Our ultimate guide to investment planning (2024)

Table of Contents
Is now the right time to start planning an investment? Savings Vs Investment: How to get your planning right Understanding the risks of investing Realising your financial goals A word from the team: Cherie-Anne Baxter, Marketing Director Five things to consider before making an investment Types of investment products A breakdown of investment products A word from the team, Greg Harris, Chartered Financial Planner Tax efficiency: What is a tax wrapper? Is ethical investing important to you? A word from the team, Lewis Baxter, Chartered Financial Planner Choosing how to invest your money Investor’s eye view: Meet Cecilia, new to investment planning A final word on investment planning advice Useful investment resources Get started with utilising your investments today Sarah, Brent, London Abigail, Bath Cecilia, Bristol Tristian, Sutton James, Reading Melanie, Weston-super-Mare Charles, Bristol Christobel, Battersea Max, Northampton Eileen, Somerset Raj, Reading Tom, Putney William, Frome Emma, Bristol Susan, Radstock John H, Bristol Vikash, Hertfordshire Jeremy, Bristol Jonathan, Bristol Susan, Radstock John, Bristol Claire, Bristol Jon, Bristol Ashley, Somerset Poonam, London Becci, Bristol Melanie, Frome Alun, Bristol Jack, Gloucester Paul, Portishead Claire, Portishead Tabitha, Swindon Nick, Bristol Joe, Bristol Martyn, Bath Rachel, Bristol Natalie, Bristol Jamie, Bristol Sandra, Bath Nathan, Southampton Joseph, Bristol Jack, Southampton Yvonne, Plymouth Dan, Devon Callum, Exeter Dan, Bristol Jules, Bristol Stephen, Bristol Ashley, Southampton Farah, Bristol Matthew, Wiltshire Paul, Hampshire Rosie, Berkshire Enyioma, Bristol Charlotte, Bristol Sherona, Wales Cecilia, Bristol Lisa, Bristol Claire, Bristol Veronique, Bristol Paul, Wiltshire Rosie, Bristol Kizzie, London Jim, Swindon Jack, Bristol Dean, Bristol Aaron, London
Sign up

Our ultimate guide to investment planning (3)

Unsure if investing is for you? Perhaps you're already a DIY investor? From audits and planning through to zeroing in on your perfect investment package, our ultimate investment planning guide offers advice from experts and actionable tips that will help you make a success of investing your money.

Is now the right time to start planning an investment?

You don’t need a crystal ball to know there are tough times ahead due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s more important now than ever to take care of your finances and plan for your future. Your financial situation is unique to you and so you need to be sure that any investment you make is tailored to your circ*mstances and taking you in the right direction. Our ultimate guide to investment planning will give you all the information you need to make an informed decision on the most important areas of investment strategy. In this guide, we will cover the following:

1. Savings Vs Investment. How to get your planning right

2. Understanding the risks of investing

3. Things to consider before making an investment

4. Types of investment products

5. A word on tax efficiency

6. Is ethical investing important to you?

7. Choosing how to invest your money

Savings Vs Investment: How to get your planning right

Personal savings and investing for the future are two different things, and it’s important not to get them mixed up. This guide is all about investing. So, when starting your plan, how do you tell the difference between saving and investing? Saving is all about putting money aside for the future. Maybe a car or a holiday. A good savings plan will be both tax-efficient and carry very little risk. Investing is more about making money from money. It usually means buying an investment such as stocks, mutual funds or property. An investment carries an element of risk, from low to high, but with that risk comes the potential of greater return. Often multiple investments are combined into a plan, with each investment having a different level of risk. It is here that the advantages of investments over savings really shine through as the returns can be so much greater.

It’s worth mentioning that a savings account can still be seen as an investment if the sole purpose of the investment is to make money as part of your investment plan, rather than to keep your money safe for a later purchase. This guide will also explore the benefits of seeking financial planning advice versus researching and investing yourself. Do you need investment planning advice? Or can you go it alone?So, if you want to make your money work harder, investments are the way to go. Whether you choose to speak to an investment planning adviser, or try your hand at DIY investing, either way we have to consider that scary word, “risk”. If you’d like a complimentary, no-obligation discussion with one of our investment advisers.

BOOK A CONSULTATION HERE

Understanding the risks of investing

It is important that you have an understanding of the risks of investing before you invest any money. Generally, as the risk level of an investment increases, so does the possible return. Risk is not “bad” or “good”, but more a measure of how you expect investments to perform over time. Based on your aims, you should select a range of investments that are spread along the range of risk that you are comfortable with. The range of what suits you is often called your “risk profile”. It’s key you define this early on, as it will affect the scope and direction of your investments.

PRO TIP: Spread your risk
Just like keeping all your eggs in one basket can lead to disaster, so can keeping all your capital in one investment. Spreading out your investments is known as “diversification” and means it is less likely that all your investments will be negatively affected by a single event. This allows you to spread your investments over a range of risk profiles.

Realising your financial goals

With your aims confirmed, you’ll have a firm idea of what you want to achieve from your investment, which is an important first step.Some of the most common personal financial goals that investors aspire to are:

  • GROWING YOUR MONEY: Keeping funds in a current account leads to a loss in capital value because of low-interest rates compared to inflation. You want to make sure that your capital increases in value over time.
  • SAVE FOR RETIRMENT:Nobody wants to be stressing about having enough money after retirement. Planning for your financial freedom in later years is a common aim for investors. Normally this takes the form of a pension.
  • SUPPORTING LOVED ONES:Perhaps you want to save for your children, to make sure they have enough money to leave university debt-free or can afford the deposit on their first house.
  • PLAN FOR A SPECIFIC FINANCIAL GOAL:Making sure you’ve got the capital to pay off a mortgage, or are able to afford a holiday home within a defined time period.

