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Shepherds Friendly Reviews

4.6 Rating 2,784 Reviews

93 %

of reviewers recommend Shepherds Friendly

Company Reviews

4.6

Based on 2,784 reviews


Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Postal Service
On-time Delivery	Greater than 89%
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour
Customer Service	4.6 out of 5

About Shepherds Friendly:

Shepherds Friendly is one of the oldest financial mutuals in the world, with 190 years’ experience in providing families with financial security.

Visit Website

Phone:

0800 526 249

Email:

marketing@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk

Location:

Haw Bank House, High Street, Cheadle
SK8 1AL

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Shepherds Friendly 5 star review on 24th February 2021

Shepherds Friendly 5 star review on 19th November 2020

Shepherds Friendly 5 star review on 14th September 2020

Shepherds Friendly 5 star review on 7th August 2020

Shepherds Friendly 5 star review on 22nd May 2020

Shepherds Friendly 5 star review on 14th January 2020

Shepherds Friendly 5 star review on 15th December 2019

10

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Do not use this company you will not get paid out I’ve been promised to be paid out after the first month and still not after 6 months now and now I’m a sole trader who Brocken his foot and nearly lost my business of this Pleas keep away from this company”

Hello Jamie, Thank you for your review. As a mutual, our commitment is always to our members and we’re sorry to hear that we haven’t met your expectations this time. We are currently investigating your claim with us, but if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our friendly Member Services team on 0800 526 249 during our office hours, or send an email to members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind regards, Lucy

“DO NOT USE ; I used them for income insurance and they have treated me horrifically. When you make a claim they will use anything you have gone through to void it. Anything you ever visit a doctors/gp for ; whether its a headache, itch etc”

Hello, Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. As a mutual, our commitment is always to our members and this is reflected in our high claims paid rate of 95.2% over the past five years. We do take pride in the high level of service that we provide, and we are sorry to hear that this was not your experience this time. If you would like to further discuss your claim with us, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team on 0800 526 249 during our office hours or at members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk.

“I already had one policy with this company on reading the paperwork I received there was a chance I would not be covered. I emailed company with the enquiry and got no response so telephoned on numerous occasions nobody picked up after 15 mins. So cancelled in cooling off period”

Hello Howard, Thank you for your review. I'm sorry to hear that you haven't received our usual high standard of service this time and that this led you to cancel your plan. Please be assured that this experience is not reflective of how we support our members. I'm not sure why you were unable to reach us on this occasion, so I have shared your comments with our Member Services team to make sure we continue to meet our members' expectations. Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“This company is scam and will not pay your income protection claim. Beware.”

Hello Sadat, Thank you for taking the time to leave a further review regarding your experience with us. I’m sorry to hear that you have been unhappy with the outcome of your Income Protection claim. We always aim to make fair decisions for all of our members when they make a claim and, in the interest of fairness, we do have terms and conditions that must be met. From our records, I can see that you have been in touch with the Financial Ombudsman for an impartial review of your individual case and that the complaint was not upheld by them. I’m sorry if this wasn’t the outcome you were hoping for, but I do hope that this gives you some reassurance regarding the decision that was made about your claim. Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“they hvent even sent any policy to me or told me the direct debit date so thats why i consider only 1 star”

Hello Christopher, Thank you for your review and for raising this matter with us. I'm sorry to hear that you have yet to receive some information regarding your plan. The Direct Debit date is usually chosen by our members during their application, apologies if this hasn't been the case. I've had a quick check of our system for you and I can see that we sent your plan documents via email at the end of August, so I'm not sure what's happened and why you haven't received these yet. Again, please accept my apologies for any inconvenience. Please be assured that I have passed your feedback on to our Member Services team and I will ask that someone contacts you to discuss this further, and to make sure that you have all of the information you require in relation to your plan with us. If you would like to speak to us before then, you are welcome to call us on 0800 526 249 or send an email to members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“Everything was great until I needed to make a claim. “95% of claims paid out”. Can’t wait for that response. Apparently having to stop working due to the stress of having a baby fighting cancer and needing bone marrow transplant isn’t a valid reason to go off sick despite the support of medical professionals agreeing I’m not fit for work. What more valid reason for being off with stress could there be than having a child who has been given such a bleak prognosis. How can any parent be deemed fit to work in a high pressure job in this situation? Absolutely disgusted by the treatment I have received. And no, I haven’t went through the complaints process, I haven’t the mental capacity and what is the point?”

