Interactive Investor has launched a campaign to help consumers make more informed choices on retirement savings.

The study-led campaign, 'Savvy SIPP-ers', shares key learnings and experiences from self-invested personal pension (SIPP) customers. Interactive Investor, who have called for greater industry clarity on fees and charges, also launched a new SIPP comparison tool to help consumers save more for retirement. Commenting on the launch of their latest campaign, Interactive Investor pensions expert, Craig Rickman, said: "SIPPs have surged in popularity over the past decade, but their benefits still need to reach the ears of more investors. That's why we have brought together some case studies to help empower, educate, and inform. The pension landscape is fiendishly complex in parts, with lots of considerations for private investors to navigate. We hope our new campaign helps to untangle this complexity, leading to more consumers retiring with greater confidence and healthier savings."

M&G Real Estate has acquired two residential properties in Spain and Portugal for €126m.

The properties, located in Valencia and Lisbon, boast "high sustainability" credentials and are supported by "strong on-the-ground origination teams" in continental Europe, according to M&G. The firm said the new acquisitions align with the recovery of the broader real estate sector, where Southern Europe stands out as one of the most sought-after destinations for long-term institutional investors. M&G Real Estate currently runs €43bn in assets worldwide, with European offices in Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, and Stockholm. M&G Real Estate deputy global head, Martin Towns, said that as we enter the next real estate cycle, sectors once considered to be 'alternative' are now viewed as mainstream by many institutional investors. "We expect the 'living' sector to be the main beneficiary as investors move to take advantage of today's attractive entry point. With strong foundations investing across many real estate sectors and geographies, M&G is well placed to help institutional clients diversify and internationalise their portfolios," he added.

Royal London has encouraged those who missed out on winter fuel payments to make sure they apply for pension credit while the window for applications is still open.

The warning follows recent research from the pensions and insurance company, which found that the majority (53 per cent) of UK pensioners don't like to ask for support or help from their friends or family, even if they need it, with 10 per cent believing some people require more financial assistance than they do. As part of its Take The Credit campaign, Royal London is partnering with social enterprise Pocket Power to offer pensioners a free 30-minute phone call, offering a bill switching service. Royal London consumer finance specialist, Sarah Pennells, said: "There is still a significant gap in awareness around pension credit and the other benefits that claiming it entitles people to. Despite the deadline having passed for applying for pension credit to allow you to claim the winter fuel payment for this winter, pensioners can still check if they qualify for pension credit and apply to receive a valuable financial top-up in the coming year."

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