Greetings, Clodonnell, and welcome. You asked:

<<This Fool is about to start a new job and methinks a pension plan is part of the very exciting package which also includes free gym membership to make us feel guilty about never using it. So what should I look for when they give me the bumf? I have no pension plan and have only lived in the UK for a year so have no experience of said financial products.

If the plan I am presented with represents foolishness no Fool should inflict upon themselves, do I have any options? Can I take the company's money and put it in something more worthwhile? I like the idea of a pension plan, but obviously not one which supports the lunching regimen of some City type wearing ghastly braces. >>

If this is a U.S. firm you're talking about, see my Foolish Retirement Plan Primer and Steps 3 and 4 of my 13 Steps to Foolish Retirement Planning. Both can be found at http://www.fool.com/Retirement/Retirement.htm . They will give you an idea of what to look for and what the plans are. OTOH, if this is a UK firm that's offering the retirement package, that's something about which I know zilch. I'm sure the laws and arrangements are different there. Nevertheless, the two references I cited should still help some.

Regards…..Pixy