Why working with a Chartered financial planner in Worcester can be so beneficial

When you’re searching for a financial planner, it can be difficult to know how to pick between different firms. Without working with them, it’s hard to decide who is best placed to help you achieve your goals for the future.

One effective way to figure this out is to look at the various qualifications and accreditations the planner and their firm hold. Recognition from independent awarding bodies can give you an indication of which planner might be the most experienced and able to assist you.

Among this list of key differentiators, you might see “Chartered status”. Arguably, this is the most important accreditation you should keep an eye out for.

Awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), this high-level qualification is seen as the “gold standard” of the financial planning profession.

As a Chartered firm with two Chartered financial planners at Britannic Place, we’re well-positioned to assist you in organising your wealth so that you can achieve your goals for the future.

Read on to discover some of the key benefits of working with a Chartered financial planner in Worcester.

We hold both individual and corporate Chartered status

There are two types of Chartered status: individual, and corporate.

Individual Chartered status is awarded to individual planners, while corporate Chartered status is given to firms that meet another list of stringent criteria.

When your planner holds individual status, you can be confident that you’re working with an experienced professional. Similarly, corporate status indicates a firm that will provide you with the highest level of service and always put your best interests first.

At Britannic Place, we’re proud to say that we’ve achieved both types of Chartered status.

Our director, Steve Perera, has been a Chartered financial planner since 2007. Meanwhile, having initially joined as a paraplanner nearly eight years ago, Dean Poulsen is now also a Chartered planner, having attained this status in October 2023.

Britannic Place also became a Chartered firm in January 2021, making us just one of three Chartered firms in the whole of Worcester.

Holding both forms of Chartered status gives you the reassurance that you’re working with a knowledgeable and experienced firm and planner.

Chartered status represents a commitment to the profession

Financial planning is a hugely important profession, helping people to achieve their long-term goals with personalised advice. But, planners and firms need to be fully committed if they are to serve clients as effectively as possible.

This is where Chartered status is so useful, as it proves a long-term commitment to the profession.

Individual planners must have at least five years’ experience to be awarded Chartered status in the first instance.

This means only those who truly value the profession and spend time working within it will be able to achieve Chartered status. This demonstrates the commitment that both Steve and Dean have made to their roles.

Similarly, the eligibility criteria for corporate Chartered status is even more stringent, requiring:

• At least one board member and 50% of planners to hold individual Chartered status
• The entire board and 90% of customer-facing staff to be members of the CII
• A professional development programme in place for staff.

Having achieved corporate Chartered status in January 2021 means we meet all these requirements, and more. This is another significant effort on our part, showing that we truly embody the values of fair, high-quality advice and planning for our clients as a business.

You can be confident that the advice you receive is of the highest quality

Chartered status is also proof that the advice you receive is of the highest possible quality, backed by crucial qualifications.

In the UK, you need to have a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning to give retail investment advice.

Meanwhile, to be Chartered, you must go beyond this and hold the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning. This means planners who achieve the gold standard of the profession have an even more sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of planning and financial management.

As a result, you can be confident that your planner has an even greater depth of knowledge to draw on when helping you organise your wealth.

You can have complete trust that your planner will act in your best interests

A crucial benefit of working with a Chartered financial planner and firm is that you can have the peace of mind that they will work in your best interests.

Financial services has long been associated with bad behaviour from advisers, prioritising their own profits over the benefit of their clients. This perception is likely why Canada Life figures show that 1 in 10 adults don’t trust financial advisers, and 1 in 5 would not seek advice even if it was free, MoneyAge reports.

Fortunately, having a relationship with a Chartered planner and firm means you can be confident that you’re working with an experienced individual whose main target is to help you achieve your financial goals.

To be awarded corporate Chartered status, firms must set out a core values and business practices statement, as well as a diversity and inclusion policy aligned with the CII’s “code of ethics”.

At Britannic Place, we meet all these criteria. We fully comply with the CII’s code of ethics, and our core values are:

• Knowledge
• Honesty and integrity
• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Balance

We embody these values in everything we do, which in turn ensures that you receive the best possible service from us.

This is how Chartered status helps to build trust in the profession, giving you the confidence you need that someone you can rely on has a handle on your wealth.

Get in touch

Want to work with a Chartered financial planner in Worcester to help you organise your wealth? Get in touch with us at Britannic Place today.

Email info@britannicplace.co.uk or call 01905 419890 to find out more.

Please note

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.