Having a clear idea of where you want to be financially is a great starting point for investments.

A word from the team: Cherie-Anne Baxter, Marketing Director

“I have now got into a good habit of reviewing my finances annually, but it’s easy to overlook. Even though I’m very involved in the investment industry I had several surprises! Changes to my personal circ*mstances and the wider economy made me adjust my thinking on how I should organise my own money. You can review your own finances, as it will highlight areas where you could make improvements in your finances from a savings and investments perspective. However, I just don’t have the time or knowledge to do it properly and there is a danger you can have emotional bias if there is no one looking at things objectively.”

Five things to consider before making an investment

Investments aren’t for everyone, and it’s crucial to make sure you don’t jump in with both feet and end up with something unsuitable. Taking stock of a few key factors will help ensure that you don’t later regret an investment you’ve made.

1. Think about your current financial situation

It’s best to sit down and do a full financial review before even looking at the types of investment available. It might sound a bit dull, but having a clear view of your personal finances will offer you much more peace of mind in the long-run. How much are you earning now? Will that change in the near future? Do you have any savings, and how are they performing? What debt do you have, and at what interest rates? Do you own or rent? If you have a mortgage, what type of mortgage product is it? These types of questions will help inform you about what type of investments you could and should consider.

2. Think about your own personal strengths and weaknesses

A bit of soul-searching about the type of person you are can also help you meet your investment goals. If you’re a ‘hands-off’ kind of person, then do you really want to manage your own portfolio? If you get easily stressed or anxious about money, you might want a second pair of eyes on your investments. Do you enjoy getting into the nitty-gritty of facts and figures or does fine detail bore you to tears? Now is the time to think about if you want to do your own investing, or get a helping hand.

3. Start to consider your risk profile

Remember we mentioned risk in the introduction? Well now is the time to get to the bottom of how you feel about it. If the idea of risk scares you silly, then you need to be upfront about that. Perhaps your investment aims require a particular level of risk to achieve the returns you are looking for? With investments, there is no such thing as a ‘sure-fire’ winner so you’ll need to be comfortable with the risk your investments carry and what might happen if their value goes down, not up.

4. The term of your investment

In common with most financial products, like loans, mortgages and life insurance, investments have a planned term. That’s not to say the term can’t be changed during the life of the investment, but it will form a large part of your overall plan. Short-term investments can be easily converted to cash (or yield their return) in less than three years. Examples of short-term investments are high-yield savings accounts, short-term bonds, and money market accounts. Longer-term investments are those over 3 years and include stocks, shares, property and pensions.

5. The ethical considerations that are important to you

We’ll look at ethical investments in more detail later on, but now is the time to think about your ethical position when it comes to investments. Perhaps you have religious beliefs or a cause you feel particularly strongly about. If your investments conflict with these personal ethics, then you might be left wishing you’d planned differently. If you work hard to lower your own carbon footprint, but then find one of your investments is in the oil and gas industry, how would that make you feel?

Types of investment products

Having looked at what an investment is, why you should invest, and the way you want to go about it, we can now look at the types of investments available to you. Listing every type of investment on the market would take quite some time, so we’ve focused on the types that are most commonly included in personal investment portfolios.

  • Stocks
  • Private company shares
  • Investment funds
  • Property
  • Saving products
  • Bonds
  • Pension investments
  • Workplace investment schemes
  • Cryptocurrencies

A breakdown of investment products

Stocks

From day-traders to Wall Street professionals, the process behind stock market trading is the same. Public companies are owned, in whole or in part, by the general public via floated shares. These shares are bought and sold on the stock market, rather than being sold privately. Each country has its own stock market and the rules around stocks are controlled differently. There are various ways to buy and sell shares. In the UK you work with a broker, who does the buying and selling on your behalf. However, newer methods like “direct market access” allow personal investors to place orders directly through licensed brokers.When you trade on the stock market, you’ll normally be charged a fee to buy or sell stocks as a percentage of the trade. These fees can, if not managed correctly, start to rack up alarmingly quickly and eat into any return.Since shares are a small fraction of the value of the company, their value goes up as well as down as the company does well or poorly. While different types of shares all carry different levels of risk, high returns can be made by investing in the stock market in quite short time scales.

Private company shares

Private limited companies are also made up of shares, which if allowed by the owners, can be bought and sold. While most limited companies disallow this, you may reach an agreement with the management of the company to do so. Depending on the company involved the risk will vary considerably. Owning shares doesn’t always mean you have any control over the company, and realising income from your shares may ultimately be out of your control.

Investment funds

When multiple investors club together to buy stocks and bonds, it’s called an investment fund. These are managed by investment managers whose job is to get the best return possible. Funds may focus on a specific investment type, like technology, or be more general. They can also be based on ethical concerns such as environmental protection or animal welfare.The fee structure can be pretty complicated. The investment manager may charge an annual fee, a percentage of the capital you invest, a percentage of the return you make, or some mixture of the three. There might also be entry and exit fees, trading costs, performance fees and advice fees. You’ll need to check before buying. There are multiple types of funds, unit trust, tracker funds and active managed funds. Some funds are nested into bigger funds such as hedge funds. Do be clear about what you’re getting involved with before making an investment. As with any stock market investment, risk will vary.

Property

When you actively invest in property, you buy either a part of, or a whole, property. It might be residential or commercial. You can then either improve the property in some way and try to sell at a profit (also known as ‘flipping’ a property) or try to rent it out for a longer-term investment. This type of investment is normally pretty hands-on and may require you to improve the property at additional cost. The risks here are buying a property that turns out to have some structural or planning issues, or that needs further capital investment to make improvements. The performance of the property and rental markets can also fluctuate. You can seek to invest in property indirectly via Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Property Authorised Investment Funds (PAIFs) or other property investment funds.

