Financial Planning

What Financial Planning does

Francis Clark Financial Planning Ltd is a UK Chartered financial planning firm founded in 2002 in Newton Abbot and now headquartered in Torquay, operating as a subsidiary of Francis Clark LLP within the PKF International accountancy network. The firm employs a 65-strong Chartered financial planning team across nine offices in the South West and South East of England, serving approximately 2,000 individuals and business owners with a focus on High Net Worth and mid-market clients. Core services include lifetime financial planning with cashflow forecasting, retirement planning, investment management, wealth management, inheritance tax planning, personal and business protection insurance, divorce financial planning, and care fees planning.

The technology stack is centred on financial planning software with cashflow forecasting, supplemented by an in-house Investment Management Committee that conducts daily monitoring and quarterly reviews of fund managers, and integrations with abrdn, Parmenion, and 7IM investment platforms. A new client portal with bank-level encryption is in development, and an AI notetaker is deployed to automate meeting documentation and suitability report generation. The firm is FCA-authorised (No. 433591), holds Chartered status placing it among the top 14% of UK financial planning firms, and is B Corp certified.

The business model is predominantly fee-based, with recurring advisory fees for financial planning and investment management, and transaction-based commissions on insurance products. Initial pricing is set during consultation with disclosed cost breakdowns but no public fee schedule. Distribution is sales-led through local offices, supplemented by professional referral networks with solicitors and accountants, long-tenure client relationships averaging many years, and content marketing via the firm's Insights blog and social channels. The firm has achieved an NPS of 59 (25% above industry average) and 86% client satisfaction, with 42.8% women in senior leadership and 35.3% in financial planner roles.

Name

Financial Planning

Legal name

Francis Clark Financial Planning Ltd

Website

https://fcfp.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Francis Clark Financial Planning is a UK Chartered financial planning firm serving approximately 2,000 High Net Worth and mid-market individuals and business owners across nine South West and South East England offices, delivering lifetime financial planning, investment management, retirement, and inheritance tax advice as a subsidiary of PKF Francis Clark.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory and Wealth Management

NAICS

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

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD), Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG), Business Owner & Executive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAO)

Keywords

• Chartered financial planning
• Wealth management services
• Retirement planning advice
• Investment management advice
• Inheritance tax planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Exeter

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Planning and Advisory Fees: Fees for comprehensive lifetime financial planning services, retirement planning, investment planning, and wealth management advisory services.
2. Investment Management Services: Investment management fees for portfolio management, diversified portfolios, and ethical/sustainable investment options.
3. Insurance Products: Commission from personal protection insurance, life insurance, income protection, critical illness cover, and business protection insurance products.
4. Wealth Management Services: Comprehensive wealth management for high net worth individuals with significant assets, including access to specialist tax advice and corporate finance through PKF Francis Clark.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Francis Clark Financial Planning is a Chartered financial planning firm offering lifetime financial planning, retirement planning, investment planning, wealth management, inheritance tax planning, personal and business protection insurance, care fees planning, and divorce financial planning. Services are delivered by Chartered Financial Planners across nine regional offices in the South West of England, with integrated access to PKF Francis Clark accountants and tax specialists. The firm serves approximately 2,000 individuals and businesses through advice-led, fee-based engagements, supported by a developing secure client portal.

Product overview

Francis Clark Financial Planning is a Chartered financial planning firm offering a unified suite of advisory services centered on lifetime financial planning. The core offering combines lifetime cashflow forecasting with integrated advice across retirement planning, investment management, wealth management, inheritance tax planning, and protection insurance. The firm operates across nine regional offices and provides a digital client portal for secure document sharing and communication. Services are delivered by Chartered Financial Planners working alongside in-house tax and accounting specialists from PKF Francis Clark, enabling holistic financial advice in one place.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lifetime Financial Planning Cashflow forecasting and long-term financial planning service that maps clients' future financial trajectories and progress toward life goals through scenario modeling, delivered by Chartered Financial Planners.
• Retirement Planning Advice Pension and retirement planning guidance including reviewing existing pension plans, contribution strategies, and retirement income modeling for individuals planning for or in retirement.
• Investment Planning Independent investment advice covering portfolio construction, diversified investing, tax-efficient investments, and alignment with lifetime financial plans.
• Wealth Management Comprehensive wealth management service for clients with significant assets, providing specialist risk strategies, investment solutions, and coordination with tax and corporate finance specialists.
• Inheritance Tax Planning Advice Estate planning and inheritance tax mitigation strategies including trusts, gifts, business relief, and will planning.
• Personal Protection Insurance Life insurance, income protection, critical illness cover, and whole life insurance products to protect clients' families and financial plans.
• Financial Planning for Care Fees Later life care cost planning including care home fees, social care funding, and integration with NHS and local authority funding sources.
• Business Protection Insurance Key person insurance, shareholder protection, and business loan insurance to protect businesses from losing essential personnel.
• Divorce Financial Planning Financial advice during separation and divorce, including asset division, pension splitting, and post-divorce financial security planning.
• Professional Relationships Service Referral and collaboration service for solicitors and professional advisors to offer their clients integrated financial planning alongside legal and accounting services.
• Client Portal Secure online platform for clients to access their financial plans, documents, portfolio values, and communicate with their financial planner, featuring bank-level encryption and WhatsApp-style secure messaging.

