Shackleton

What Shackleton does

Shackleton is a UK-based independent financial advisory firm that delivers wealth management, pension and retirement planning, inheritance tax planning, business owner advice, employee benefits, mortgages, expert witness services, and specialist Personal Injury and Court of Protection (PI/COP) and Pensions on Divorce (PODE) advice. It was founded in 2024 by consolidating 22 established financial advice firms under a single brand, fee structure and set of values, and has since expanded through more than 25 acquisitions, most notably the transformational April 2026 deal for Hurst Point Group, which brought combined assets under advice/management to £17.5bn, 44,000+ clients, 850+ employees and 38 UK offices. The group operates three FCA-authorised entities - Shackleton Advisers Limited (FCA No. 163291), IM Asset Management Limited (No. 402770) and Save & Invest (Financial Planning) Limited (No. 144940) - and holds Corporate Chartered Financial Planners status from the Chartered Insurance Institute.

The service model is built around fully employed, FCA-authorised advisers delivering holistic financial planning rather than transactional product sales, with in-house investment management, cashflow scenario modelling and a centralised client proposition. Technology is layered on top of that adviser base: the Personal Finance Portal gives clients unified 24/7 portfolio visibility and secure adviser messaging; the Shackleton Hub (built on SS&C's Wealth Platform / Hubwise) provides the investment administration backbone; Shackleton Connect and TDW My Portfolio / WealthPro serve legacy IM Asset Management and Save & Invest clients respectively; and Ernest, an on-site conversational AI assistant, handles prospect queries by searching firm-owned content. The independent, fee-based advice model is reinforced by a "no exit fees" policy and digital lock-in through multi-year planning relationships.

Shackleton generates revenue through percentage-of-AUM subscription-style fees bundled into three service tiers (Wealth Builder, Wealth Management, Wealth Advisory) with stated all-in fees of 1.61-1.86%, of which the in-house Financial Planning Fee is 0.75-1.0% per annum. Distribution is predominantly a UK-only direct sales model delivered via the 38-office physical adviser network and remote (Teams/telephone) channels, layered with content marketing, awards-driven PR and the digital portals. The company is privately held, with Lee Equity Partners taking a majority stake in November 2025 and Carlyle retaining a minority position following the Hurst Point combination.

Name

Shackleton

Legal name

Shackleton Advisers Limited

Website

https://shackletonadvisers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Shackleton is a UK independent financial advisory firm delivering wealth, pension, retirement, inheritance, business owner and employee benefits advice to individuals, families and employers via a 38-office, 850-employee adviser network, with £17.5bn assets under advice and Lee Equity Partners as majority shareholder.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Financial Advisory and Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hybrid Advice (Advisor + Digital) Platforms (FSAAAAAE), Digital/Hybrid Robo-Wealth & Retirement Advisory (FSAEABAK), Specialized/Niche-Vertical RIAs (e.g., Medical, Tech, Executives, Athletes) (FSAAACAL), Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG), Financial Planning & Goals-Based Advice (Mass Affluent) (FSAAAAAF)

Keywords

• Financial planning services
• Wealth management advisory
• Pension and retirement advice
• Independent financial adviser
• Investment management solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Hove

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices30 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Financial Planning / Advisory Fees: Shackleton charges initial fees for setting up financial plans and ongoing Financial Planning Fees (FPF) for annual reviews, portfolio assessment, investment suitability checks, and financial planning advice. These are percentage-based fees on assets under management, tiered by value band.
2. Investment Management Fees: Investment Charges (Ongoing Charges Fee/OCF) cover the in-house investment team's management costs and charges related to underlying investments. These are charged as a percentage of invested assets and are included in the total ongoing fee package.
3. Investment Platform Fees: Fees charged for the use of Shackleton's investment platform (Shackleton Hub via SS&C Platform Solutions/Hubwise) where client funds are held and administered. Tiered pricing applies, with larger portfolios receiving lower platform fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shackleton is a UK independent financial adviser providing holistic financial planning and investment management services to individuals, families, business owners and employers across 38 nationwide offices. Core offerings include wealth management, pension planning, retirement advice, inheritance tax planning, wealth protection, business owner advice, employee benefits, mortgages, pensions on divorce, and personal injury/Court of Protection financial planning, delivered by fully employed Chartered advisers and supported by a digital client portal ecosystem.

