About

Independent advice means we’re not tied to any provider or product range. We assess the whole of the market and recommend the most appropriate solution for you.   That means decisions are driven by your objectives, not sales targets or in-house products. Our role is to build a long-term strategy around your life, then select the investments, platforms or structures that best support it.

The first meeting is simply a conversation.   We’ll explore where you are today, what you’re working towards and any concerns you may have. We’ll also explain how we work and whether we believe we can genuinely add value.   There’s no pressure and no obligation. It’s about understanding whether we’re the right fit.

Chartered status is the highest qualification awarded in UK financial planning. It reflects advanced technical knowledge, ongoing professional development and a commitment to high ethical standards.   In simple terms, it means you’re working with advisers who take their profession seriously and operate to a higher benchmark.

In practice, they mean the same thing.   Financial planning is simply a more modern way of describing comprehensive financial advice. It reflects a shift away from product-led recommendations towards long-term, joined-up thinking.   Whether you call it advice or planning, the focus is the same. It's about giving you clarity over your finances so you can spend your time and money doing the things you love.

All fees are clearly set out on our fees (https://www.stridefinancialadvice.co.uk/our-fees)page.   Initial advice is typically charged as a percentage of the amount invested, with an ongoing fee of 0.75% for continued planning and support.    Everything is agreed in advance and fully transparent. There are no hidden charges and no commissions influencing recommendations.

Good advice isn’t about chasing higher returns. It’s about having a trusted adviser who understands your position and ensures every decision fits into a wider plan. For many of our clients, the real value isn’t one investment. It’s clarity, structure and a coordinated strategy that builds and compounds over time.

We typically work with individuals and families who have £250,000 or more of investable assets, those on track to reach that level in the coming years, and business owners building long-term wealth. More important than a specific figure is mindset. We work best with people who value structured planning and want a long-term strategic partner.

As mentioned above, we charge clear, agreed fees for initial planning and an ongoing service fee for ensuring that your financial plan remains on track and appropriate.    Fees can usually be deducted directly from investments or paid directly, whichever is most appropriate for your situation.   Everything is transparent and documented before any work begins.

We design and oversee your investment strategy, but assets are held with established, regulated platforms and custodians.   This structure ensures proper governance, independent custody and full transparency. Our role is to set the strategy, monitor it and adjust where necessary.

All investments carry risk. However, your assets are held with regulated UK institutions and protected by strict FCA rules around client money and custody. Your investments remain your assets at all times. They are held in your name (or via a regulated nominee or custodian structure) and are legally separate from the assets of the platform or provider. This means they are not available to a provider’s creditors in the unlikely event of insolvency. Pension assets are held under trust within the pension scheme, and ISAs and investment accounts are held under regulated custody arrangements. These structures are designed specifically to protect client ownership and ensure proper segregation of assets. Where eligible, investments also benefit from protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which provides compensation limits if a regulated firm were to fail. The investment risk itself is managed through diversification, evidence-based investing and aligning your portfolio with your capacity for loss - not short-term market noise. The aim isn’t to remove investment risk entirely. It’s to take the right level of investment risk to support your long-term objectives.