Sacre Associates LLP

What Sacre Associates LLP does

Sacre Associates LLP is a Chelmsford-based independent financial advisory firm serving individual and family wealth clients across Central Essex (Chelmsford, Broomfield, Springfield, Roxwell, Writtle). The firm has been operating since the mid-1980s as a financial planning practice, with the LLP legal entity established in 2006, and operates from Marlborough House on Victoria Road. Service lines span investment planning, investment management (with Defaqto 5-star rated managed portfolios for eight consecutive years), retirement planning, estate planning, mortgage and equity release advice, financial protection, and corporate financial planning for SME employer clients.

The business model is a traditional fee-and-commission wealth advisory model: independent (whole-of-market, not tied to specific product providers), human-adviser-led, and delivered via in-person consultation at the Chelmsford office plus phone and digital enquiry channels ('Match me to an adviser' lead-routing). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm claims the number-one wealth management rating on Trustpilot via its Fairstone affiliation and holds Chartered financial planning status.

Since 2023, Sacre Associates has operated as a partner firm within the Fairstone Group, one of the UK's largest Chartered financial planning groups overseeing £20BN in funds under management across 50+ UK and Ireland locations. The Fairstone integration is FCA-regulated (multiple Fairstone entities authorized under FRNs 475973, 188596, 457558) and was structured to preserve client continuity under firm principal Steve Rainer while extending product shelf, regulatory infrastructure, and lead-generation reach.

Name

Sacre Associates LLP

Legal name

Sacre Associates LLP

Website

https://sacreassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sacre Associates LLP is a Chelmsford-based independent financial adviser serving individual and family wealth clients across Central Essex with investment, retirement, estate, mortgage, and corporate financial planning. The firm joined the Fairstone Group in 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management and Independent Financial Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Transaction Advisory & Due Diligence (FSAEAJAJ)

Keywords

• Independent financial advice
• Wealth management services
• Investment planning
• Retirement planning
• Estate planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Chelmsford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sacre Associates LLP is an independent financial advisory firm based in Chelmsford that provides whole-of-market financial planning and wealth management services to individual, family, and corporate clients across Central Essex. Its core offerings include investment planning, investment management, retirement planning, estate planning, mortgage advice, financial protection, and corporate financial planning. Following its 2023 integration with the Fairstone Group, the firm operates as a Chartered financial planning practice within a network overseeing £20BN in funds under management.

Product overview

Sacre Associates LLP, now part of the Fairstone family, is a wealth management firm offering a comprehensive suite of financial advisory services. The firm operates as an independent financial adviser providing whole-of-market choice across investment planning, investment management, retirement planning, estate planning, mortgage advice, financial protection, and corporate financial planning. Sacre Associates joined Fairstone in 2023, gaining access to enhanced resources and regulatory expertise while maintaining client continuity. The combined entity oversees £20BN in funds under management across 50+ locations in the UK and Ireland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Planning

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Fairstone GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Essex-based Sacre Associates strengthened its future by joining the Fairstone family in 2023. Led by firm principal Steve Rainer, the team has been providing expert financial advice across Chelmsford for over 17 years. The partnership provides access to enhanced resources, regulatory expertise, and a wider professional network while ensuring continuity for existing clients and new opportunities for the team.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fairstone Group: Parent company of Sacre Associates and the UK's largest Chartered financial planning consolidator, with £20BN AUM across 50+ UK and Ireland locations. It is the most directly comparable business model: acquiring and federating independent IFA firms while preserving local brands and client relationships.
• Wren Sterling: UK wealth management and IFA consolidator that builds a national network by integrating regional advice firms. Highly comparable to the Fairstone/Sacre model in that it pairs local adviser brands with centralised investment, platform, and back-office infrastructure.
• Lighthouse Group: UK-listed IFA and wealth management group that has grown by acquiring and partnering with regional advisory firms. Comparable in scale, target customer (UK retail HNW and mass-affluent), and federated brand strategy.

Broad incumbents

• St. James's Place: One of the largest UK wealth management groups, providing advice-led investment, retirement, and tax planning to retail HNW clients. Comparable in customer segment and product set (investment, retirement, estate), but materially larger and operating on a tied-partnership model rather than via independent IFA acquisitions.
• Quilter: UK wealth manager offering investment, retirement, and advice services through financial advisers and its platform. Comparable in customer base and broad product mix, with a much larger national footprint and platform-driven business model.
• Sanlam UK: UK wealth management arm of the Sanlam Group, providing financial planning, investment, and protection advice via a federation of regional IFA firms. Comparable in target customer, advice-led model, and use of a federated IFA network structure.
• Rathbones Group: UK-listed wealth manager providing investment management, financial planning, and advice to HNW individuals, families, and charities. Comparable in its private-client wealth focus and provision of independent financial planning, though at materially greater scale.
• Hargreaves Lansdown: Largest UK direct-to-consumer investment platform, offering ISAs, pensions, funds, and research to retail clients. Comparable in product set (investment, retirement, protection) and UK retail customer base, but operating as a platform business rather than a personal-advisory practice.
• AJ Bell: UK investment platform and wealth manager serving retail investors and advisers. Comparable customer base (UK retail/SME) and overlap on investment, retirement, and protection products, though distributed primarily through a platform model rather than face-to-face advice.
• Evelyn Partners: UK wealth management and professional services group (formerly Tilney Smith & Williamson) offering financial planning, investment management, and tax/estate services. Comparable in its integrated private-client financial planning proposition and HNW target market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sacre-associates

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Sacre Associates LLP