Hello Chris, Thank you for your review regarding your experience with us. Again, please allow me to express my best wishes to you and your family at this difficult time. I’m so sorry to hear that your child has been unwell. It’s disappointing to hear that we have not met your expectations this time. Each claim is managed on an individual basis and we always try to make the fairest possible decision based on our assessment of the case. Since responding to your review on another platform, I can see that our complaints team has been in touch to discuss this matter further with you. Please be assured that we take each complaint seriously. If you need to speak to us at all, please do give us a call on 0800 526 249 or send an email to members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“Outrageous, really bad practice. Income protection insurance is a SCAM.”

Hello Angelika, Thank you for your review. I'm sorry to hear that you feel that our Income Protection hasn't been of benefit to you. This plan exists to support members who are unable to work due to illness or injury, where terms are met. We understand that this cover is important to our members and we do pay the large majority of claims; in fact, we have paid 95.2% of claims over the past five years. We treat each claim fairly, on an individual basis and, on occasion, we are unable to help. In these instances, we will always explain our decision and the reasons why the claim has been unsuccessful. If we can be of any further assistance, you are of course welcome to contact us on 0800 526 249 or via email to members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“Terrible service. Took over a month to get my money out. Would not accept a digital bank certificate of account instead of legacy paper statement. They are operating in the past.”

Hello there, Thank you for sharing your thoughts about your experience with us. I am saddened to hear that you are disappointed with the service you have received in relation to your withdrawal. We work hard to offer excellent, personal service to all of our members and I'm sorry we haven't met your expectations this time. I hope that the matter is now resolved for you. If you do need to discuss this further with us, you are welcome to contact our Member Services team on 0800 526 249, or via email: members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“Do not take income protection from this company as they will find excuses not to pay you. Be warned that this company is a scam.”

Hello Sadat, Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I'm sorry to hear that you have been left disappointed following your experience with us. I can assure you that our Income Protection is there to help members when they need it and when all terms are met. Last year alone, we paid out 95% of Income Protection claims, which is a great result for our members. Each claim is reviewed and managed on an individual basis. While it looks like we have been unable to help you this time, we will be happy to discuss your case further with you if you require any more information. You can reach us on 0800 526 249 or via email to members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“In the time I have had my plan I have found the company great to deal with, the plan is nice and clear and making deposits and withdrawals fairly straightforward and completed quickly within the usual 5 day time frame. However on this occasion I have requested a withdrawal and 9 days later no sign of the funds and limited communication as to when the funds will arrive. At least with certainty when the funds will arrive will allow me to move forward but I just feel in limbo. Certainly not the usual standard of service that you normally provide.”

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Firstly, I am pleased to hear that you feel that our service has been good overall. We do work hard to put our members first and we are always keen to learn how we can further improve things. Therefore, I appreciate you informing us about your recent experience with us. I am sorry to hear that we have not met your expectations this time and that you feel like you have been left in limbo in terms of your withdrawal. If you would like to discuss this matter further, our Member Services team will be more than happy to help. You can reach us on 0800 526 249 or via email to: members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“Never got an email to set up password so haven't been able to create an account. Sent emails and got no response”

Hello Phoebe, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had trouble setting up your account and reaching our Member Services team by email. Please note that we are experiencing high volumes of calls and emails, so it may take a little longer than usual to get in touch with us. I have passed your comments on to our Member Services team, who will be in touch shortly to help resolve this issue for you. You are also welcome to call us on 0800 526 249. Kind regards, Christian Shepherds Friendly

“Impossible to get hold of customer services. Tried a few times keep you on hold for 10 mins and the phone cuts off.”

Hello, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your experience with us. I'm sorry to hear that you've had trouble reaching our Member Services team over the phone. This does not reflect the usual high standard of service that we aim to offer each of our members whenever they contact us. Please be assured that I will pass on your comments to the relevant parties. I hope you managed to get a resolution to your query. If you still need to speak to us, you are welcome to call us again on 0800 526 249. Alternatively, please send an email to members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk and we will respond as soon as we can. Kind regards, Melissa Shepherds Friendly

“Most of the good reviews discuss communications, not quality of investments. I have several other SSISAs all performing at a similar level (20% rise in 5 years). Yet Shepherd's Friendly use performing at a fraction of this and charging a massive MVR (Market Value Reduction) of you want to withdraw your money. The performance is bad enough but the penalties are appalling. I recommend Nutmeg, Moneyfarm or any non-mutual over these fraudsters.”

