The Darlington Building Society has signed an agreement with Wren Sterling, a national independent financial planning business, to provide its members and customers with unbiased and objective financial advice.

The advice being offered includes advice on pensions, following the recent changes around Pensions Freedom.

Appointments with Wren Sterling advisers can be arranged at any of the Society’s 10 regional branches or by phone. As well as advice on pensions, advice is also available on long-term care planning, inheritance tax planning, savings and investments, school and university fees planning, life and health insurance, critical illness cover and income protection amongst a full range of financial products and services.

Colin Fyfe, chief executive of Darlington Building Society, said: “This new partnership with Wren Sterling will provide a greatly enhanced service to our members and customers.

“As we build for the future we need to put our members at the heart of everything we do and the provision of quality, independent financial advice is an important element of that process.  We look forward to working with Wren Sterling which will help our members to take control of their future under the advice of an expert across a wide range of financial planning services.”

Paul Chafer, commercial director at Wren Sterling, said: “We are very pleased to be a partner of Darlington Building Society to provide its membership with quality financial advice.

“We’ve seen huge demand recently from other clients for advice on pensions in particular so we’re looking forward to bringing this service to the Darlington Building Society membership.  The difference between guidance and advice is that we’re able to look at everyone’s individual circumstances and provide advice based on their personal situation and aspirations.

“Members and customers of the Society can book an initial consultation with a Wren Sterling adviser for no charge, just by going into their local Darlington Building Society branch.”