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• More than half of consumers think they would benefit from seeking whole of market financial advice
• 30-somethings acknowledge the biggest need for advice, with 59% seeing the benefit
• Private pensions, mortgages and stocks and shares ISAs top the nation’s wish-list of areas they would like help on from a financial adviser
• Unbiased.co.uk launches checklist to help consumers get the most from meeting with an adviser

New research from unbiased.co.uk, the ‘find an adviser’ search, shows encouraging consumer support for professional financial advice – with more than half  (52%) of Brits stating they would benefit from seeking financial advice. This number rises to 59% among younger generations, with only 6% of people in their 30s saying they don’t think they would benefit at all from seeking financial advice.

Unbiased.co.uk further reveals private pensions, mortgages and stocks and shares ISAs top the list of areas with which the nation would like professional advice and help. While the nation as a whole placed private pensions at the top of their list, the UK’s 20- and 30-somethings name mortgages as the number-one area they consider themselves needing advice on. For the ‘at retirement’ generation (60-69 year olds), annuity purchases topped the list.

Top five advice areas of ranked by age group (ranking marked in brackets):

In order to help consumers find the right adviser for their needs, unbiased.co.uk has re-vamped its ‘find an adviser’ checklist http://www.unbiased.co.uk/adviser-checklist  The checklist, which can be downloaded for free, is designed to help people ask the right questions when ‘shopping around’ for advisers, helping them to compare the different kinds of services offered by each advisory firm.

Despite concerns over the impact of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) on the demand for advice, unbiased.co.uk, which lists details of over 25,000 advisers on its online ‘find an adviser’ search, has seen a strong demand for whole of market advice since the start of 2013. The website has reported an 18% increase in visitors to its ‘find an adviser’ search, year on year.

Karen Barrett, Chief Executive of unbiased.co.uk, comments: “There has been much discussion within the industry regarding the effects of the recent regulatory changes, but no one has stopped to ask consumers how they view the financial advice industry. Our research has brought to light the fact that consumers see a clear benefit in seeking whole of market advice, which is a really encouraging sign. Most people wouldn’t consider fixing their car or doing legal work for their house purchase without professional help, so why should finances be any different?

“A qualified expert can help you make the right choices on some of the most important decisions of your life, can save you time and money and can give you confidence that your finances are being looked after well. Like all other professional services financial advice will cost you money but the ongoing benefits outweigh the cost. Each of us has different financial priorities and a chat with an adviser using our checklist can be the first step in helping you identify the ‘right’ financial adviser to tackle your finances.

“To find a whole of market financial adviser visit www.unbiased.co.uk.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

*Research carried out by Opinium Research between 8 – 11 October 2013 among 2,000 nationally representative UK adults aged 18+

For more information contact:

Anna Schirmer/ Lisa Grando, Lansons Communications: 020 7294 3682

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About unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website

The unbiased.co.uk website launched in 1998 and rapidly became the UK’s leading online destination for consumers and businesses looking to find an adviser.  Now attracting over one million visitors a year, unbiased.co.uk is the default adviser directory for consumer websites recommending their audience to ‘find an adviser’.

Unbiased Ltd promotes the benefits of financial and legal advice to consumers and businesses and would like to thank the following companies for their support:

Unbiased Ltd - Registered Office: 12-14 Berry St, London, EC1V 0AU.  Registered in England: No. 06775878.