What BIRKETT LONG LLP does

Birkett Long IFA LLP is an independent financial advisory firm authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Authorisation Number 654458), operating from three offices in Essex (Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester) and serving individuals, families, trusts, and small business owners primarily within the region. The firm provides whole-of-market advice — explicitly unrestricted to any single insurer, investment provider, or lender — across pensions and retirement solutions (SIPP, annuities, income drawdown, auto-enrolment), investment and wealth management, inheritance tax planning, equity release and long-term care fees planning, financial protection (life assurance, critical illness, income protection, keyman cover), and business exit planning. It operates as a limited liability partnership and is part of Knights Group Holdings plc alongside the related Birkett Long Solicitors LLP, with which it shares branding, offices, and a structured cross-referral pipeline for Wills, Trusts and Probate work.

The firm's go-to-market is relationship-led rather than transactional: free initial consultations, ongoing annual reviews, multi-channel acquisition across Google/Bing paid and organic search, the Law Society directory, professional referrals, and community presentations (e.g., Women's Institute, schools), combined with an in-house financial adviser training programme that has already produced at least one qualified Financial Planner now sitting on the firm's monthly Investment Committee. Underlying technology is conventional — standard advisory practice management tools, Google Analytics, WCAG-compliant website — with no proprietary platform, AI features, or app products disclosed. Revenue is generated through adviser charging on initial consultations and ongoing advice, fee-based and quote-driven per client engagement, with no publicly disclosed pricing tiers.

Customer segments split between individuals/families (primary) seeking personal financial planning, and business owners (primary) seeking corporate protection, pensions, and exit planning; trust advisory services form a secondary segment. Operational scale is small — six staff in total comprising two directors who also serve as financial planning managers, one further qualified planner, one financial planning manager, one trainee paraplanner, and one administration assistant — implying a capacity-constrained but tenured advisory team whose continuity risk is concentrated in the two longest-serving directors.

Name

BIRKETT LONG LLP

Legal name

Birkett Long LLP

Website

https://birkettlongifa.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Birkett Long IFA LLP is a small, FCA-authorised independent financial advisory firm serving individuals, families, and small business owners across Essex from offices in Basildon, Chelmsford, and Colchester. It provides whole-of-market advice on pensions, investments, protection, inheritance tax, and later-life planning as part of Knights Group Holdings plc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE), Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions) (FSAAACAI), Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG)

Keywords

• Independent financial advice
• Pension planning
• Wealth management
• Inheritance tax planning
• Financial protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Colchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Advisory Services: Independent financial advisers providing advice on investments, pensions, protection, inheritance tax, equity release, and business planning. Revenue generated through adviser charging (fees) for initial consultations and ongoing advice services. No restriction to single insurance or investment company allows access to whole market products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Birkett Long IFA LLP is an Independent Financial Adviser firm providing fee-based, whole-of-market financial planning advice to individuals, families, trusts, and business owners across Essex. Core offerings span investment and wealth management, pension and retirement solutions (including SIPP, annuities, drawdown, and Auto Enrolment), inheritance tax planning, equity release and long-term care fees planning, financial protection (life assurance, critical illness, income protection), and corporate financial planning (keyman protection, business pensions, and business exit planning). Services are delivered through face-to-face consultations at three Essex offices with free initial meetings and ongoing annual reviews.

Product overview

Birkett Long IFA LLP is an Independent Financial Advisers firm providing holistic financial planning services to individuals and businesses across Essex. Rather than a unified software platform, the firm offers a portfolio of advisory services organized around key life events and financial needs. Core service areas include investment and wealth management, retirement and pension planning (encompassing SIPP, annuities, and income drawdown), inheritance tax mitigation, later-life planning (equity release and care fees), financial protection (life insurance, critical illness, income protection), business protection (keyman and share protection), and business exit planning. The firm employs qualified financial planning managers and paraplanners who provide ongoing advisory relationships rather than transactional services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pension Planning and Retirement Solutions
• Investment Solutions
• Inheritance Tax Planning
• Equity Release
• Long Term Care Fees Planning
• Life Insurance and Financial Protection
• Keyman Protection
• Planning for Business Exit
• Trust Advisory Services
• Annuity Products
• Maintenance Payment Protection

