SSAS administrator and tax adviser WBR Group has acquired the small self-administered pension scheme (SSAS) book of Manchester‑based Financial Planning firm Carpenter Rees for an undisclosed sum.
Carpenter Rees’ SSAS client base will transition to WBR Group’s dedicated account‑manager model.
Carpenter Rees was founded in Manchester in 1996 by Mike Carpenter and Steve Rees. It was one of the founding members of the Financial Planners’ Group which collectively have AUM of more than £500m.
WBR said the acquisition of Carpenter Rees’ SSAS book forms part of its long‑term growth strategy.
Since being founded in 2016, It has expanded both organically and through acquisitions, investing in people, systems and governance to support advisers and business owners using SSAS pensions.
WBR has made a number of different acquisitions in recent years.
In February 2025 it acquired Standard Life’s £403m SSAS book.
Previous acquisitions include boutique SSAS administrator Wimbledon-based Bespoke Corporate Pensions Limited (BCPL), and Rowanmoor’s book of 3,500 SSASs. It has also previously acquired James Hay’s SSAS book.
Tom Moore, CEO of WBR Group, said: "Our ambition has been to create a centre of excellence for SSAS, combining scale with deep technical expertise and a personal service model that clients and their advisers value.”
He said the acquisition of Carpenter Rees' SSAS book “further strengthens our SSAS proposition and reinforces our commitment to providing long-term stability, expertise, and service excellence for members and advisers alike.”