov-21: £10,813
    Nov-21: £11,206
  • Dec-21: £10,855
    Dec-21: £11,222
  • Jan-22: £10,550
    Jan-22: £10,963
  • Feb-22: £10,391
    Feb-22: £10,777
  • Mar-22: £10,445
    Mar-22: £10,742
  • Apr-22: £10,223
    Apr-22: £10,418
  • May-22: £10,151
    May-22: £10,399
  • Jun-22: £9,817
    Jun-22: £10,128
    2022
  • Jul-22: £10,088
    Jul-22: £10,510
  • Aug-22: £9,963
    Aug-22: £10,326
  • Sep-22: £9,508
    Sep-22: £9,901
  • Oct-22: £9,569
    Oct-22: £9,958
  • Nov-22: £9,893
    Nov-22: £10,249
  • Dec-22: £9,799
    Dec-22: £10,006
  • Jan-23: £10,074
    Jan-23: £10,300
  • Feb-23: £9,952
    Feb-23: £10,140
  • Mar-23: £10,017
    Mar-23: £10,319
  • Apr-23: £10,033
    Apr-23: £10,345
  • May-23: £9,973
    May-23: £10,321
  • Jun-23: £10,013
    Jun-23: £10,410
    2023
  • Jul-23: £10,147
    Jul-23: £10,487
  • Aug-23: £10,039
    Aug-23: £10,435
  • Sep-23: £9,923
    Sep-23: £10,287
  • Oct-23: £9,781
    Oct-23: £10,159
  • Nov-23: £10,151
    Nov-23: £10,536
  • Dec-23: £10,533
    Dec-23: £10,897
  • Jan-24: £10,465
    Jan-24: £10,904
    2024
  • Feb-24: £10,495
    Feb-24: £11,012
  • Mar-24: £10,701
    Mar-24: £11,189
  • Apr-24: £10,565
    Apr-24: £10,978
  • May-24: £10,627
    May-24: £11,121
  • Jun-24: £10,775
    Jun-24: £11,287
  • Jul-24: £10,850
    Jul-24: £11,436
  • Aug-24: £10,956
    Aug-24: £11,527
  • Sep-24: £11,072
    Sep-24: £11,627
2019 2024

September 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 fund0.5%6.6%-11.2%4.4%11.6%
Performance Comparator*4.2%5.8%-10.2%3.9%13.0%
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 30% shares and 70% 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, 30 September 2019 to 30 September 2024, bid to bid with net income reinvested.

Key information

In our important documents you’ll see our Cautious Growth approach referred to as the Virgin Money Growth Fund 1. Before applying, please make sure you’ve read the following:

Apply for Cautious 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

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.

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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.

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