Savings products

As we mentioned, a savings product can be considered an investment if it’s planned that way. At the moment, if you put your money in a standard high street bank the interest could be less than inflation, meaning you’ll actually lose money. High yield savings accounts that lock your money away for one, two or three years will offer better rates. The popular ISA saving product is a tax-free way to invest money and can take the form of a cash ISA, stocks and shares ISA, innovative finance ISA or Lifetime ISA. You can have multiple types of ISA concurrently but there will be a maximum tax-free amount you can invest each year.

A word from the team, Greg Harris, Chartered Financial Planner

ISAs are rightly popular, with over 11 million adults setting up ISAs in 2019. With the various choices of ISA available we look at which might suit our client’s investment aims best over time. With so many products on the market, the Unividual investment panel is careful to select only those that are going to work well for our clients.”

Ask Greg which is the best investment for you

Bonds

When you invest in a bond, you are loaning your money to a government or company that needs to raise funds. You’ll invest for a set period of time and get your loan amount back when the bond ‘matures’ (the set time period). During that time you’ll be paid interest, known as ‘coupons’, at an agreed rate.Bonds are either long-term (10+ years) or short-term (1-3 years), and can be guaranteed or not. If it’s not guaranteed, there is a chance you’ll get back less than you originally paid, making a loss on that investment.

Pension investments

When talking about an investment that is designed to provide income after retirement, we call it a pension investment. There are many types of pension, including ones you manage yourself. Pensions by their nature are longer-term and can be made up of multiple types of investments. You can also have more than one.

Workplace investment schemes

This used to mean a workplace pension, but some employers now also offer a variant of the ISA called a Workplace ISA or a Share Incentive Plan (SIP). Each offers the possibility of tax efficiency and so are worth investigating if your current employer offers them.

Cryptocurrencies

It seems you can barely open a newspaper now without some mention of the digital currency market. Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum are examples of these types of investment. They are bought and sold on ‘exchanges’ and make use of digital ‘wallets’ that hold a record of the transactions that take place. These wallets, and the central ledger, are encrypted to high levels, hence the name ‘crypto’ currency. Their lack of government backing means that they are not subject to any central controls, so are very volatile, making large unpredictable swings.

Tax efficiency: What is a tax wrapper?

The importance of making your investments tax-efficient cannot be overstated. Falling foul of a ‘tax trap’ or making an incorrect tax filing can have serious consequences. Making use of the available tax breaks and tax wrappers can help you meet your investment aims within your timeframe. Tax efficiency might be gained from the types of investments you choose (also known as your portfolio diversification) or how and when you pay into those investments.

INVESTMENT GLOSSARY: What is a tax wrapper?
A tax wrapper is a tax break that you can ‘wrap’ around an investment. Examples are ISAs and pensions, but there are loads available. As you’ll read below, making good use of tax efficiencies is really important to effective investments.

Is ethical investing important to you?

Like a business, investments can be measured and rated for their environmental, social and corporate responsibility. Likewise, if you are looking for corporate investments as a business, you can ensure they are in line with your company’s own values about sustainable investing. By being clear about what matters to you, you can invest in ways that benefit humanity, the environment, and your community. Some investments are ethical in general, while others are more specific. Ethical investments are sometimes set as a “shade of green”. Arranged on a scale of light to dark green, investments that keep ethical concerns at the heart of their strategy are coloured dark green. A mid-green colour relates to investments with a specific focus on a few ethical concerns, while light green will be more generalised, only looking to provide ethically minded opportunities when their performance warrants inclusion.

A word from the team, Lewis Baxter, Chartered Financial Planner

“When you are building a financial plan it is important to understand the world of tax so you can make that plan as tax-effective as possible. It’s why the Unividual approach of offering genuinely bespoke plans brings great results. Tax is such a complex issue, full of twists and turns, so it’s an area where our clients really value our expert knowledge and experience.”

Contact our tax specialist Lewis

Ask Lewis about tax-efficient investments

Choosing how to invest your money

When it comes to investing, you can choose a few ways to go about it. There is the do-it yourself method, which we’ve covered in detail here. If you’re confident in what you’re doing, the knowledge you have, the tools you’ve got available and the risks you’re taking, then it is one way forward.The other method is to get professional advice and assistance. This comes in the form of financial advice and may cover the whole of the market, or a restricted set of investment providers and products. You can read more about the benefits of working with a financial adviser here. There are also robo-advisers. These are largely automated internet based systems that use computer algorithms to invest based on criteria you set. While they are efficient and low-cost, they also offer a less tailored approach. For more on this, read our article on the problem of using robo-advisers to manage your financial plan.

Investor’s eye view: Meet Cecilia, new to investment planning

When Cecilia first approached Unividual, she was very new to investment advice and had some house sale proceeds to invest. She booked a free consultation with one of Unividual’s Chartered Financial Planners in Bristol, Simon Jones. The first meeting went well and Simon went on to review Cecilia’s finances, understanding her current situation and what her objectives were, before designing a plan for her moving forward. She explains: “Simon Jones patiently took me through a range of different options for long term financial planning. Being quite new to investments, and working with a financial adviser, I really appreciated his approach. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to either invest or get general advice, whether you are a new or experienced investor. I have now got a portfolio of ethical investments that is being managed, I have just confirmed initial investments so can’t review in terms of financial performance, but feel very happy with the service provided.” The work doesn’t stop there though, Simon will regularly review Sandra’s finances over the years.

Ask Simon about investments

A final word on investment planning advice

Making the most of your money with investments may seem like something ‘other people with more money do’, but in reality it is within the reach of most people. If you have capital that you can invest, even sums of a few thousand pounds can help you meet your investment goals.It can be a big help to talk it over with an expert, just to establish what might be possible. The important thing is that investments are made based on your personal circ*mstances and meet your needs as an investor.

