David Elms, Unbiased.co.uk, comments on the publication of the Thoresen Review's Interim Report
“Unbiased.co.uk has unparalleled experience within the financial services marketplace of helping people to find appropriate financial advice in a cost effective manner. Unbiased.co.uk’s ‘Find an IFA’ service is used by 600,000 consumers each year – the vast majority (93%) of whom use IFAP’s website as opposed to its telephone hotline. If a Generic Financial Advice system is required, it could build upon this expertise by concentrating, at least in the first instance, on building on the advantages of providing generic information online. A web delivery system could not only amalgamate existing strands of generic financial information by white labelling such services online, thereby reducing the task at hand, but also ensure consistency of delivery across diverse delivery points, public or private. What is more – the measurability and refine-ability of online provision proves invaluable when demonstrating value to sponsors and stakeholders – something Unbiased.co.uk does annually as a not for profit organisation. Subject to a successful online roll out – and of course if it is justifiable from both a financial perspective and, importantly, from a consumer access and need perspective – then access to any such new service could be extended to telephone enquiries.”
For further information please contact:
David Elms | Andy Smith/Jonathon Grove |
Chief Executive | Lansons Communications |
Unbiased.co.uk | 020 7294 3675/ 020 7294 3653 |
020 7833 3131 |
For expert comment or case studies from over 200 media-friendly IFAs, journalists should call unbiased.co.uk’s Media Services hotline on
020 7294 3682 or search online at www.unbiased.co.uk/media
1. Independent Financial Adviser Promotion
Unbiased.co.uk is the consumer brand of IFA Promotion, the organisation established in 1989 to promote the value and accessibility of independent financial advice to the public. It represents around 9,000 firms of independent financial advisers across the UK, incorporating over 17,000 registered individuals. These individuals hold over 20,000 incremental qualifications which are each individually verified by the awarding body. IFA Promotion welcomes the prominent display of incremental qualifications and further developments into the credentials of independent financial advice.
IFA Promotion is sponsored by 27 leading financial institutions, and in the past 12 months, over 600,000 consumers and businesses used unbiased.co.uk to find local independent financial advice.
IFA Promotion believes Independent financial advice should be:
Affordable. The option to take independent financial advice should be available, by right, to all- not just the wealthiest in society.
Convenient. IFAs should be available in the location of the consumer’s choice, wherever they live in the UK.
Transparent. It must be clearly transparent to consumers who is able to offer independent financial advice and who is not.
2. Independent Financial Adviser Promotion’s sponsors
Aberdeen Asset Management | Lincoln Financial Group |
Abbey | National Savings & Investments |
AEGON Scottish Equitable Plc | New Star Investment Funds |
Alliance Trust | Norwich Union Life |
AXA Life | Prudential |
Bright Grey | Scottish Life |
BUPA Health Services | Scottish Life International |
Canada Life Ltd | Scottish Widows Plc |
The Children’s Mutual | Skandia UK Group |
Clerical Medical Investment | Standard Life Assurance Company |
Defaqto | Tomorrow |
Friends Provident | Unum |
Invesco Perpetual | Zurich Intermediary Group |
Legal & General |
Registered Office: IFA Promotion Ltd, 90 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5UB. Registered in Scotland: No. 114606