What Cartwright Group does

Cartwright Group Limited is a UK-based private professional services firm founded in 1986 in Godalming by Ian Cartwright. The company provides specialist actuarial consulting and pensions administration services to small Final Salary (defined benefit) pension schemes in the United Kingdom. Its service portfolio spans two integrated lines: actuarial services (scheme actuarial valuations, risk and cost management, corporate pension accounting, and M&A advisory) and pensions administration (benefits administration, data cleansing, financial administration, and payroll). The firm operates as a private limited company with a staff ownership model, headcount of 51-100 employees, and a registered office at Farnborough Business Park, Hampshire.

The business model is consultative and B2B, with long-term client relationships (commonly 15+ years) anchored by continuity of the assigned actuary. The firm cites a valuation turnaround of 4-6 weeks and a stable actuarial team with average tenure of 18 years as core operational strengths. Revenue is generated through professional services and managed services fees, but pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled via direct enquiry (phone and email). Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with no intermediary channel partners, minimal digital marketing, and acquisition primarily through referrals and professional networks.

The competitive proposition centres on serving a niche segment that larger generalist consultancies underserve: small Final Salary schemes requiring specialist, relationship-continuous actuarial advice. The firm has invested in a proprietary, self-described "state of the art" pensions administration software platform, though no technical specifications, AI/ML capabilities, or patents are disclosed. The UK Final Salary scheme market is structurally contracting via buy-outs and consolidations, which is a material industry-level headwind not offset by any disclosed diversification into Defined Contribution, master trusts, or adjacent segments.

Name

Cartwright Group

Legal name

Cartwright Group Limited

Website

https://cartwrightgroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cartwright Group is a UK private actuarial and pensions administration firm founded in 1986, serving small Final Salary pension schemes with consulting, risk management, and integrated administration services through a staff-owned, relationship-driven model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Actuarial and Pension Administration Services

NAICS

Pension Funds (52511), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fiduciary Agency & Trustee-for-Hire Services (FSAAANAL)

Keywords

• Actuarial consulting
• Pensions administration
• Defined benefit schemes
• Pension scheme valuations
• Final salary pensions

Headquarters

HQ city

Godalming

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Scheme Actuarial Services: Full range of actuarial services for trustees and employers including scheme actuarial services, risk and cost management, corporate pension accounting, and mergers and acquisitions. Delivered by stable actuarial team with pragmatic, easily understood advice.
2. Pensions Administration: Benefits administration, data cleansing, financial administration, and payroll administration services. Financial management, accounting and payroll services are integrated within administration team ensuring fully joined up service. High quality outsourced administration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Cartwright Group provides specialist actuarial services and outsourced pensions administration to small Final Salary (defined benefit) pension schemes in the United Kingdom. Its two core offerings are Scheme Actuarial Services (valuations, risk and cost management, corporate pension accounting, and M&A support) and Pensions Administration (benefits administration, data cleansing, financial administration, and payroll), delivered by a stable actuarial team with average tenure of 18 years.

Product overview

Cartwright Group provides a unified actuarial and pensions administration service offering for small to medium Final Salary pension schemes. The core portfolio consists of two integrated service lines: Actuarial Services (encompassing scheme actuarial services, risk and cost management, corporate pension accounting, and mergers and acquisitions support) and Pensions Administration (covering benefits administration, data cleansing, financial administration, and payroll services). These services are delivered by a stable actuarial team averaging 18 years of tenure, with valuations typically completed in 4-6 weeks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scheme Actuarial Services Specialist actuarial consulting services for small Final Salary pension schemes, including scheme valuations, risk assessment, corporate pension accounting, and regulatory compliance support, delivered to trustees and sponsoring employers.
• Pensions Administration Comprehensive outsourced pension scheme administration covering benefits administration, data cleansing, financial administration, and payroll services, integrated within a single team for trustees and sponsoring employers of small defined benefit schemes.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• XPS Pensions Group: UK-listed specialist pensions administration and actuarial consulting firm serving DB, DC, and hybrid schemes. Direct competitor to Cartwright in the UK small/mid-scheme actuarial and administration market, with publicly disclosed scale that dwarfs Cartwright.
• Spence & Partners: UK actuarial and pensions consultancy providing actuarial valuations, scheme administration, and trustee support, with a notable mid-market and DB specialisation. Closely comparable in size, niche focus, and client profile to Cartwright.
• Quantum Advisory: UK actuarial, pensions administration, and investment consultancy specialising in DB and DC schemes for mid-market employers. Comparable in service breadth, niche positioning, and target client segment to Cartwright.
• Barnett Waddingham: Major UK independent actuarial and pensions consultancy providing actuarial, administration, and investment consulting across DB, DC, and public-sector schemes. Comparable service portfolio and UK mid-market focus, though considerably larger than Cartwright.
• Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP): UK independent actuarial, pensions, investment, and risk consultancy with deep DB and DC scheme expertise. Comparable in offering breadth and specialisation in pension scheme advisory work, serving overlapping trustee and employer client base.
• Hymans Robertson: UK actuarial and consultancy firm providing actuarial, administration, and investment services to DB, DC, and public-sector pension schemes. Overlapping service offering and target market to Cartwright, with significantly larger scale.
• Dalriada Trustees: UK professional trustee and pensions governance firm providing independent trusteeship and scheme administration support. Comparable in the small/mid-scheme DB trustee services segment, though more focused on the trustee-as-fiduciary role.

Broad incumbents

• Aon (UK Pensions practice): Global professional services firm with a large UK actuarial, pensions administration, and investment consulting practice. Overlaps with Cartwright across DB actuarial and scheme administration but serves much larger schemes and operates at far greater scale.
• Mercer (UK Pensions practice): Global consulting firm with extensive UK actuarial, DC, and DB scheme administration capabilities. Competes for trustee and employer mandates that Cartwright also serves, but with vastly broader service portfolio and scale.
• Willis Towers Watson (UK Pensions practice): Global advisory firm with substantial UK actuarial, pensions administration, and investment consulting services. Operates in the same DB/actuarial advisory space as Cartwright, but predominantly serves larger schemes and offers a much broader risk and broking portfolio.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cartwright Group