Quantifiable outcome

• NPS score of 59, 25% higher than industry average for finance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 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

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• PKF Francis ClarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company Francis Clark LLP, part of PKF International (world's 15th largest accountancy group). Provides integrated accounting, tax, and financial planning services. Francis Clark Financial Planning is a subsidiary company founded in 2002 to provide joined-up financial planning alongside accounting services.
• Insight6supportingOthersIndependent client experience consultant partnered with for unbiased surveys and interviews as part of the A.C.T. (Ask, Collaborate, Transform) client listening programme.
• Client Portal ProviderssupportingTechnology or IntegrationThird-party technology providers for new client portal development with bank-level encryption standards.
• abrdnsupportingTechnology or IntegrationInvestment platform partner providing wrap adviser services for client portfolio management.
• ParmenionsupportingTechnology or IntegrationInvestment platform partner for portfolio administration and management services.
• Seven Investment Management (7IM)supportingTechnology or IntegrationInvestment platform partner for portfolio management services.
• Penderlaw SolicitorssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLegal firm referring clients for financial planning services. Positive feedback received on collaborative advisory approach.
• MND AssociationsupportingOthersCharity partner for fundraising activities. Managing Director Chris Reah completed three charity marathons raising approximately £180,000 over three years for motor neurone disease research and support.
• Cedar Capital PartnerssupportingOthersPhil's business partner in charity marathon fundraising for MND Association. Combined team effort in charity events.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coutts: UK private bank and wealth manager offering investment management, financial planning, and banking services to HNW individuals. Comparable HNW/mass-affluent client base and planning-led offering.
• St. James's Place: The UK's largest advice-led wealth manager, operating a national partnership model of Chartered-quality financial planners. Most directly comparable in target client (HNW/affluent) and lifetime advisory approach, though materially larger and listed.

Direct peers

• Killik & Co: UK-focused independent financial planning and investment management firm with a regional office network. Closely comparable in lifetime planning focus, Chartered advisor credentials, and HNW clientele.
• Sanlam UK: UK wealth platform combining financial planning, investment management, and estate planning for HNW clients. Comparable in lifetime planning philosophy and IFA partnership model.
• Brewin Dolphin: UK wealth manager with discretionary investment management and financial planning services for private clients, charities, and intermediaries. Comparable in combining advice, investment management, and regional office network.
• Brown Shipley: UK private bank and wealth manager offering investment management, financial planning, and lending to HNW clients. Comparable in combining advice with discretionary investment management.
• Evelyn Partners: UK-based chartered wealth management and professional services firm offering integrated financial planning, investment management, and tax advice. Closely comparable integrated model and HNW/business-owner client focus.
• Rathbones Group: UK-listed wealth manager providing investment management, financial planning, and tax planning to HNW individuals, families, and charities. Comparable breadth of advisory services and client demographic.
• Quilter: UK wealth manager with a national adviser network offering financial planning, investment, and retirement solutions to mass-affluent and HNW clients. Comparable in advice-led model and Chartered planner emphasis.

Emerging players

• Progeny: UK-based financial planning and wealth management firm offering integrated advice across investments, tax, and legal. Comparable integrated advice model and HNW target client.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQZiYDTvzz0VJiYpNIDcniw
• Facebookfacebook.com/PKFFrancisClarkIFA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/francis-clark-financial-planning
• Instagraminstagram.com/pkffrancisclark
• Xx.com/PKFFCFP

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Financial Planning