Product overview

Shackleton is a UK independent financial adviser offering a comprehensive suite of financial planning and advisory services through a unified business model. The core offering includes wealth management, pension planning, retirement advice, inheritance tax planning, wealth protection, and business owner advisory services. Specialized divisions cover pensions on divorce (PODE), personal injury and Court of Protection matters, and expert witness services. Client-facing digital tools include the Personal Finance Portal for portfolio management and secure adviser communication, the Shackleton Hub investment platform (powered by SS&C), and multiple client portals (Shackleton Connect, TDW My Portfolio, WealthPro). Additional services include employee benefits consulting with the Shackleton Engage app, mortgage and property advice, and later life care planning. The company operates through three FCA-authorized entities and has completed numerous acquisitions to build its nationwide presence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Personal Finance Portal (PFP): Online client portal for viewing portfolios, secure messaging with advisers, and document storage.
• Shackleton Hub
• Shackleton Connect
• WealthPro Portal

Products and services

• Wealth Management Comprehensive financial planning and investment management delivered by Chartered advisers, covering investment in financial markets, wealth restructuring to reduce tax liabilities, risk management, retirement planning and passing on wealth.
• Pension Planning Expert pension planning services including consolidation of workplace and private pensions, analysis of existing pension arrangements, and advice on optimal drawdown timing using advanced cashflow modelling.
• Retirement Advice Comprehensive retirement planning covering pension drawdown timing, tax-free lump sum decisions, annuity guidance and non-work income planning supported by sophisticated cashflow forecasting tools.
• Pensions on Divorce (PODE) Pension on Divorce Expert (PODE) service providing neutral, Chartered-led expert advice on pension sharing during divorce proceedings, including part 25 court-compliant reports and calculations for family law solicitors, mediators and individuals.
• Personal Injury & Court of Protection Financial Planning Specialist financial planning for individuals managing large compensation awards following serious personal injury or clinical negligence, including investment advice, care cost planning, specialist equipment and home adaptation planning.
• Business Owner Advice Financial advisory services for small to large UK business owners covering employee benefits programmes, business growth and ownership advice, exit strategy formulation, and business insurance.
• Employee Benefits Workplace pension scheme management, auto-enrolment, group life and sickness protection, health and wellbeing programmes, and financial wellbeing resources offered to UK employers, supported by the Shackleton Engage employee app.
• Mortgage & Property Advice Mortgage advisory services covering residential mortgages, buy-to-let, limited company buy-to-let and equity release products including lifetime mortgages, delivered as part of whole-of-market independent advice.
• Expert Witness Service Specialist financial expert witness services for litigation teams, providing comprehensive reports on periodical payments, settlement structure advice and court testimony in personal injury and clinical negligence cases.
• Wealth Protection Asset protection planning including inheritance tax planning, life insurance, critical illness cover, trust planning, wills and lasting power of attorney services.
• Inheritance Tax Planning (Passing on Wealth) Estate planning and inheritance tax advisory services to help reduce or eliminate IHT liabilities through gifting strategies, trust structures and pension transfers.
• Planning for Later Life Long-term care planning services covering funding options, equity release assessment, property downsizing analysis and later life financial planning.
• Personal Finance Portal (PFP) Online client portal for viewing portfolios, secure messaging with advisers, document storage in a bank-secure vault, and 24/7 access to investment valuations and fund information across all of a client's holdings.
• Shackleton Hub (Investment Platform) SS&C Wealth Platform-powered investment platform providing a single view of all platform holdings, up-to-the-minute user-friendly valuations across the entire portfolio, and the ability to switch between different funds and investment houses.
• Shackleton Connect Digital financial filing cabinet bringing together investments, savings, pensions, insurances and property in one secure place with daily updates, document storage and portfolio tracking for IM Asset Management clients.
• TDW My Portfolio Portfolio monitoring portal with daily valuations and up-to-date share and fund prices for IM Asset Management clients.
• WealthPro Portal Investment and portfolio management portal for Save & Invest clients.
