The number of people who want to retire early has more than doubled during the pandemic from 4% to 10% and more people have clearer retirement plans.

Peter Hargreaves, one of the co-founders of fund platform Hargreaves Lansdown, has sold off a £300m stake in the firm he launched with business partner Stephen Lansdown in 1981.

Hargreaves Lansdown has seen the average age of clients drop from 45 to 37 in what it believes is a significant shift in its client demographics, it revealed today in its half yearly results.

Shirley Garrood, senior independent director at Hargreaves Lansdown, is to step down at the end of 2020 in order to take up the position of chair of Royal London Asset Management in 2021.