If you’ve found this guide useful, please share it with others. You may still have questions and we can help answer them if you want to get in touch.

Guide Published: 17/12/2020

Past performance is not a guide to future performance and may not be repeated. Investment involves risk. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Because of this, an investor is not certain to make a profit on an investment and may lose money. Exchange rates may cause the value of overseas investments to rise or fall.

Useful investment resources

If you still have questions on how best to plan your investments please get in touch. Or you can find more in-depth information from the list of trusted resources below. Upon clicking these links Unividual is no longer responsible for the content as they are external sites.

The Financial Conduct Authority do not regulate tax planning.

Get started with utilising your investments today

    Return to Free financial planning guides

    Our ultimate guide to investment planning (4)

    • Sarah, Brent, London

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (5) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (6) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (7) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (8) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (9)

      7th July 2023: Unividual have been brilliant, they have sorted out my pension and mortgage and I feel so more comfortable with my finances going forward. Can’t recommend them enough.

      7th July 2023: Unividual have been brilliant, they have sorted out my pension and mortgage and I feel so more comfortable with my finances going forward. Can’t recommend them enough.

      View our testimonials

    • Abigail, Bath

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (10) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (11) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (12) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (13) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (14)

      10th May 2023: We engaged with Unividual in 2020, and haven’t looked back. We had had the fortune of seeing our start up bloom faster than anticipated and with its success the questions of...

      10th May 2023: We engaged with Unividual in 2020, and haven’t looked back. We had had the fortune of seeing our start up bloom faster than anticipated and with its success the questions of how we wisely responded to the financial gains was heavy. We felt out of our depth with how to steward our personal and company finances, it was overwhelming and intimidating. In a world where financial advisers and accountants had left us feeling small, immature and inadequate, Unividual were encouraging, compassionate and diligent. The Unividual team never left us feeling intimidated and took the time to explain in layman’s terms all of our options. I have never felt unable to ask a question or left with anything other than a resolved understanding of our options.Unividual have relentlessly stuck to their brand values and really got to know us, our company and family as a unique profile of demands and risks. They have helped us articulate the needs and demands of both our personal finances and...

      View our testimonials

    • Cecilia, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (15) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (16) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (17) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (18) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (19)

      15 June 2023: I have been working with Simon Jones for around 18 months. Me and my partner hadn’t used a financial advisor before so we were a little unsure initially but Simon was friendly...

      15 June 2023: I have been working with Simon Jones for around 18 months. Me and my partner hadn’t used a financial advisor before so we were a little unsure initially but Simon was friendly, clear and transparent throughout the whole process. He undertook a thorough analysis of that I was looking to achieve and my personal circ*mstances. The whole experience has been positive, I feel much more confident about having put in place a long-term financial plan, and I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Simon and Unividual.

      View our testimonials

    • Tristian, Sutton

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (20) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (21) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (22) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (23) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (24)

      27 January 2023: We have been with Unividual for many years after getting a recommendation from a friend. Lewis Baxter is our financial advisor and we could not be happier with the service he...

      27 January 2023: We have been with Unividual for many years after getting a recommendation from a friend. Lewis Baxter is our financial advisor and we could not be happier with the service he gives us. He has helped in all aspects of our finances and is extremely knowledgeable and up to date on the ever changing rules and legal requirements of the financial world. Lewis is always very personable and reliable whenever we request or hold a meeting and answers all questions in ‘layman’s terms’ so we completely understand every aspect. We have recommended Lewis and Unividual to lots of friends who have been equally impressed with the service they have received.

      View our testimonials

    • James, Reading

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (25) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (26) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (27) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (28) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (29)

      26th January 2023: I can’t recommend Lewis and Alex, and the team from Unividual highly enough. They have helped me with my retirement planning, life and health cover. Nothing is ever too...

      26th January 2023: I can’t recommend Lewis and Alex, and the team from Unividual highly enough. They have helped me with my retirement planning, life and health cover. Nothing is ever too much trouble and Lewis and the team are always on hand to help. They are extremely good at explaining the minefield of financial jargon and making sense of what, I for one, found a confusing and complex area to understand and helping me make what could be considered difficult decisions easy. If you are looking for a financial planner, look no further. I have recommended Lewis and Unividual to a number of friends who have all taken their advice.

      View our testimonials

    • Melanie, Weston-super-Mare

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (30) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (31) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (32) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (33) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (34)

      26 January 2023: We have worked with Lewis and his team at Unividual for many years now, both with business and personal finances. The service is first rate on every level. The whole team always...

      26 January 2023: We have worked with Lewis and his team at Unividual for many years now, both with business and personal finances. The service is first rate on every level. The whole team always work really hard to get info across, chase updates and keep you informed at every stage. Lewis has taken the time to get to know how we like to work and the type of investment we feel comfortable with and that works best for us. So pleased to have Unividual looking after us.

      View our testimonials

    • Charles, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (35) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (36) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (37) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (38) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (39)

      8 February 2023: I have not used a financial adviser for a long time and have to say my previous experience has been less than favourable. My wife contacted Simon, a financial adviser in Bristol...

      8 February 2023: I have not used a financial adviser for a long time and have to say my previous experience has been less than favourable. My wife contacted Simon, a financial adviser in Bristol, to discuss, amongst other things, a final salary pension. I was happy for the two of them to get on with it, but Simon suggested that as we viewed our finances jointly, I should be part of the conversation. I had some cash saved in an ISA that I had held for a number of years. In light of inflation rising to levels unseen for decades, I asked Simon if he had any suggestions what I could do with my cash to reduce the impact of inflation. After spending time understanding my view on risk he asked if I had any specific ethical or social views that might impact on investments. My wife and I are massive animal lovers and were I to make any investment it was important to me that animal welfare was high on the agenda. Simon was able to recommend a socially responsible fund that targets a return in excess...

