PENSIONS firm Liberty SIPP is celebrating winning a major award.

The Bury-based company has been voted Britain’s best full SIPP provider at the 2016 Investment and Wealth Management Awards.

Founded nine years ago in Bury, the company specialises in self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), which allow people to save for retirement with a wide range of investments. Liberty SIPP prides itself on making pension saving simple, transparent and affordable, and this approach was key to its success in the prestigious awards – in which winners are chosen by readers of the Financial Times.

Liberty’s director John Fox was presented with the award by the former All Blacks captain and Rugby World Cup winner Sean Fitzpatrick at a lavish event in the City of London. The award comes as Liberty enjoys a period of exceptional growth.

In the past year, the firm has doubled the value of its assets under management to more than £1billion.

Nearly 7500 people now save for their retirement with a Liberty SIPP, and the firm – which currently employs more than 30 people – is taking on additional staff.

John Fox, director of Liberty SIPP, said: “Liberty SIPP launched in 2007 with the aim of providing an affordable, easy-to-understand alternative to the expensive and confusing products offered by the traditional pension companies. We’ve stuck to our guns and invested in the best technology and the best people to provide great customer service, and it’s paid off – this award is a testament to what our clients think of us. 2016 has been an extraordinary year for Liberty – we crossed the £1billion mark and joined the top table of pension providers. The introduction of pensions freedoms in April encouraged millions more people to think about how they save for retirement, and our simple, flexible pensions have proved very popular. We have a committed, enthusiastic team in our Bury headquarters – and this award and our rapidly growing list of happy customers are a fitting tribute to their hard work and success.”