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8th October 2021
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sit intergenerational wealth

As we look back on the months passed since the UK first went into lockdown one thing is abundantly clear, financially, the last couple of years have been good for some people. We’re not talking about the billionaires who have seen their shares rocket during lockdown but rather the many, many people who have saved money by not commuting, not buying lunch from the sandwich shop and not going on holiday. Depending on which paper you read, people in the UK have ‘accidently’ saved anywhere between £100bn and £125bn during lockdown. 

At the opposite end of the spectrum, lockdown has been hard for millions of people as businesses have failed, jobs have been lost and they have been forced to rely on their savings. 

In both cases there has been a need for financial planning advice. In recent years it might have been assumed that fewer people would need financial advice as a new money management or savings and investing app came out virtually every other day. 

However, according to a recent report from Prudential, the exact opposite is the case. More than half (53%) of UK adults say that financial problems and changed circumstances over the last 12 months have caused them to seek financial advice. Of this figure, 33% have already sought financial advice, whilst the remaining 20% are planning to do so. 

For most of those responding to the survey the glass was, unfortunately, half-empty, with 85% of people saying they had concerns about the coming months, with the two concerns most frequently highlighted being: ‘having to use savings to make ends meet’ and ‘my investments losing money.’ 

Interestingly, the report revealed that the need for financial advice was felt most among the younger generations - Millennials and Generation Z, exactly the generations we might have assumed would shun traditional advice in favour of apps and online portals. 

Seventy-four percent of Millennials said that they had, or were going to, see a financial adviser, with 58% of Generation Z echoing those sentiments. The key drivers for these generations were ‘avoiding financial difficulties’ and ‘wanting to start [my] investment journey.’ 

“We have seen an increase in the number of first-time investors, particularly in the over-50 age group, with more disposable income or savings,” says Ian Balgarnie, Commercial Director at Ascot Lloyd.

“We have found that the older generation, who’ve already accumulated wealth, now have more options as a result of reduced spending during the pandemic. However, demands from family may have increased and others are reconsidering their future as a result of what’s happened.

“As millennials are increasingly aware of the importance of their savings and being introduced to investing, it is no longer just the mature individual we need to serve. The pandemic has seen people’s attitudes and behaviours change and wealth distribution between generations shift, more rapidly than was anticipated. Advisers that are adapting their client approach and innovating their service are succeeding in building stronger, more robust businesses that give clients assurance and continuity.”

Clearly recent months have been difficult. What they have illustrated is that financial planning advice will always be required and that people, of whatever generation, will always value face-to-face advice (even if that has been face to Zoom advice recently…). 

Our clients can rest assured that whatever happens with the pandemic and however long the restrictions stay in force, our commitment to providing the very best long-term financial planning advice will never waiver.

If you have friends or family who might be considering financial advice for the first time, or indeed if you need support with any aspect of your own financial planning, then we’re here and happy to help. Please contact your Ascot Lloyd Independent Financial Adviser directly or complete the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.

Find out more about how we work with you.

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Ascot Lloyd can help with:

  • Planning for retirement
  • Pensions
  • Inheritance Tax planning
  • Investment planning
  • Mortgages
  • Protection
  • Business financial planning

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This communication/presentation is for information purposes only. Nothing in this communication constitutes financial, professional or investment advice or a personal recommendation. This communication should not be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments in any jurisdiction. No representation or warranty, either expressed or implied, is provided in relation to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information contained herein, nor is it intended to be a complete statement or summary of the securities, markets or developments referred to in the document. Any opinions expressed in this document are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by other business areas or companies within the same group as Ascot Lloyd as a result of using different assumptions and criteria.

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