Newsletter: Raising standards together in a new era of regulation!

We have three more events after the summer and following popular demand, a new southern venue added within easy commute of Oxford, Reading and Windsor. Please see below for more details. 

We also want to thank all those who took the time to share and complete our Women in Personal Finance survey via the Women’s Wealth Alliance (WWA), our newly formed working group. We’ve captured an impressive 540 responses over the past three weeks and we’ll be able to share some initial findings in mid-July. Our aim is to provide the sector with much-needed data around women’s career journeys and ambitions, to help address the enduring gender imbalance that exists in roles such as financial planning and attract more women into a career in personal finance as a whole.

A FOCUS ON DATA

The Consumer Duty Data Forum launched this week, chaired by Chris Davies, CEO of Model Office. Formed of a cross-section of interested parties, and with the particiation of some FCA representatives as observers, it looks to explore key challenges across data identification, access, monitoring and reporting. This is with the aim of helping to inform more streamlined and proportionate reporting requirements, as well as arming our members with practical data processing and reporting strategies into the future. You can read more in this FTAdviser article.

NEW LEVEL FOUR APPRENTICSHIP FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING AND PARAPLANNING

Chair of the New Talent Alliance and the Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group, Tom Hegarty, announced the launch of a newly revised Level 4 Apprenticeship Standard in Financial Planning and Paraplanning, which went live on 26th June. An effective apprenticeship route is a critical part of the broader effort to attract, develop, and retain talent within the financial services sector, while continuing to raise professional standards. This new streamlined approach means all apprentices build a strong common foundation of core knowledge, skills, and behaviours, before progressing through occupation-specific modules. Find out more in this Money Marketing report and via the Skills England website.

UNPACKING OUTCOMES MONITORING

Our recent Consumer Duty Practitioners’ Forum focused on unpacking outcomes monitoring and helping firms convert principles into practice, with three detailed case studies. Forum chair, Michael Lawrence, was joined by James Edmonds (Consultant, Morgan Ash) and Martin Grimwood (Director, FWD Consulting).  It attracted over 400 registrations and you can view the recording here.

REGIONAL CONFERENCES

Our series of unique regional conferences with the FCA gives you a unique opportunity to hear directly from the regulator on key advice areas, get insight from a variety of subject matter experts and practitioners, and network with other financial professionals and our professional partners. Some of the feedback received so far below:

“Good format, great to see FCA engagement combined with so many different topics, very informative.”

“Very good variety of presenters on content. Useful interaction with FCA and extremely knowledgeable speakers.” 

“Great engaging event. Like the mix of panel discussions, case study work and short and long plenary sessions.”

Visit our new events page for the outline agenda, and information on speakers and our event partners. 

• Newcastle on Wed 10 September 2025;
• Marlow, near Reading, on Tues 4 November 2025; and
• Glamorgan on Wed 21 January 2026.

 Keep up to date with all our latest announcements by following us on LinkedIn.

To be recognised as a true profession - raising standards together we evolve!

Very best wishes,

Keith Richards, CEO, Consumer Duty Alliance

Join the Alliance and the FCA at these unique free-to-attend regional conferences dedicated to the dynamics and needs of directly authorised firms and appointed representative firms.

You'll hear first-hand from the FCA as they set the scene for a new era of interactive regulation, proportionality and raising standards together. They'll also share practical examples of 'good practice' and good consumer outcomes in key areas of the advice process.

All the conferences include presentations and interactive sessions from practitioners and sector leaders on a variety of current topics including:

• Developments in AI and its potential in the advice process.
• Why succession planning is crucial for firms of all sizes.
• Demystifying vulnerability and the role of advisers.
• The gender wealth transfer and what it means for advice firms.
  

Spaces are limited to give delegates more opportunity to interact with the speakers.

Secure your seat here.

‍Join our next Technology Forum webinar on Thursday 3 July.

Discussing the technology strategies of "Best of breed vs single supplier," this session is designed for firms wanting to use technology as a core part of their process to demonstrate ongoing advice.

Host, Ian McKenna, will be joined by special guests, Sapna Shapero and Tim Thompson-Rye, for what promises to be an informative session. They will share their practical experience and help you build your understanding of: 

• The arguments for and against having a single integrated solution and a best of breed approach.
• Why, if you cannot find an all-in-one solution, it still makes sense to have as few suppliers as possible.
• In what circumstances do you need to readvise your client base if you change a system.

Secure your place here

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