Entries are open for the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Personal Finance Society (PFS) Apprenticeship Awards, the annual celebration of apprentices across insurance and financial services.

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FNZ, the platform engine behind several UK investment platforms, has appointed former senior Santander banker James Dunne as its managing director, client management and business development.

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Troubled wealth manager WH Ireland has sold its Henley Financial Planning team to Verso Wealth Management for up to £500,000 and will close its Henley office.

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Fast-growing Chartered Financial Adviser and wealth manager Shackleton, formerly Skerritts, has acquired Norfolk-based firm Harrold Financial Planning Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

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In this regular column PFS director of policy Dr Matthew Connell looks at a pensions wrangle which may cause some pain.


The New Year began with painful headlines about thousands of members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme who have been forced to put divorce proceedings on hold – sometimes for over a year – because of an administrative backlog in calculations to determine the Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) of their pension.

The delays were triggered by a judgement in 2018 on discrimination against younger members of public service pension schemes which required a new approach to calculations.

Whatever the rights and wrongs, it is impossible not to make comparisons with the standards in retail investment. Here, the Consumer Duty demands that standards of ‘consumer support’ must be high enough that ‘sludge practices’, such as delays to administrative processes, cannot be allowed to cause consumer harm.

In 2021, as the Consumer Duty was being introduced, the Personal Finance Society argued that: "FCA rules place some requirements on advisers that have no corresponding requirements for occupational pension schemes. We understand that the FCA cannot apply its Consumer Duty to pension schemes and other organisations that are outside its remit, however we think that the regulatory community, led by HM Treasury, should be taking action to deliver good outcomes for consumers and we do not think it is adequate that the regulators continue to allow poor outcomes to persist because issues have “fallen between the cracks” in the regulatory patchwork."

For the public, a pension is a pension. If one pension scheme fails to meet fundamental standards in one part of the sector, public confidence in all pension provision will suffer.

• This column first appeared in Financial Planning Today magazine, Jan-Feb 2025 edition. Matthew's column appears in each issue of the magazine. You can subscribe to the magazine by registering for this website and then checking subscription options in 'My Account.'


Dr Matthew Connell is director of policy and public affairs for the Personal Finance Society.

https://www.thepfs.org/

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is to begin charging claims management companies (CMCs) and professional representatives for submitting claims from April, it confirmed today.

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Latest data from the FCA published today has revealed that nearly 20,000 financial promotions were pulled or amended in 2024 following intervention from the regulator - almost double the level seen in 2023.

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Abby Thomas, CEO and Chief Ombudsman at the Financial Ombudsman Service, has exited the organisation this week in a shock departure.

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Last year saw net retail fund outflows of £1.6bn, compared to much larger outflows of £26.9bn and £24.3bn in 2022 and 2023, according to data from the Investment Association.

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In this regular column for Financial Planning Today, our new columnist Carly Dunningham, chair of the CISI's Financial Planning Forum, shares some personal reflections on how planners can help clients coping with grief.


As Financial Planners, we play a vital role in our clients' lives, helping them navigate complex decisions.

Our profession demands clarity, focus and a deep commitment to addressing each client’s unique needs.

However, life can throw challenges our way too, and bereavement is one of the most profound. Balancing grief with being at your best for your clients can be incredibly challenging.

This is something I experienced first-hand following the loss of my mum this year. It has been a deeply upsetting time for me and my family, bringing a wave of complex emotions that have affected my focus, energy and ability to be present with others.

Grief is not something you can compartmentalise, and learning how to navigate these feelings has been essential for my personal and professional life.

Grief affects everyone differently. It can cloud judgment, sap energy, and disrupt focus - qualities critical to a Financial Planner’s role. Acknowledging and understanding these impacts is the first step to managing them effectively.

Being open with colleagues and management can also foster support.

While the instinct to "push through" might be strong, delegating tasks or adjusting workloads can help you meet client expectations without overwhelming yourself. These adjustments are not a weakness but a practical approach to maintaining professionalism.

Interestingly, personal grief can deepen empathy and strengthen connections with clients, especially those dealing with sensitive issues.

This is certainly something I have found and by navigating my own challenges, I feel I’ve become more compassionate towards others and better equipped to support them.


Carly Dunningham is a Chartered and Certified Financial Planner. She is the new Chair of the CISI Financial Planning Forum.

https://www.cisi.org

• This column first appeared in Financial Planning Today magazine, Jan-Feb 2025 edition. Carly's column appears in each issue of the magazine. You can subscribe to the magazine by registering for this website and then checking package options.


 

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