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Record numbers of consumers choose independent financial advice to plan for retirement (Consumer)

        Independent financial advice continues to rise in popularity as Unbiased.co.uk’s quarterly Advice Drivers report reveals over 120,000 requests for an IFA were made to Unbiased.co.uk in the final quarter of 2006

        Demand for independent retirement planning advice increased every month from October, with nearly one third (30%) of consumers searching for an IFA to help plan their retirement income

Unbiased.co.uk, the website promoting the benefits of independent financial advice, today reports that the final quarter of 2006 saw another year-on-year increase in the demand for independent financial advice. Unbiased.co.uk handled a record number of 123,216 requests for details of local IFAs between October and December, representing a 3% rise on the same period last year.

The news comes via the comprehensive data compiled from selections made by consumers requesting details of a local IFA through Unbiased.co.uk over the last 12 months. This data reveals that the proportion of consumer enquiries requesting advice on personal retirement planning increased in every month of the last quarter of 2006, to a 9-month high of 31% in December.

The top ten Advice Drivers last quarter were as follows:

^{*IFA Promotion figures using consumer searches on www.unbiased.co.uk NB: more than one product area can be selected}

David Elms, Chief Executive of Unbiased.co.uk, commented: “Our figures confirm that independent financial advice is continuing to rise in popularity with consumers. With the debate on provision for income in retirement intensifying, it is most reassuring to know that more and more consumers are ensuring they get the best possible advice by going to see an IFA.”

Consumers can obtain details of local IFAs who focus on specific product areas by visiting www.unbiased.co.uk or by calling 0800 085 3250.  They can search for IFAs with incremental qualifications, specific payment options, or state a preference to see a male or female IFA.

For further information please contact:

David Elms	Kate Horne/Jonathon Grove
Chief Executive	Lansons Communications
Unbiased.co.uk	020 7566 9716 / 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 31 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	Mortgage Express
  AEGON Scottish Equitable Plc	National Savings & Investments
  Alliance Trust	NatWest Business Banking
  AXA Life	New Star Investment Funds
  Bright Grey	Norwich Union Life
  BUPA Health Services	Prudential
  Canada Life Ltd	Scottish Life
  The Children’s Mutual	Scottish Life International
  Clerical Medical Investment	Scottish Widows Plc
  Defaqto	Skandia UK Group
  Friends Provident	Standard Life Assurance Company
  GE Life	UnumProvident
  Invesco Perpetual	Webline Limited
  Legal & General	Zurich Intermediary Group
  London Mortgage Company