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Birkett Long Solicitors LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirkett Long IFA operates as a separate LLP but works closely with Birkett Long Solicitors LLP for legal services including Wills, Trusts and Probate. They share office locations and cross-refer clients for integrated financial and legal advice. Nicola Ward notes they 'work closely with the solicitors at Birkett Long LLP' for inheritance tax planning.
• Knights Group Holdings plccoreOthersBirkett Long IFA LLP is part of Knights Group Holdings plc along with Birkett Long Solicitors. The Privacy Policy references 'The Knights Group' including Birkett Long IFA and its current and future subsidiaries and affiliates.
• Colchester Travel Plan ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirkett Long works in partnership with the Colchester Travel Plan Club to encourage sustainable travel options for clients, suppliers and staff as an alternative to driving, supporting their commitment to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
• Farleigh HospiceminorOthersCharity supported through fundraising, offering legal services and donating staff time. Birkett Long committed to working with Farleigh Hospice and others in and around Chelmsford.
• Outhouse EastminorOthersCharity supported through fundraising and staff time donations in Essex region.
• St Helena HospiceminorOthersColchester-based hospice charity supported through fundraising and donations. Part of Birkett Long's commitment to local charities in the Colchester area.
• The Rob George FoundationminorOthersCharity supported through fundraising and donations in the Colchester area.
• St Luke's HospiceminorOthersBasildon-based hospice charity supported through fundraising and donations. Birkett Long committed to working with St Luke's Hospice and others in and around Basildon.
• Basildon Athletics ClubminorOthersLocal athletics club supported through fundraising and donations in the Basildon area.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wren Sterling Financial Planning: UK national IFA consolidator built by acquiring and integrating small-to-mid independent financial advisers. Directly comparable as a UK IFA offering holistic financial planning to individuals and business owners, with a similar whole-of-market, fee-based model.
• Progeny Group: UK financial planning firm offering independent advice on investments, pensions, protection, tax and estate planning to individuals and business owners. Directly comparable in holistic, fee-based, whole-of-market advisory model, though operating nationally and with broader legal/wealth integration.
• Fairstone Financial Management: UK IFA consolidator that acquires and integrates independent financial advisers across the regions. Directly comparable in business model and client offering — whole-of-market independent advice on pensions, investments, protection and inheritance tax for individuals and business owners.
• Lighthouse Group: UK IFA and adviser support business combining directly employed advisers with a network of appointed representatives. Comparable as a UK IFA providing whole-of-market financial advice to individuals and small business owners, with similar fee-based revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Sanlam UK: UK wealth and advice business with a network of directly employed IFAs and acquired adviser firms. Comparable as a UK IFA offering holistic financial planning to individuals and business owners, though operating nationally and backed by a South African-listed parent.
• St. James's Place: The UK's largest wealth management group, distributing advice through a large network of partner advisers. Directly comparable as a UK IFA-style advice business serving individuals with holistic financial planning, but at vastly greater scale and with a proprietary product range rather than whole-of-market access.
• Hargreaves Lansdown: UK retail investment platform and (newly launched) financial advice service. Comparable in serving UK individuals with investment and pension needs, though primarily a self-directed platform rather than a relationship-led IFA.
• Quilter: Major UK wealth manager and advice business with an IFA intermediary platform and direct financial planning arm. Comparable as a UK advice provider serving individuals on investments, pensions and protection, though operating at significantly larger scale across multiple channels.
• Rathbones Group: UK wealth manager offering discretionary investment management and financial planning advice to individuals, families and trusts. Comparable in delivering independent-style advisory relationships across investments, inheritance tax and retirement planning, but at materially greater AUM and geographic scale.
• Tilney Investment Management (Evelyn Partners): Large UK wealth manager and IFA following the merger of Tilney and Smith & Williamson. Provides comparable financial planning, investment management and inheritance tax services to individuals and business owners across the UK, but with national reach and significantly larger headcount.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birkett-long-llp

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 BIRKETT LONG LLP