SOCIETY OF LATER LIFE ADVISERS

What SOCIETY OF LATER LIFE ADVISERS does

The Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA) is a UK-based not-for-profit professional body founded in 2008 (registered company number 06520913, registered office in Eastling/Sittingbourne) that accredits financial advisers specialising in later life planning and operates a public-facing 'Find an Adviser' directory connecting older people and their families with these accredited advisers. The organisation's core product is the Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA), described as the gold standard in later life financial advice, comprising a four-part assessment covering technical knowledge, supportive environment, maintenance of competence, and soft skills application. The LLAA is delivered through online applications, viva-style face-to-face or Zoom assessments, and independent panel review, with re-accreditation required every five years and annual re-licensing. SOLLA also offers two specialised advice standards: the Later Life Lending Advice Standard (LLLAS) for equity release and later life mortgage advisers, and the Retirement Advice Standard (RAS) for pension specialists. The LLAA is recognised by the CII/PFS for 30 credits towards Fellowship status and by the London Institute of Banking & Finance towards the Advanced Diploma in Financial Advice and Chartered Designation.

SOLLA generates revenue through three membership tiers (Accredited at £423/year, Associate at £300/year, Affiliate at £12/month standard or £120/month corporate), one-time accreditation and re-accreditation fees (£1,050 initial LLAA, £750 re-accreditation, £575 re-sit), LLLAS application and renewal fees, training and conference fees, and strategic partnerships. The technology infrastructure includes an online membership and accreditation application platform, a public Find an Adviser search directory, Zoom-based online assessments, and an e-learning portal for consumer vulnerability training delivered in partnership with Just. Payments are processed via GoCardless Direct Debit, email via Mailchimp, and customer data stored in RiverCRM. SOLLA is not itself FCA-regulated to provide financial advice; its individual accredited members are FCA-regulated.

SOLLA serves two primary customer segments: older individuals and their families seeking trustworthy financial advice on retirement, care funding, equity release, and estate planning, and financial advisers seeking independent credentialing in the later life advice specialism. A third affiliate segment comprises law firms, charities, care providers, and other organisations that refer clients to accredited advisers. Distribution occurs through the SEO-optimised public website directory, partner referrals via Age UK, FirstStop Advice, National Care Line, and SIFA Professional, a regional coordinator network across the UK, and an annual conference at Westminster Central Hall. The organisation operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, SOLLA Enterprises Limited, and is led by Founder and Joint Chair Tish Hanifan (barrister), Joint Chair Jane Finnerty (Chartered Financial Planner), and Operations Director Ruth Perrett, with an Advisory Board providing industry oversight.

Name

SOCIETY OF LATER LIFE ADVISERS

Legal name

Society of Later Life Advisers

Website

https://societyoflaterlifeadvisers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SOLLA is a UK not-for-profit professional body founded in 2008 that accredits financial advisers specialising in later life planning and connects older people and their families to accredited advisers via a public directory, three membership tiers, and strategic partnerships with CGWM, Just, and Octopus Investments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional financial adviser accreditation and membership services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE), Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB)

Keywords

• Financial adviser accreditation
• Later life financial advice
• Professional membership body
• Equity release accreditation
• Retirement planning credentials

Headquarters

HQ city

Sittingbourne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Annual membership fees from three tiers: Accredited membership at £423/year (£35.25/month), Associate membership at £300/year (£25/month), and Affiliate membership at £12/month standard or £120/month corporate. These are the primary recurring revenue streams sustaining the not-for-profit society.
2. Accreditation and re-accreditation fees: One-time Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA) fee of £1,050 for non-Associate members or £750 for Associate members. Five-year re-accreditation fee of £750. Re-sit fee for failed attempts is £575.
3. Later Life Lending Advice Standard (LLLAS) fees: Initial LLLAS application fee of £200+VAT for non-members (£50+VAT for SOLLA members). Annual renewal at £150+VAT (£40+VAT for members).
4. Training and event fees: Free CPD webinars for members; some workshops and the annual conference charge attendance fees (e.g., SOLLA Later Life Conference 2026: members early bird £249, full price £299; non-members early bird £299, full £349). Some masterclass/workshop events charged at £50–£80 per session for non-members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SOLLA is a not-for-profit professional body that accredits financial advisers specialising in later life financial planning through its Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA), Later Life Lending Advice Standard (LLLAS), and Retirement Advice Standard (RAS). It connects older people and their families with accredited advisers via a public Find an Adviser search directory and delivers membership services, CPD training, webinars, and an annual conference for advisers and affiliated organisations.

Product overview

SOLLA operates as an accreditation and membership organization for financial advisers specializing in later life planning. The core offering consists of the Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA) - the primary qualification recognized as the gold standard in later life financial advice - supported by two specialized advice standards: the Later Life Lending Advice Standard (LLLAS) for equity release advisers and the Retirement Advice Standard (RAS) for pension specialists. SOLLA offers three membership tiers (Accredited, Associate, and Affiliate) providing access to training, resources, and the consumer-facing Find an Adviser directory. The organization also delivers professional development through webinars, regional meetings, and an annual conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LLLAS (Later Life Lending Advice Standard): A standard for advisers committed to giving the best equity release and later life mortgage advice.
• RAS (Retirement Advice Standard)
• LLAA (Later Life Adviser Accreditation)

Products and services

• Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA) The primary accreditation qualification for financial advisers specialising in later life advice, comprising four standards: technical knowledge, supportive environment, maintenance of competence, and application of knowledge with soft skills. Independently assessed via application, viva-style assessment, and panel review, with re-accreditation every five years and annual re-licensing.
• Later Life Lending Advice Standard (LLLAS)

Quantifiable outcome

• On average 50% of LLAA candidates receive Pass or Pass with CPD; remaining 50% are Deferred or Fail results.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / primary, core, secondary and minor.

• Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management (CGWM)flagship / primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 September 2023CGWM is a strategic partner of SOLLA, providing discretionary fund management expertise for SOLLA's specialist later life adviser network. With £32.5bn AUM (as of 30 June 2023) and 14 UK offices, CGWM offers a knowledgeable, trusted source of expertise for advisers looking to incorporate DFM as part of their clients' financial planning. SOLLA's endorsement provides confidence that CGWM can deliver quality outcomes for older clients. Lee McDowell, Head of Intermediaries Business Development at CGWM, noted the partnership supports SOLLA's achievements in raising standards in the expanding later life investment sector.
• Just (Just Adviser)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJust is a leading provider of specialist financial services solutions focused on people approaching or in retirement. Just collaborated with SOLLA to create the free Consumer Vulnerability in Later Life online training module (consumervulnerability.e-learningportal.com), which SOLLA recommends for advisers who have not undertaken vulnerability training. Some Dementia Friends sessions are led by Just team members who have become Dementia Friends Ambassadors via the Alzheimer's Society. Just is listed as a Strategic Partner in the Members area.
• Octopus InvestmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOctopus Investments is a strategic partner supporting SOLLA's work. SOLLA Enterprises is supported by a strategic partnership with Octopus Investments. Octopus provides financial services solutions in the later life/retirement space and is listed alongside Just and Enterprises as SOLLA's strategic partners.
• SIFA ProfessionalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSIFA Professional has a 25+ year history facilitating interaction between financial advisers and solicitors. Listed as a strategic partner in the SOLLA Members area. Provides a unique connection between SOLLA's financial adviser members and the legal profession, enabling professional introductions and collaborative referrals for clients needing both legal and financial advice in later life.
• FirstStop AdvicesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerFirstStop Advice is an independent, impartial, and free service offering advice and information to older people, their families, and carers about housing and care options for later life. Listed on SOLLA's Useful Links page. Provides a referral pathway for consumers seeking trusted later life advisers and is also listed as a strategic partner in the SOLLA Members area.
• Age UKsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerAge UK is the UK's largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life, helping more than 7 million people every year. Listed on SOLLA's Useful Links page as a key consumer resource for older people. While not formally a strategic partner, Age UK's scale and consumer reach make it a significant referral channel for consumers seeking later life financial advice.
• National Care LineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe National Care Line provides support and information to the elderly, their carers, and their families, providing a portal that signposts users to various organisations including government departments and support networks. Listed on SOLLA's Useful Links page, helping signpost consumers to SOLLA's Find an Adviser directory.
• Age SpaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAge Space (agespace.org/care) is described as the one place to find everything needed to help look after an elderly parent, covering funding elderly care, dementia, benefits for carers, legal matters, and more. Listed on SOLLA's Useful Links page. Provides a consumer referral channel for SOLLA's adviser directory.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Octopus Investments: Octopus Investments is a UK investment platform with a strategic partnership supporting SOLLA Enterprises. It is comparable as a strategic ecosystem participant that endorses SOLLA accreditation and helps channel advisers toward later life investing capabilities, rather than as a direct accreditation competitor.
• Just Group: Just Group is a UK provider of retirement-focused financial products and a named SOLLA strategic partner. It is comparable as a strategic ecosystem participant — co-developing consumer vulnerability training with SOLLA and referring clients to accredited advisers — rather than as a competing accreditation body.
• Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management: CGWM is a UK discretionary fund manager with £32.5bn AUM and a Flagship strategic partnership with SOLLA. It is comparable as a strategic ecosystem participant that provides DFM expertise to SOLLA's adviser network, rather than as a competing accreditation body.

Emerging players

• Dementia Friends (Alzheimer's Society): Dementia Friends is an Alzheimer's Society awareness initiative that trains individuals and professionals in dementia understanding. It is comparable because SOLLA runs Dementia Friends sessions for its adviser members as part of later life vulnerability training, intersecting on the same consumer vulnerability theme.

Direct peers

• Equity Release Council: The Equity Release Council is the UK trade body setting standards for equity release advisers and providers. It is comparable because SOLLA's LLLAS standard and the Council's equity release membership scheme both credential advisers in the later life lending market and serve overlapping consumer and adviser audiences.
• Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP): STEP is a global professional body for advisers working in trusts, estates and related fields. It is comparable because both STEP and SOLLA are membership and accreditation organisations serving advisers in later life / estate matters, with overlapping partner networks (including SIFA Professional) and similar CPD offerings.
• Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly): Association of Lifetime Lawyers accredits solicitors specialising in later life legal advice. It is comparable because both organisations accredit professionals who advise older and vulnerable clients, run awareness campaigns, and operate overlapping referral networks in the UK later life advice ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) / Personal Finance Society (PFS): CII/PFS is the UK's largest professional body for insurance and financial planning professionals, awarding the Chartered Financial Planner title. It is comparable because SOLLA's LLAA is recognised by PFS for 30 Fellowship credits, making the two bodies adjacent professional qualification providers rather than direct competitors in the same niche.
• Resolution (formerly Association of Independent Financial Advisers): Resolution is the UK trade association representing independent financial advisers. It is comparable because both organisations provide representation, professional standards and CPD to UK IFAs, although Resolution covers the full IFA market whereas SOLLA focuses on the later life sub-segment.
• Institute of Financial Planning (IFP, now part of CII): IFP historically certified financial planners in the UK through the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER credential. It is comparable because it sets a recognised planning credential for advisers, overlapping with SOLLA's remit on financial planning–led accreditation but at a broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-of-later-life-advisers
• Xx.com/SOLLAadvice
• Facebookfacebook.com/SOLLAadvice

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SOCIETY OF LATER LIFE ADVISERS