Professor Sir John Bell

Alan Cunningham was a terrific advisor on my pension options. He has a vast experience in the field and smoothly guided me through the options. Pensions are remarkably complicated but with the help of Alan I got to the right result.

Dame Elish Angiolini

Alan Cunningham has been a very wise and supportive advisor to me on pension matters and I highly recommend him to those seeking such advice.

Mrs. Lynn Clee

I have been a colleague of Alan’s for more than 20 years, as the Head of Administration and Finance in a variety of departments within the Medical Sciences Division at the University of Oxford. I have always found Alan friendly, approachable and knowledgeable, and his advice across the wide range of pension matters (flexible retirement, pension/lump sum, LTA, ill-health retirements, etc.) extremely valuable, both for myself and the staff within my departments, which included clinical, academic, research and administrative staff. Very happy to recommend Alan to you.

Professor Louis Mahadevan

Over many years, I've been able to rely completely on AC's professionalism, experience and deep knowledge of the complexities around our pension arrangements. Additionally, he has been unfailingly courteous, considerate of the specific circumstances and a complete pleasure to deal with. Cannot recommend him highly enough! I've been able to depend completely on AC's professionalism, experience and deep knowledge of the complexities around our pension arrangements.

Professor Roger Goodman, Warden, St Antony’s College, Oxford

Alan Cunningham has been helping me understand both how USS works and what my USS options are for the past twenty years; he has an unusual ability to clarify what often appears opaque to non-pension specialists and I have greatly appreciated the peace of mind which this has given me as a result.

Mr. Robert Malloy

The USS pension scheme can be very confusing at times, but Alan has always made is easy for me to understand, and he has always been available to answer questions.

Professor Freddie Hamdy

Alan is a highly knowledgeable, caring expert in pension matters. He has been extraordinarily helpful and obliging over the years. His advice is robust, honest and extremely clear. Without his expertise in depth of complicated pension matters, I will have found it challenging to navigate through the complex rules and administration of critical issues. I am indebted to him and recommend him very strongly as a Consultant in his field.

Kathy Harvey, Associate Dean, Said Business School

Alan’s expertise, built up over many years, has been invaluable for navigating the complexity of the University Pension system. I have found him to be a great source of wisdom and confidential support. He is particularly skilled at demystifying the pensions landscape and completely trustworthy.

Professor David Paterson

Alan Cunningham provides outstanding advice given his vast experience in the USS pension industry. He is thoughtful discrete and considered, and has advised and navigated numerous colleagues through the complexity of an ever-evolving pensions sector. He has been particularly valuable to new external appointments entering Oxford from abroad and senior academics planning their retirement strategy.

Professor Michael Keith. School of Anthropology and Centre on Migration Policy and Society, University of Oxford

As somebody working inside USS, advising universities about USS and academics and others on their pension options from USS there are few if any people with greater experience and knowledge of the scheme and its working. And even fewer, if any, with the patience and good will with Alan’s ability to reduce complicated options into simple choices for those considering, planning or managing their retirement.

When Should You Contact UPP?

Many of the details you need can be found on the official USS website at www.uss.co.uk. Universities differ in the level of guidance they provide, and most will suggest seeking independent advice. Please consult your local pensions office first to see what assistance they can offer.

If you still need further guidance after exploring the USS website and your local pensions office, you can arrange an appointment with me. All appointments are conducted over Microsoft Teams.

Consultation Fees:

Calls up to 1 hour are charged at £150.00 to £500.00, depending on the complexity of the case, the subject, time, and additional work required before or after the call.