Do I Need a Financial Advisor in the UK?

Most UK savers do not need a financial advisor: an ISA, a pension, a global tracker and the discipline to leave them alone beats most paid advice

An IFA earns their fee on specific moving parts: defined benefit transfers, inheritance tax planning, decumulation, business sales, and cross-border tax

Typical 2026 fees are 1-3% upfront and 0.5-1% per year on assets, which compounds into six-figure drag over a working life

The only adviser label that matters under FCA rules is independent vs restricted - ask the question at the first meeting and walk if the answer is fudged