Scottish Widows has teamed up with Origo to enhance its letter of authority (LoA) process, aiming to cut turnaround times and improve information quality for advisers.
This marks the first in a series of Scottish Widows investments designed to deliver a more seamless adviser experience across its business, using Origo’s suite of data services.
Origo’s Unipass Letter of Authority (ULoA) is the first whole-of-market service to give advisers a single method of sending LoA requests to any UK platform or product provider.
Free to use and backed by full provider coverage, it provides a secure digital portal where advisers can manage all LoA requests in one place.
Origo recently upgraded ULoA with new features, including a checklist that lets advisers upload specific data points to ensure they obtain all required information and process requests more efficiently.
Anthony Rafferty, CEO of Origo, said: “Letters of authority are a vital part of the financial planning process and, having developed our service based on direct feedback from advice firms, our ambition is to transform the LoA experience for advisers and their clients.
“While we are proud to have established ULoA as a whole-of-market solution, the deep integration now achieved with leading providers like Scottish Widows represents a significant step forward.
“Delivering this level of connectivity for several major pension providers — and with further integrations already underway — shows our commitment to driving efficiency, transparency and improved outcomes.”
Ed Parker, head of Adviser Lab at Scottish Widows, added: “We are pleased to extend Origo’s Unipass LoA service beyond the Scottish Widows Platform to advisers supporting clients with our Workplace Pensions, Retirement, Protection and Longstanding products.
“We’re committed to improving LoA servicing, including faster responses and more accurate information at this critical stage of the planning process.
“Our aim is to embed Origo’s data services consistently across Scottish Widows, removing friction and delivering a leading experience for advisers and their clients.”
