Non-executive director of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) David Harker has died aged 64 after a short illness.

The majority of advisers have turned clients away in the last year, mainly because they were concerned the advice was too expensive, research from the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) suggested.

Platform technology provider FNZ is rolling out an alternative to traditional suitability tools to its platform and adviser clients, to help them assess consumers' broader understanding of financial services.

Adviser consolidator Succession Group has bought tax planning and investment firm Cassidy Coutts, adding £50m to its funds under management.

Advisers should shy away from clients eager to cash in their pension pots and bear in mind annuities are "still key to the advice process" for pots worth £30,000 to £100,000, said 2plan chief executive Chris Smallwood.

Phoenix Life is reviewing the charges on its Scottish Provident unit-linked funds after refunding a former financial adviser who realised he had been overcharged for years.

Former chief executive of Bestinvest John Spiers has raided his old firm for five senior wealth management staff to build a new discretionary investment proposition aimed at high net worth clients.

The Personal Finance Society (PFS) has launched an online space to share good practice guides with advisers.

Simplified advice propositions should include hurdle questions to prevent certain types of client from entering the system, according to a lawyer turned adviser.

Network Best Practice is to roll out a direct to consumer (D2C) proposition to its advisers allowing them to offer clients access to some self-service options.