Financial Planning Week gets under way

Financial Planning Week 2024, the CISI’s annual consumer-focused campaign to promote the benefits of professional financial advice, has been launched today.

It comes after research showed that nearly one in four UK adults (23%) said they would never seek financial advice, even if it was free.

The study from Canada Life and consultants AKG published on Friday suggested widespread consumer avoidance of professional financial advice and significant numbers of consumers who say they do not want or cannot afford financial advice.

Tom Evans, managing director, retirement, at Canada Life, said: “Financial Planning Week marks an opportunity to discuss financial literacy and money management – and to address the advice gap.”

The event is traditionally held each year in October but was pushed back to mid-January, “as many consumers will be focusing on their finances after Christmas and considering end of year tax planning,” according to the CISI Financial Planning Forum Committee.

Plymouth-based national financial advice firm Continuum said it believed Financial Planning Week can help bust the myths around taking financial advice.

Richard Watkins, Chartered Financial Planner at Continuum, said: “Financial Planning Week allows planners to engage with potential clients to talk about the benefits of real financial planning. Planners can illustrate how their methodology can guide clients to the life they want. Clients can have a no-obligation discussion about what their best life might look like and explore the paths available to them.”

He said the principal myth is that financial advice is expensive.  He said: “A discussion with a planner about value rather than cost should reveal the benefits of a well thought out plan.”

Financial Planning Week will run until 28 January.

The CISI has asked the UK Financial Planning community to support the event by increasing awareness of the benefits of professionally-qualified Financial Planning.

Sally Plant, CISI assistant director, Financial Planning and education development, said: “Financial literacy is an essential life skill to help us all manage our money. Financial Planning is intrinsically linked to financial literacy in offering the guidance and helping hand we all need to maintain overall well-being and financial fitness.”

She said that with New Year goals often including joining a gym and starting up new health regimes, “it is imperative that Financial Planning becomes part of the New Year routine too.”

The CISI’s find a Financial Planner Wayfinder website will be available at www.financialplanning.cisi.org.

The CISI wants the Financial Planning community to be involved by posting using the #FPWUK social media awareness campaign and sending in tips, tools or guides to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

• Is your firm taking part in Financial Planning Week? Let us know what you are doing by emailing our newsdesk: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

At their Bury St Edmunds offices on Wednesday morning, for instance, accountancy and Financial Planning firm Churchgates is hosting a walk-in Financial Planning surgery for the community to engage in informal discussions with experienced Financial Planners.

Samuel Jackson, a director at Churchgates, said: “Professionally-assisted Financial Planning has never been so important. A little guidance can go a long way in turning uncertainty into clear, confident strategies.” 

Meanwhile Chartered Financial Planning firm Paradigm Norton is offering consumers a free Financial Planning consultation for up to an hour at its offices in London, Bristol, Exeter and Torquay during the week.