Most financial advice firm (78% or 4 in 5) have raised their minimum investable assets for clients over the past year, with the average minimum client assets threshold up to £168,000.
At the same time, the average number of clients served per adviser has risen 14% from 118 in 2025 to 134 this year, a new study reveals.
The majority (85%) of advisers say they increased their client numbers last year and 91% expect to increase their client base over the next 12 months, according to support firm Dynamic Planner’s Advice 2026 report.
Access to advice remains constrained however as advisers seek clients with higher levels of assets. Some 4 in 5 firms (78%) have increased their minimum investable assets over the past year, with thresholds shifting significantly higher. The average minimum client assets threshold is now £168,000, the report found.
There is some sign, however, of advisers considering new models to reach more clients.
Some 96% of advisers surveyed saw Targeted Support as positive for their business, with 58% exploring offering digital-first or lighter-touch services.
Most of the advisers surveyed (94%) said it was becoming easier to take on new clients helped by a combination of data, AI and supporting technology.
AI adoption increased sharply over the last year, with 41% of advisers actively using AI in comparison to 28% in 2025.
Technology was viewed as a key facilitator of regulatory alignment, with 70% of advisers using tech to support and evidence compliance.
Data was seen as increasingly operationally essential (58% vs 47% in 2025). Most advisers were confident they can access the data they need (99%), but 39% were only “fairly” confident.
Ben Goss, CEO of Dynamic Planner, said: “Access to advice remains constrained, but there are strong indications that an inflection point may be approaching. Advice professionals say it’s becoming easier to take on new clients; they’re serving more young clients; and – perhaps most significantly – the average number of clients served per adviser is up markedly versus last year.
“Why the shift? Because firms are embracing the tools that unlock capacity. AI adoption has crossed the chasm, with more than two-fifths now active users – and a decisive 99% believing the technology will be positive for the industry. Digital client engagement has become the norm. Underpinning it all is data, which is increasingly viewed as operationally essential.”
Overall industry sentiment was overwhelmingly positive with 96% of advisers saying they would recommend their own career paths, a rise of 4% year-on-year.
Nine in ten firms were actively recruiting and hiring for adviser roles.
Dynamic Planner’s Advice 2026 report is its second survey into the state of the financial advice industry. 530 financial advisers, 67 ‘business decision makers’ and 80 paraplanners from financial advice firms were surveyed by Research Without Barriers in the first quarter of 2026.