NextWealth and the Personal Finance Society (PFS) have published a comprehensive benchmarking study for financial advice businesses covering the profile of financial planners and their firms, the future of financial advice businesses, investment propositions, technology infrastructure and outsourced support.

The results are based on an online survey of 482 PFS members conducted between 11 and 24 July 2019.

Insight included in the report

• The average age of financial planners is 49 and 20% are female
• 39% of financial advice businesses have recruited in the past year
• 82% of financial planners use ESG solutions for 7% of client assets
• Financial planners use between 2 and 3 discretionary fund managers
• Between 3 and 4 weeks pass between the first point of contact and the first piece of advice is delivered to clients
• The average cost to onboard a client is £1,543