What Best Practice does

Best Practice IFA Group Limited, operating commercially as Benchmark Capital, is a UK-based financial adviser services firm wholly owned by Schroders plc. Headquartered at Broadlands Business Campus in Horsham, West Sussex, it serves over 200 UK financial adviser firms spanning chartered planning firms, network members, directly authorised businesses, individual advisers and professional services partners. The group operates through four FCA-authorised subsidiaries (Best Practice IFA Group, Benchmark Capital, Evolution Wealth Network, Fusion Wealth, Bright Square Pensions) that together cover the full UK adviser lifecycle from launch through succession.

The core offering is an integrated single-sign-on platform that combines compliance services, a technology stack spanning CRM through investment management, an investment solutions layer linked to Schroders' capabilities, platform services and practice management with shared data across all modules. Supporting the platform are dedicated client service teams, an open-all-hours adviser portal, the Benchmark Academy training programme, and a succession planning service that includes in-house financing to acquire or transition adviser books. The technology is positioned as proprietary, award-winning, and protected by industry-leading security, though no AI/ML capabilities, APIs or third-party integrations are disclosed.

The business model is B2B and sales-led, with quote-based subscription/recurring revenue from adviser firms of varying sizes. Distribution combines a direct sales team, digital/web enquiry channels, client-story and thought-leadership content marketing, and the broader Schroders distribution network (Schroders Capital for private assets and Cazenove Capital for HNW, family office and charity referrals). Geographic footprint is UK-only, and the company is privately held with no funding rounds or public valuation disclosures in the source data.

Name

Best Practice

Legal name

Best Practice IFA Group Limited

Website

https://bestpractice.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Best Practice (operating as Benchmark Capital) is a UK Schroders-owned adviser services firm serving 200+ financial adviser firms with an integrated compliance, platform, investment and practice management offering delivered via a single-sign-on technology stack and dedicated service teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Retail Brokerage & Wealth Platforms (FSAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Banking Advisory & Discretionary Portfolio Management (FSABADAD)

Keywords

• Financial adviser services
• Practice management software
• Compliance services
• Investment platform
• Wealth management solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Horsham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Adviser Services Subscription: Ongoing services to financial advisers including practice management, compliance services, platform access, and investment solutions. Revenue appears to be recurring in nature based on the subscription-style service delivery model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Best Practice (trading as Benchmark Capital) provides integrated financial adviser support services including practice management, compliance services, advice technology, investment solutions, and a proprietary platform, all accessed via a single sign-up. The company serves over 200 UK financial advisory firms with a combination of dedicated account teams, a shared-data practice management system, and access to Schroders' investment capabilities. Supporting services include succession planning with financing options and Benchmark Academy for professional development.

Product overview

Best Practice (Benchmark Capital) offers an integrated platform-plus-services model for financial advisers. The core Platform serves as the central hub providing access to Compliance Services, Advice Technology (CRM, investment management), Investment Solutions, and Practice Management through a single sign-up. Supporting services include Succession Planning and Benchmark Academy for professional development. All solutions share data across the platform, with advisers receiving dedicated teams and an open-all-hours portal for seamless practice management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Practice Management A seamless practice management system with shared data across all solutions and a dedicated client portal, designed to save effort for UK financial advisers.
• Compliance Services Objective, impartial compliance solutions that help financial advisers build a compliance culture rather than treating compliance as a checklist.
• Advice Technology Award-winning end-to-end advice technology solutions spanning CRM to investment management, covering the entire adviser journey.
• Investment Solutions Investment services integrated with the platform, providing advisers access to Schroders' investment capabilities.
• Platform A proprietary platform providing access to compliance, platform and investment services through one sign-up, protected by industry-leading security.
• Succession Planning Support for financial advisers looking to sell or transition their business, including financing options and smooth transition assistance.
• Benchmark Academy Career development and training resources for financial advisers.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Schroders CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Schroders group, Schroders Capital provides access to a broad range of private asset investment opportunities that can be offered to Benchmark's adviser clients.
• Cazenove CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Schroders group, Cazenove Capital focuses on advising high net worth individuals, family offices and charities. Integration allows referral pathways and complementary service offerings.
• FinuraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClient firm shown as a reference customer, indicating ongoing service relationship rather than formal partnership.
• FirstWealthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClient firm shown as a reference customer, indicating ongoing service relationship rather than formal partnership.
• Lockhart Capital ManagementminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClient firm shown as a reference customer, indicating ongoing service relationship rather than formal partnership.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AJ Bell: AJ Bell is a UK investment platform serving both direct investors and financial advisers with custody, dealing, and wrap services. Directly comparable to Best Practice's adviser-facing platform proposition, with greater scale and a publicly listed balance sheet.
• Transact (Integrafin): Transact is one of the leading UK wrap/platform providers built primarily for financial advisers, offering integrated investment, reporting, and practice tools. A near-direct competitor to Best Practice on adviser platform functionality and target customer.
• Quilter (UK Platform / Old Mutual Wealth): Quilter operates a UK adviser platform alongside its wealth management business, providing platform, investment, and adviser support services. Closely comparable in offering integrated services to financial adviser firms in the UK.
• Nucleus Financial Platforms: Nucleus is an adviser-owned UK platform providing wrap, investments and practice services to financial advisers. A direct competitor to Best Practice on platform infrastructure and adviser-services B2B model.
• Embark Group: Embark provides platform, investment, and adviser support services to UK financial advisers and consumers. Comparable to Best Practice's integrated platform-plus-services proposition focused on the UK intermediary market.

Broad incumbents

• Aviva UK Platform: Aviva's UK platform serves financial advisers and direct customers with wrap, fund, and pension platform services. A larger, established incumbent offering overlapping adviser-platform functionality within a broader insurance and asset-management portfolio.
• Abrdn (formerly Standard Life Aberdeen): Abrdn operates a major UK wrap platform (formerly Standard Life Wrap) serving advisers and corporate clients. A broad incumbent offering integrated platform, investment, and adviser services as part of a wider global asset-management business.
• Fidelity International (UK Adviser): Fidelity International provides UK advisers with platform, investment solutions, and adviser support tools (e.g., Fidelity Adviser Solutions). A broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities to Best Practice, serving the same adviser customer base at greater scale.
• M&G Wealth (Ascentric / Wealthify): M&G Wealth operates adviser platforms including Ascentric and supports adviser firms with platform, investment, and paraplanner tools. A broad incumbent offering comparable B2B-adviser services as part of a wider wealth and asset-management group.

Emerging players

• 7IM (Seven Investment Management): 7IM provides discretionary investment management, platform, and adviser support services to UK financial advisers and HNW clients. A smaller, more focused peer comparable in size and adviser-services orientation to Best Practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Best Practice