The Financial Ombudsman Service has revealed the most complained about firms in the pensions and investments sector.

Figures for the six months from 1 July to 31 December 2016 were released this morning.

The FOS said that complaints against financial advisers have decreased from 1,189 in the first half of last year to 1,044 in the second half of last year.

Friends Life and Pensions was top of the league for highest proportion of complaints resolved in favour of the consumer for the pensions category with 62%.

Barclays topped the equivalent table for investments.

% resolved in favour of consumer – by complaint category life and pensions and decumulation

1. Friends Life and Pensions 62%
2. Friends Life Limited 42%
3. Scottish Equitable 42%
4. Standard Life 35%
5. Aviva Life 30%
6. Abbey Life 29%

% resolved in favour of consumer – by complaint category investments

1. Barclays Bank 53%
2. Equiniti 42%
3. NatWest 40%
4. RBS 38%
5. Lloyds 32%

New cases by life and pensions and decumulation

1. Royal London 147
2. Prudential 133
3. Friends Life 125
4. Abbey Life 96
5. Aviva Life and Pensions 96
6. Scottish Widows 95

New cases by investments

1. Santander 288
2. Barclays 265
3. Lloyds 222
4. HSBC 195
5. Bank of Scotland 163
6. Legal and General 119

The ombudsman took on a total of almost 150,000 new cases in the last six months of 2016.

Complaints about packaged bank accounts have fallen by around half to 9,100 but there was an increase in general insurance complaints – up 5% to almost 18,000 when compared to the first half of 2016.

Chief ombudsman Caroline Wayman said: “There’s a widespread feeling that we’re living in unsettled times, and money issues are often at the heart of people’s concerns. At the ombudsman service, the data we publish often show patterns of volatility and change. Lots of factors can influence the complaints we see.

“PPI complaints are down, but there are some suggestions that this could be the calm before the storm. The FCA’s proposals – including the PPI deadline – are likely to heavily influence our complaints volumes.

“But whatever fluctuations we see in the future, it will remain as important as ever for us to share our insight – to help businesses resolve problems thoughtfully, carefully and with a human touch.”