      View our testimonials

    • Christobel, Battersea

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (40) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (41) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (42) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (43) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (44)

      17 February 2023: Lewis Baxter and the financial advice team in London Paddington are fabulous – they’ve taken the time to help me understand how best to invest and the right time to...

      17 February 2023: Lewis Baxter and the financial advice team in London Paddington are fabulous – they’ve taken the time to help me understand how best to invest and the right time to do so and they’re always available to answer any questions. I was introduced through a friend and I would definitely recommend.

      View our testimonials

    • Max, Northampton

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (45) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (46) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (47) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (48) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (49)

      14 April 2023: I recently started a business relationship with Unividual and primarily my chartered London financial advisor Alex Caswell. I can thoroughly recommend him and the company. I am...

      14 April 2023: I recently started a business relationship with Unividual and primarily my chartered London financial advisor Alex Caswell. I can thoroughly recommend him and the company. I am a new investor and he has made the process incredibly easy and enjoyable, spent many hours researching and discussing options with me and he is always available. Would certainly recommend to friends and family.

      View our testimonials

    • Eileen, Somerset

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (50) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (51) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (52) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (53) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (54)

      19 January 2023: Simon Jones at Unividual is very patient and considerate. At a very difficult time for us, he took time to ask, listen & investigate in order to really help us understand...

      19 January 2023: Simon Jones at Unividual is very patient and considerate. At a very difficult time for us, he took time to ask, listen & investigate in order to really help us understand our priorities and plan for them in the most effective way. I would have no hesitation recommending his services. He is clear, rational, sensible and beyond helpful. And he totally respects our views & ideas, as he has taken the time to understand what makes us tick and our attitude to risk.

      View our testimonials

    • Raj, Reading

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (55) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (56) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (57) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (58) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (59)

      3rd June 2023: I wanted a London based Financial Adviser to put some Private Medical Insurance in place for myself and chose to work with Alex Caswell from Unividual. He’s been great and really...

      3rd June 2023: I wanted a London based Financial Adviser to put some Private Medical Insurance in place for myself and chose to work with Alex Caswell from Unividual. He’s been great and really friendly, researching and talking me through all the options available to me. I’ve now got cover in place and have a great relationship with Alex, no doubt I’ll continue to work alongside him.

      View our testimonials

    • Tom, Putney

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (60) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (61) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (62) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (63) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (64)

      1st June 2023: Excellent experience with Alex Caswell, London financial adviser at Unividual. He was very knowledgeable and clear when it came to explaining different available options and...

      1st June 2023: Excellent experience with Alex Caswell, London financial adviser at Unividual. He was very knowledgeable and clear when it came to explaining different available options and I look forward to continuing to work with him. Would thoroughly recommend.

      View our testimonials

    • William, Frome

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (65) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (66) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (67) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (68) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (69)

      5 February 2023: We used Simon at Unividual, a financial adviser in Bath, to review pension provision. His advice was excellent. I would highly recommend his services.

      5 February 2023: We used Simon at Unividual, a financial adviser in Bath, to review pension provision. His advice was excellent. I would highly recommend his services.

      View our testimonials

    • Emma, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (70) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (71) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (72) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (73) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (74)

      6th February 2023: Simon Jones has helped myself and my husband more than I could imagine. We are currently re-mortgaging, Simon has helped us make better financial decisions towards our future...

      6th February 2023: Simon Jones has helped myself and my husband more than I could imagine. We are currently re-mortgaging, Simon has helped us make better financial decisions towards our future and was able to explain everything every step of the way, making us feel confident in our decisions and educating us to make better informed decisions in the future. Professional, friendly, expert advise, would not hesitate to recommend to any of my friends and family.

      View our testimonials

    • Susan, Radstock

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (75) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (76) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (77) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (78) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (79)

      29th September 2022: For the attention of Simon jones, regarding his high standards. He was so helpful and was amazing at making me understand everything he was explaining to us regarding our...

      29th September 2022: For the attention of Simon jones, regarding his high standards. He was so helpful and was amazing at making me understand everything he was explaining to us regarding our finances. He was very efficient, well mannered and very explanatory. He made it all very easy to understand and I would like to thank him personally.

      View our testimonials

    • John H, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (80) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (81) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (82) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (83) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (84)

      29 September 2022: Simon Jones is exceptional to work with, constantly going that extra mile. His professional, calm, friendly manner along with his financial expertise and guidance has instilled...

      29 September 2022: Simon Jones is exceptional to work with, constantly going that extra mile. His professional, calm, friendly manner along with his financial expertise and guidance has instilled client confidence, my trust and peace of mind in a complex and sometimes bewildering financial market. Thank you Simon.

      View our testimonials

    • Vikash, Hertfordshire

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (85) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (86) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (87) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (88) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (89)

      27 September 2021: Working in finance I have little time to plan my own finances. What Simon has done for me and my family has ensured our current situation, and our futures, are secured and...

      27 September 2021: Working in finance I have little time to plan my own finances. What Simon has done for me and my family has ensured our current situation, and our futures, are secured and protected. This has meant I can concentrate on my own work knowing everything is in good hands. Simon has helped us with our Wills, mortgage, life and critical illness insurance, pensions, investments and estate planning. We chat and meet regularly to discuss our ever changing needs and he’s always available and ready to help. Highly recommend him as a very experienced and knowledgeable Financial Adviser

      View our testimonials

    • Jeremy, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (90) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (91) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (92) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (93) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (94)

      13 September 2021: My wife and I have been working with Simon Jones for just under two years and are very pleased with the service he has provided. During our time working with Simon he has provided...

