Adviser numbers barely above 20,000, finds APFA

Carmen Reichman
clock

Financial adviser numbers are continuing to decline and this must be reflected in lower regulatory fees for those who remain, the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) has said.

Based on individuals holding the CF30 function who had a primary category "financial adviser" under Financial Services Authority stipulations, APFA said there were 20,453 individuals operating as of 31 December 2012. APFA said the figures provided an update on a report it published in March, which found adviser numbers dropped from 26,339 at the end of 2010 to 23,865 by the end of 2011. Between 31 December 2010 and 31 December 2012, the total number of financial advisers across the market with investment permissions fell from 44,556 to 31,132. APFA said the latest figure comprises ...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

The capacity trap: Why advice firms can't hire their way out of the admin crisis

The capacity trap: Why advice firms can't hire their way out of the admin crisis

'You cannot outrun a broken process by adding more people to it'

Stuart Breyer
clock 10 March 2026 • 3 min read
The enduring value of advice in an era of DIY investing

The enduring value of advice in an era of DIY investing

'The debate is about execution and consistency'

Chris Ball
clock 10 March 2026 • 4 min read
Aberdeen's Kenny on 'hugely worrying' financial literacy gender gap

Aberdeen's Kenny on 'hugely worrying' financial literacy gender gap

Recent research findings

Jen Frost
clock 09 March 2026 • 3 min read