Disclaimer: Our website and publications aim to give you general information to help you make financial decisions. It is not advice, nor can it take account of your own particular circumstances. Our helpline can answer general enquiries about financial products and services on 0300 500 5000, and give you information and pointers to help you work out what’s right for you. For advice with a view to making decisions about your own circumstances you should consult a financial or other professional adviser.

© The Financial Services Authority.

Getting information and advice

If you need help sorting out your finances you could talk to an adviser.

Types of adviser

A financial adviser can help you to sort out your financial needs and recommend products and services to meet them.

  • You do not have to buy any financial products to use a financial adviser.
  • Different advisers have different areas of expertise and they are not all specialists in every area. Depending on the areas they cover, they may need to be authorised by the FSA.
  • Some will recommend products from the whole market – others may only recommend products from a limited range or from a single company.
  • Some will charge you directly for their services – whether you buy any products through them or not. Others will be paid by the companies whose products they recommend – so what they earn will depend to some extent on what products you buy, if any.

Individual financial firms, such as banks and building societies, will be able to offer you some financial advice – but remember they want you to buy their products.

Some solicitors and accountants may also be able to offer some limited financial advice, usually in connection with other work they are doing for you.

Advice agencies, such as Citizens Advice Bureaux and debt counselling agencies, offer advice on money matters. Their services are usually free. But they concentrate on helping people with serious problems, such as debt, rather than giving more general money advice.

Things to think about

With any adviser, you should find out:

  • What kind of advice do they offer?
  • What qualifies them to give that advice?
  • Are they authorised by the FSA or do they have some other kind of accreditation?
  • Will they charge you for the advice? If so, how much will they charge? If not, how are they paid?

Other sources of information

You can also get information on money matters from:

  • the Financial Services Authority;
  • government departments;
  • trade associations;
  • other websites;
  • libraries; and
  • newspapers and magazines.

Contact numbers and internet links