      13 September 2021: My wife and I have been working with Simon Jones for just under two years and are very pleased with the service he has provided. During our time working with Simon he has provided us with the peace of mind of knowing that should anything happen to me or my wife then our family is protected, helped us ensure that we are getting the best mortgage interest rate and started a plan for a financially secure future. I like to think I am pretty clued up when it comes to investments but with a busy job and a young family it’s not always easy to find the time to do the research required. Simon has taken over the management of our personal pensions and the savings for our two sons. This not only frees up my time but given his technical knowledge means that they are in safe hands. Following a recent annual review we have been very pleased with the results, particularly given the global events of the past 18 months. Thank you Simon

      View our testimonials

    • Jonathan, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (95) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (96) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (97) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (98) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (99)

      11 September 2021: We dealt with Simon Jones of Bristol pension advisers Unividual to look at all of our finances, investments, pensions and insurances. He was extremely thorough and worked patiently...

      11 September 2021: We dealt with Simon Jones of Bristol pension advisers Unividual to look at all of our finances, investments, pensions and insurances. He was extremely thorough and worked patiently to fully understand everything we needed as well as our future ambitions before reviewing our position and recommending any changes. We did everything piece by piece and he was very impartial, only making recommendations where he felt we could improve. As a result we have saved money on policies and improved our position with regard to pensions and other investments. I would highly recommend Simon to anyone looking to use a financial adviser.

      View our testimonials

    • Susan, Radstock

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (100) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (101) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (102) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (103) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (104)

      10 September 2021: For the attention of Simon jones regarding his high standards. He was so helpful and was amazing at making me understand everything he was explaining to us regarding our finances...

      10 September 2021: For the attention of Simon jones regarding his high standards. He was so helpful and was amazing at making me understand everything he was explaining to us regarding our finances, also from Peter, Simon Jones was very efficient, well mannered. Very explanatory he made it all very understanding and I would like to thank him personally.

      View our testimonials

    • John, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (105) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (106) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (107) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (108) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (109)

      10 September 2021: Simon Jones is exceptional to work with, constantly going that extra mile. His professional, calm, friendly manner along with his financial expertise and guidance has instilled...

      10 September 2021: Simon Jones is exceptional to work with, constantly going that extra mile. His professional, calm, friendly manner along with his financial expertise and guidance has instilled client confidence, my trust and peace of mind in a complex and sometimes bewildering financial market. Thank you Simon.If you would like to know more about what our Bristol financial advisers get up to, we have a blog about them teaming up with a charity that helps parents give money lessons at home.

      View our testimonials

    • Claire, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (110) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (111) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (112) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (113) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (114)

      8th September 2021: I was introduced to Simon Jones after an extremely helpful telephone consultation with Team Leader Ruth Stainer who after discussing my requirements introduced me to Simon...

      8th September 2021: I was introduced to Simon Jones after an extremely helpful telephone consultation with Team Leader Ruth Stainer who after discussing my requirements introduced me to Simon Jones. Simon Jones is the perfect Chartered Financial Planner for me. So impressed with Simon’s expertise and knowledge. Simon is extremely professional and his easy going, friendly manner instantly made me feel comfortable. I am not that knowledgeable in finance and Simon has listened to what my goals are and has taken time to get to know me and from this great professional relationship found me the perfect products. Nothing is too much trouble, always available and Simon has a very upbeat, positive manner and I am so impressed by his professionalism.

      View our testimonials

    • Jon, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (115) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (116) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (117) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (118) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (119)

      7th September 2021: We dealt with Simon Jones of Unividual to look at all of our finances, investments, pensions and insurances. He was extremely thorough and work patiently to fully understand...

      7th September 2021: We dealt with Simon Jones of Unividual to look at all of our finances, investments, pensions and insurances. He was extremely thorough and work patiently to fully understand everything as well as our future ambitions before reviewing our position and recommending any changes. We did everything piece buy piece and he was very impartial, only making recommendations where he felt we could improve. As a result we have saved money on policies and improved our position with regard to pensions and other investments. I would highly recommend Simon to anyone looking to use a financial adviser.

      View our testimonials

    • Ashley, Somerset

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (120) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (121) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (122) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (123) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (124)

      1st September 2021: Thank you Simon Jones for all your hard work sorting through all 12 old pensions I held, to consolidate them all into one. I would highly recommend Simon to anyone looking...

      1st September 2021: Thank you Simon Jones for all your hard work sorting through all 12 old pensions I held, to consolidate them all into one. I would highly recommend Simon to anyone looking for professional advice wanting to set up a pension. Once again thank you.

      View our testimonials

    • Poonam, London

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (125) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (126) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (127) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (128) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (129)

      18th August 2021: Bristol Financial Adviser, Simon Hicks, was recommended to me by a friend and colleague. This has been one of the best decisions I have made, from day one he took the time to...

      18th August 2021: Bristol Financial Adviser, Simon Hicks, was recommended to me by a friend and colleague. This has been one of the best decisions I have made, from day one he took the time to understand my financial position and goals. Simon Hicks is professional, knowledgeable and personable. He is patient, detail orientated, understands what the client wants and will cover a range of options whether its pensions, investments, mortgages. I’ve been introduced to a range of new products and this has created a positive shift in both my financial position and mindset. I am looking forward to continue working with Simon to achieve my financial goals and would definitely recommend his services to others going forward.

      View our testimonials

    • 6 August 2021: Professional in all areas, felt fully informed on all aspects of services being offered and Simon (Jones) had an excellent way of explaining products, risks, benefits and costs.Clearly...

      6 August 2021: Professional in all areas, felt fully informed on all aspects of services being offered and Simon (Jones) had an excellent way of explaining products, risks, benefits and costs.Clearly has an affinity and passion for his job and that comes across in the way he provides advice. Thanks!