Hello Roger Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I'm saddened to hear that you have been left disappointed by one of our investment plans. Please be assured that our investment strategy, while different to those of some other providers, aims to offer more consistent returns over the medium to long term. As such, we have paid annual bonuses to our Stocks & Shares ISA members for the past 18 years, even when markets were strained. I'm slightly confused by your mention of the Market Value Reduction, as we are not currently applying one to any of our investment plans. As I would like to make sure that you have all of the most up-to-date information about your plan with us, I have asked our Member Services team to get in touch with you. Please be advised that they will contact you shortly. In the meantime, if you require any assistance at all with your plan, please feel free to contact us on 0800 526 249 or via email to: members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk Many thanks Melissa

“Did not honour fully an incentive offer for taking out an Sustainable ISA. Looking in more detail at the charges they are opaque and very high. They do not mark to market and not easy to establish what exactly you have invested in. Would recommend using a low cost tracker or etf fund on a platform, a much better investment”

Hello there, Thank you for sharing your comments with us. I’m sorry to hear that your experience with our Sustainable Stocks & Shares ISA hasn't met your expectations and that you didn't receive the incentive you were anticipating. Shepherds Friendly believes in the power of simplicity, so we do endeavour to make sure that our products and service are as clear and straightforward as possible. However, we will certainly take your feedback on board to see if we can make further improvements. If you require any assistance from us with regard to your plan, our Member Services team will be happy to help. You can reach us on 0800 526 249 or via email to members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind regards, Melissa

“Good service until you want your money out, Had a call within seconds of requesting my money, three days later still no email to confirm this is happening. Shocking service they are quick to take your money but once you want it back its another story!”

Hi there, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We value both positive and negative feedback, as it helps us make Shepherds Friendly the best it can be for our members. I’m sorry you experienced a delay after requesting a withdrawal from your plan. I hope that this matter has now been resolved for you. If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our Member Services team can be contacted on 0800 526 249 or via email: members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk Kind regards, Melissa

“Took 3 child tax free savings accounts out for my grandchildren. 1 via Top Cashback and 2 through the Shepherds Friendly website which offered £30 M&S vouchers for new accounts. Top Cashback reward declined and still no sign of M&S cards over 6 months later. With so many similar plans, it is these rewards that swing customers towards your products. To then decline or fail to pay these rewards is underhand and gives me little faith in the honesty of this company. Initially had a response saying to chase Top Cashback which I did, and they have been very helpful, but now cannot reply to the person who initially replied. Hopefully the savings plans pay out when due, although at this time I am considering closing them and opening others with more reputable companies.”

“It's all fine until you actually want your cash!. Online you cannot withdraw, when you call by phone you are told to email. When you email, you don't get a response. I emailed 11th April, and again 20th May and have no responses. It's just frustrating and so old-fashioned. When someone finally gets in touch, I will withdraw my cash and close my account and open an ISA with a more responsive company.”

Hi, Thank you for leaving your feedback. I’m sorry to hear you have found it difficult to get in touch with us, we always prioritise getting back to our members as soon as we can to help you with any queries you might have. I have passed on your details to our Member Services team, who will be contacting you as soon as possible. If you would like to get in touch before then, you can get in touch on 0800 526 249 or via email at members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind Regards, Aidan

“Took out two policies online, one for me and one for my wife. When l printed them off noticed a mistake on one of the names.Attempted to contact them by phone despite being on hold for an hour no luck.Decided to email them instead that was on 22/04/2021 to date no response.Made two further attempts to contact them by phone on both occasions gave up after hour on hold. I was attracted by the sum assured offered but now l know it comes at a cost.Customer Service 0/10”

Hi, Thanks for giving your feedback. We’re sorry to hear you haven’t managed to get in touch with us about your query, it is important for us to help and support our members whenever we can, as quickly as possible. I have passed your contact details onto our Member Services team, who will be in touch soon to help you with this matter. If you would like to speak to someone before then, you can do so on 0800 526 249 or via email at members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind Regards, Aidan

“Don't even bother if you're transgender. You will get declined in less than a day.”

Hello, Thank you for getting in touch. I want to assure you that when assessing an application, our decision is made on the basis of the medical disclosures we have been given at the point of application and are applied irrespective of gender. The gender identity of an applicant does not have an impact on the outcome of any application made with us. I’m sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your recent experience with us, and I would encourage you to get in touch with our Member Services team if you would like to discuss your application further. Our team can be contacted on 0800 526 249 or via email at members@shepherdsfriendly.co.uk. Kind Regards, Aidan

“All good until you decide to take your money out. Then you learn that MVR (market value reduction) is in place. Meaning that SF are going to keep some of your hard earned money (10% in my case). I'm just grateful that I didn't pay in more. Clearly if I didn't mind losing my money I would have went for stocks and shares ISA. Anyway, if you want to save your money - keep it in your back account rather than trusting these frauds.”

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Shepherds Friendly is rated 4.6 based on 2,784 reviews