Give your team the confidence to master their money
Money worries follow people to work. Give your team a flexible budget for financial coaching, budgeting tools and courses, plus tax-free Retirement Guidance, so they can plan with confidence.


Money worries don't clock out
Almost a third (31%) of UK employees say money worries have hurt their performance at work, rising to 37% among those earning under £40,000. And one in four UK adults has low financial resilience.
You can't fix every bill. But you can give your team the knowledge and support to take control, on their terms.
Sources: CIPD Good Work Index 2025; FCA Financial Lives survey
Complex tax law.
Simple software.
Simple software.
Real help, not another webinar
Every employee's finances look different. Let them choose the support that fits where they are right now.
01
Financial coaching
One-to-one sessions with a coach or financial planner.
02
Budgeting tools
Money management and budgeting app subscriptions.
03
Courses & workshops
Personal finance, investing basics and saving for a first home.
04
Debt advice
Help building a plan to manage and pay down debt.
Money coaching or Retirement Guidance? Here's how HMRC sees it
Most financial education is taxable. Guidance on pensions is the exception, up to £500 a year. Here's the difference in plain English, and where SideUp fits in.
Financial Education budget
Lifestyle benefit
Taxable
What it covers
Financial coaching, budgeting apps, personal finance courses and debt advice.
How it works
You set a budget. Employees pay eligible providers with their SideUp card.
SideUp's role
Runs the whole benefit for you.
Retirement Guidance
Section 308C ITEPA 2003
Tax-free, up to £500 a year
What it covers
Advice on pensions, including the general financial and tax issues around saving for retirement, on any of their pensions.
How SideUp keeps it tax-free
Capped at £500. Per employee, per tax year. Anything above that is taxable.
Open to everyone. Every employee, or every employee at a location, can use it.
Pensions only. General money coaching sits in the Lifestyle budget instead.
SideUp's role
Runs Retirement Guidance as its own pot, tracked against the £500 limit.
A summary, not tax advice. Check your arrangement with a tax adviser.
See How SideUp Works in 4 Easy Steps
Choose your benefits
Implement your policy
Set your budget, eligibility rules, and spending limits. Our platform handles the compliance and guardrails automatically.
Connect to payroll
Seamlessly integrate with your existing payroll provider. We handle the tax implications and reporting for you.
Join the SideUp platform
Set it up once. Watch their confidence grow.
Most spending happens on the card, so there's almost nothing to chase. Here's how it works, from day one.
- 1
Add your employees
Sync your team from your HR system, or add them manually. Either way, it takes minutes.
- 2
Set up your programme
Choose your benefits, decide when they're paid out, and pick how your company funds them.
- 3
We invite your team
SideUp emails each employee an invitation to the app. Once they've completed onboarding, their card is issued.
- 4
Manage it month by month
Track spend and take-up, and keep your compliance information in one place, ready whenever you need it.
Retirement Guidance session
Tax-free, up to £500 a year
Budgeting app
Monthly plan
Retirement Guidance this tax year
£150 of £500Illustrative example
The numbers don't lie
Based on SideUp’s internal research comparing clients with vs. without flexible stipends. When you give employees choice, the numbers speak for themselves.
Money is just the start
Student Loan & Tuittion
Repayment assistance, tuition reimbursement, refinancing support. Invest in their future.
Wellness & Fitness
Gym, therapy, meditation, fitness classes. Support the whole person.
Work from Home
Internet, ergonomic setup, coffee, coworking spaces. Power their productivity anywhere.
Family Care
Childcare, elder care, pet care, fertility support. Be there for their loved ones.
Utilities & Essentials
Phone bills, electricity, gas, water, internet. Cover the basics that matter.
Food
Lunch stipends, grocery delivery, meal kits, coffee runs. Fuel their day.
Every pound goes further. And stays local.
Our marketplace brings your team closer to the independent cafés, gyms, shops and services in their own neighbourhood. When they spend their SideUp budget there, they unlock exclusive discounts and freebies, so the same benefit buys more.
Exclusive discounts for SideUp members
Freebies and extras from local partners
Your benefits budget, backing local businesses
A Saturday on the high street
The Corner Café
£8.95Marketplace discount
−£1.35Northside Yoga Studio
£12.00Free mat hire
FreebieSaved this month
£9.60Illustrative example
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about financial education benefits in the UK.
What is a financial education benefit?
A budget from your company for financial coaching, money management tools and courses that help employees feel more confident with their finances.
Is a financial education benefit taxable?
As a rule, yes. Financial Education is a Lifestyle benefit, so it's treated as a taxable benefit. There's one important exception: Retirement Guidance.
Is Retirement Guidance tax-free?
Yes, up to £500 per employee per tax year, under section 308C ITEPA 2003. It covers advice on pensions and the general financial and tax issues around them, as long as it's open to all your employees, or all employees at a location. Anything above £500 in a tax year is taxable.
What can employees spend it on?
Sessions with a financial coach or planner, budgeting and money management apps, personal finance courses and workshops, and debt advice. You choose which categories are eligible.
How much should we offer?
You decide. Set a monthly or annual Financial Education budget per employee, and a separate Retirement Guidance pot of up to £500 a year if you'd like to offer it tax-free.
Does it help with retention?
Yes. Money worries show up at work as lost focus and time off, and financially stressed employees are more likely to look elsewhere. Helping them feel in control pays off in focus and loyalty.
How does SideUp handle it?
Employees pay eligible coaches, apps, course providers and pension advisers with their SideUp card. Financial Education and Retirement Guidance are tracked separately and automatically.