      View our testimonials

    • Melanie, Frome

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (135) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (136) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (137) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (138) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (139)

      1 August 2021: Simon Jones has supported me through setting up a pension fund and life assurance. He has the right balance of professionalism and holistic approach to what felt like an area I...

      1 August 2021: Simon Jones has supported me through setting up a pension fund and life assurance. He has the right balance of professionalism and holistic approach to what felt like an area I didn’t want to acknowledge. I am super pleased with what Simon has put in place and feel more relaxed about my future finances and choices. Could not recommend his services more.

      View our testimonials

    • Alun, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (140) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (141) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (142) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (143) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (144)

      8 July 2021: The continued care and professionalism that we receive during regular updates goes beyond my expectations. The detail that Simon ( Jones ) has put into ensure we meet our financial...

      8 July 2021: The continued care and professionalism that we receive during regular updates goes beyond my expectations. The detail that Simon ( Jones ) has put into ensure we meet our financial goals is exemplary.

      View our testimonials

    • Jack, Gloucester

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (145) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (146) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (147) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (148) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (149)

      8 July 2021: I approached Simon Jones after looking for help managing my finances from my career as a professional rugby player. He’s looked after me incredibly well and taken the time to educate...

      8 July 2021: I approached Simon Jones after looking for help managing my finances from my career as a professional rugby player. He’s looked after me incredibly well and taken the time to educate me and keeping me informed so I actually know where my moneys going and what options I have to help me in the future and when I retire from rugby. I feel at peace knowing my finances are in the safe hands of Simon and I would recommend him to anyone.

      View our testimonials

    • Paul, Portishead

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (150) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (151) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (152) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (153) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (154)

      6 July 2021: Simon Jones is very responsive, approachable and thorough in his financial investigations and the resulting advice he provides. He has helped my wife and I sort our pensions, ISAs...

      6 July 2021: Simon Jones is very responsive, approachable and thorough in his financial investigations and the resulting advice he provides. He has helped my wife and I sort our pensions, ISAs, investments and mortgages. He was able to demonstrate how we could afford to release equity from a rental property, fund our house move and realise our dream of owning a motorhome for those getaway weekends. Simon is more than an Independent Financial Advisor. He not only looks at the numbers but also looks to understand our aspirations and how to achieve them. I have worked with other IFAs in the past but Simon outshines them all. I would highly recommend him to anyone wishing to review their financial circ*mstances.

      View our testimonials

    • Claire, Portishead

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (155) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (156) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (157) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (158) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (159)

      4 July 2021: My husband and I went to Simon Jones for a review of our financial position, and for assistance in planning our financial future. Simon is friendly and very thorough. He investigated...

      4 July 2021: My husband and I went to Simon Jones for a review of our financial position, and for assistance in planning our financial future. Simon is friendly and very thorough. He investigated all of our pensions, ISAs and other assets, and advised how we can best utilise them all. He assessed our attitudes to risk and proposed a plan to fit our risk profile. He then put the plan into action and made all the transfers in our behalf. With Simon’s expert help, we have been able to realise our dream of owning a motorhome, and buying an amazing house with 180 degree views across the sea. This has long been a dream, and we weren’t sure that it was possible. As part of the process, Simon arranged our residential mortgage and a let-to-buy on a rental property we own, so that we are paying the best rates possible. I would highly recommend Simon! He has enabled us to live the dream!

      View our testimonials

    • Tabitha, Swindon

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (160) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (161) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (162) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (163) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (164)

      4 July 2021: I highly recommend Unividual. I received excellent service from my advisor Simon who was courteous, professional and very knowledgeable. Simon took the time to explain things thoroughly...

      4 July 2021: I highly recommend Unividual. I received excellent service from my advisor Simon who was courteous, professional and very knowledgeable. Simon took the time to explain things thoroughly and was able to answer all my questions. I was very impressed by the pensions projection spreadsheet and can see it being a very useful tool as we plan for retirement.

      View our testimonials

    • Nick, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (165) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (166) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (167) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (168) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (169)

      3 July 2021: Simon Hicks is always very clear, organized and generous with his time. I make better decisions and have less to worry about with Simon as my financial advisor. I would definitely...

      3 July 2021: Simon Hicks is always very clear, organized and generous with his time. I make better decisions and have less to worry about with Simon as my financial advisor. I would definitely recommend!

      View our testimonials

    • Joe, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (170) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (171) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (172) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (173) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (174)

      2 July 2021: I would like to share the excellent service I received from Simon Hicks at Unividual. He took time to understand my financial position, long term goals and challenges in the near-term...

      ...

      View our testimonials

    • Martyn, Bath

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (175) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (176) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (177) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (178) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (179)

      2 July 2021: Very professional, extremely helpful and more importantly for me life changing. I never realised how important good financial advice is for your health and wellbeing until I had...

      2 July 2021: Very professional, extremely helpful and more importantly for me life changing. I never realised how important good financial advice is for your health and wellbeing until I had the support from Simon Jones at Unividual.

      View our testimonials

    • Rachel, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (180) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (181) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (182) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (183) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (184)

      1 July 2021: Simon Jones made the whole process very easy and explained everything well along the way. I now have a better understanding and feel in control of my finances. I cannot recommend...

      1 July 2021: Simon Jones made the whole process very easy and explained everything well along the way. I now have a better understanding and feel in control of my finances. I cannot recommend him enough!

      View our testimonials

    • Natalie, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (185) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (186) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (187) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (188) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (189)

      1st July 2021: Simon Jones has provided an excellent, professional service and has been approachable and available whenever we needed him. He hasn’t tried to sell us anything that we didn’t...

      1st July 2021: Simon Jones has provided an excellent, professional service and has been approachable and available whenever we needed him. He hasn’t tried to sell us anything that we didn’t need or want and has put a lot of research in to the services he has provided. Would highly recommend.

