22nd March 2022

Adviser Sector Capacity Grows by 23% in 2021 

The Heath Report 4 Survey shows that the adviser community has increased its sector capacity by 1.2m new clients. This is really good news. The more consumers we handle - the more important we are to the Treasury and Politicians. 

Most advisers had little to fear from RDR in terms of short term profits but lots to lose from becoming irrelevant or too small to worry about. . In 2005, our sector used to service 16m consumers but by the Heath Report 3 at the end of 2019, we were servicing less than 5m.

In 2021 not only did we face the COVID shutdown, but Matrix tell us that the number of active advisers dropped in 2021 by 4.27% or 950 individuals. 

So why are we seeing an improvement that is counterintuitive? Some of it may be an understanding that the use of ZOOM and Teams makes advisers far more productive and therefore able to service a greater number of clients. 

It may be that the lockdown gave clients more time to contemplate their future and the advice they needed 

It may also be a realisation that with adviser firm costs ever increasing advisers need to widen their client banks simply to attempt to maintain profitability.  

RDR created a new advice market based not on the needs of consumers, but the social engineers within regulation. The banning of commission was not requested by consumers, many of whom would only take advice though that payment method.  

 As a result of RDR, consumers lost 4,000 advisers and the survivors top sliced client banks to those who are able to pay fees As a result, 12m consumer lost access to professional advice and another 6m lost access to High Street bank advice. 

The regulator's brilliant attempt to boost the scammers business by removing advisers who are in the front line stopping their clients' more outlandish investment decisions. 

OK we gave you good news why not give us some good news Join IFAA

Regulation, FSA/FCA, FOS

Registration

Free Registration and CPD

Related Articles_

YouGov: Are Consumers Getting Better Outcomes as a Result of the Consumer Duty?


Nearly three years after the introduction of Consumer Duty, are firms delivering the improved outcomes the FCA intended? Drawing on insights from more than 65,000 UK consumer interviews, this on-demand webinar from YouGov explores how perceptions of financial services have evolved since implementation. Discover which sectors and brands are leading the way, where gaps remain, and how different customer groups, including vulnerable consumers and younger generations, view their experiences today. Gain valuable insight into the latest Consumer Duty trends and what they could mean for firms looking to strengthen customer outcomes.

Read More

Panacea Conversations - Beyond the Questionnaire: Rethinking Attitude to Risk


Attitude to Risk is one of the foundations of good financial planning, yet it’s often reduced to a questionnaire and a risk score. In the latest episode of Panacea Conversations, compliance expert Tony Catt explains why the real value lies in the conversations behind the questionnaire. We explore adviser bias, client psychology, capacity for loss, vulnerability, and why risk shouldn’t be viewed solely through an investment lens. If you want to strengthen your Attitude to Risk process, this is a conversation worth hearing.

Read More

Panacea Conversations - Beyond the Questionnaire: Rethinking Attitude to Risk


In this episode of Panacea Conversations, we explore one of the most fundamental, and often misunderstood, aspects of the advice process: Attitude to Risk.

Read More

You need to be logged in to comment on this article