• Ernest (Digital Guide) Conversational AI digital guide that searches the Shackleton website and downloadable guides to answer prospect and client questions about financial goals, services and how Shackleton can help.
• Shackleton Engage Mobile application that makes employee benefits programmes - pensions, group protection, health and wellbeing - more accessible to employees of UK employer clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 99% client retention rate in the PI and COP division
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SS&C Platform Solutions / HubwisecoreTechnology or IntegrationSS&C Platform Solutions provides the Shackleton Hub investment platform technology, enabling clients to access a single view of all their platform holdings, view up-to-the-minute valuations, and switch between funds and investment houses. The platform underpins Shackleton's client-facing investment portal.
• SS&C Wealth PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationSS&C Wealth Platform is the technology partner powering the Shackleton Hub, described as a modern, secure, and easy way to have a single view of all platform holdings with up-to-the-minute, user-friendly valuations.
• EvercoreminorOthersEvercore served as Shackleton's M&A advisor for the Hurst Point acquisition in April 2026.
• Proskauer RoseminorOthersProskauer Rose provided legal advice to Shackleton for the Hurst Point acquisition in April 2026.
• Rothschild & CominorOthersRothschild & Co served as Hurst Point Group's M&A advisor for the acquisition by Shackleton in April 2026.
• LinklatersminorOthersLinklaters provided legal advice to Hurst Point Group for the acquisition by Shackleton in April 2026.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AJ Bell: UK investment platform serving advised and direct clients through AJ Bell Investcentre (adviser platform), AJ Bell Funds, and AJ Bell Youstate (D2C). Comparable as a UK adviser-platform provider; less direct overlap on the advice-led holistic planning side, but adjacent on platform and custody.
• Brewin Dolphin (RBC Wealth Management UK): UK wealth manager acquired by Royal Bank of Canada, with a long history of acquiring regional UK investment management firms. Directly comparable model of consolidating long-established UK advisory businesses under a unified central investment proposition.
• Brooks Macdonald: AIM-listed UK wealth manager operating through regional offices with discretionary investment management and financial planning services. Comparable client base (HNW individuals, families, intermediaries), regional-office delivery model, and percentage-AUM recurring fee structure.
• Evelyn Partners (formerly Tilney Smith & Williamson): One of the UK's largest integrated wealth management and professional services firms with national coverage of advice, investment management, tax, and accounting. Comparable scale and breadth across personal financial planning and investment management for HNW clients.
• St. James's Place: The UK's largest wealth management network serving mass-affluent and HNW clients through a national adviser force. Directly comparable as a UK IFA-led wealth manager with recurring percentage-of-AUM fees and a focus on holistic financial planning; Shackleton operates at smaller scale but with a similar fee-based model.
• Quilter: UK wealth manager with an advice-led platform model (Quilter Financial Planning) and a multi-billion AUA platform serving advised clients. Comparable as a UK-focused, advice-driven wealth manager with significant AUA and a large FCA-regulated adviser population.
• Rathbones Group: FTSE-listed UK wealth manager with a strong history of acquiring regional investment management firms and unifying them under a single brand and investment philosophy. Closely comparable as a UK-listed acquirer of long-established wealth managers using a 'best of both worlds' local plus central model.

Emerging players

• True Potential: Technology-led UK financial services consolidator that scaled via a 'wrap' platform for restricted advisers and personal coaches. Partial overlap as a UK consolidator, but with a lower-cost, technology-distributed model rather than fully employed advisers.

Broad incumbents

• Hargreaves Lansdown: UK retail investment platform with multi-billion client assets. Comparable only on the platform/custody layer rather than the holistic advice-led IFA model; included as an incumbent that sets the cost benchmark Shackleton must compete against.
• Abrdn (formerly Aberdeen Standard): Global asset manager and wealth manager with a substantial UK advice and platform business. Comparable as a UK advice-platform incumbent at much greater scale, but with a much broader international asset management footprint that Shackleton does not have.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/skerrittconsultants
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shackletonadvisers
• Xx.com/skerrittswm

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A16 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shackleton