      View our testimonials

    • Jamie, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (190) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (191) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (192) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (193) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (194)

      30 June 2021: Simon Hicks has been advising me on my pension, investments, life cover and mortgages for 3 years now and I’m always incredibly impressed by his knowledge and professionalism...

      30 June 2021: Simon Hicks has been advising me on my pension, investments, life cover and mortgages for 3 years now and I’m always incredibly impressed by his knowledge and professionalism, as well as his willingness to go above and beyond when explaining any aspect of my investments. A very well earned 5 star review, I’ve not looked back since Simon has started advising me and I couldn’t recommend him highly enough!

      View our testimonials

    • Sandra, Bath

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (195) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (196) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (197) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (198) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (199)

      30th June 2021: We dealt with Simon Jones who was very professional and extremely knowledgeable. He helped us sort out our finances and made it possible for my husband to retire within the next...

      30th June 2021: We dealt with Simon Jones who was very professional and extremely knowledgeable. He helped us sort out our finances and made it possible for my husband to retire within the next year – something we thought wouldn’t be able to happen for probably another 6yrs. He made it all so easy. We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending him again

      View our testimonials

    • Nathan, Southampton

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (200) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (201) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (202) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (203) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (204)

      30 June 2021: Simon H. Excellent professional manner. Very informative with my options for life insurance. Made understanding an area I had little experience of very clear and I felt very confident...

      30 June 2021: Simon H. Excellent professional manner. Very informative with my options for life insurance. Made understanding an area I had little experience of very clear and I felt very confident the option I choose was the correct one. Simon H is always on hand if I have a question and responds very quickly allowing me more time with my family. I would definitely recommend his services.

      View our testimonials

    • Joseph, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (205) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (206) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (207) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (208) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (209)

      29 June 2021: Simon Hicks has transformed my life. He is thorough and earnest. Trust in financial advice is very important to me and I can certainly vouch for Simon Hicks. I am grateful for his...

      29 June 2021: Simon Hicks has transformed my life. He is thorough and earnest. Trust in financial advice is very important to me and I can certainly vouch for Simon Hicks. I am grateful for his services and very excited for our future together.

      View our testimonials

    • Jack, Southampton

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (210) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (211) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (212) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (213) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (214)

      29 June 2021: We were looking for advice for our finances as a whole and were recommended Simon Hicks by a friend. He took care of all of our mortgage and protection needs to begin with, then...

      29 June 2021: We were looking for advice for our finances as a whole and were recommended Simon Hicks by a friend. He took care of all of our mortgage and protection needs to begin with, then when we were ready we moved onto pensions and investments. His knowledge of everything was incredible. We even started talking about our wider family and their needs including estate planning and inheritance tax. He explained to us in the first meeting that he had the highest qualifications you can get in the industry, after hearing him discuss countless topics in depth, I now understand what this means. Terrific adviser and would highly recommend.

      View our testimonials

    • Yvonne, Plymouth

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (215) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (216) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (217) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (218) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (219)

      28th June 2021: We met with Simon Hicks to discuss our retirement plans and to invest some capital we had recently received following the sale of property. His knowledge of the industry, products...

      28th June 2021: We met with Simon Hicks to discuss our retirement plans and to invest some capital we had recently received following the sale of property. His knowledge of the industry, products and finance in general was very impressive. We are also extremely happy with the growth we have received and the tax we saved through investing into some more complex products. Delighted to recommend his services to everyone and anyone.

      View our testimonials

    • Dan, Devon

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (220) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (221) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (222) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (223) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (224)

      27th June 2021: I found a lot of great reviews on Simon Hicks on VouchedFor. After meeting him I was impressed straight away. I only needed a mortgage, but he seemed to know a great deal about...

      27th June 2021: I found a lot of great reviews on Simon Hicks on VouchedFor. After meeting him I was impressed straight away. I only needed a mortgage, but he seemed to know a great deal about pensions, life cover and investments too. He was able to advise on the most suitable mortgage initially, rather than just picking a standard 5 year fixed off the shelf like a mortgage broker would do. Look forward to moving on to the investing side. Have told friends and family about Simon and would always recommend.

      View our testimonials

    • Callum, Exeter

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (225) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (226) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (227) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (228) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (229)

      26th June 2021: I was lucky enough to find Simon Hicks a couple years ago when searching for the best ways to grow my investment portfolio. Simon is also very knowledgeable about a wide range...

      26th June 2021: I was lucky enough to find Simon Hicks a couple years ago when searching for the best ways to grow my investment portfolio. Simon is also very knowledgeable about a wide range of areas I hadn’t even considered. Always professional without being too formal. Would highly recommend Simon’s services for mortgages, protection, pensions and investments. He knows it all inside and out!

      View our testimonials

    • Dan, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (230) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (231) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (232) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (233) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (234)

      25th June 2021: Myself and my partner first met with Simon Hicks early last year, as we were looking to purchase a new home and needed assistance with our mortgage. Simon was extremely professional...

      25th June 2021: Myself and my partner first met with Simon Hicks early last year, as we were looking to purchase a new home and needed assistance with our mortgage. Simon was extremely professional and transparent and a service that was much improved on finding a mortgage on my own last time around! Since then Simon has helped both myself and my partner in making sure our protection levels are all in place, at all times making sure that we understood every step of the way. I look forward to continuing our EIS* conversations in the near future!EIS means Enterprise Investment Scheme

      View our testimonials

    • Jules, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (235) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (236) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (237) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (238) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (239)

      26th June 2021: I contacted Unividual for advice on mortgages and had a meeting with Simon Hicks. While I didn’t end up buying a house, I was really impressed by the company and Simon in...

      26th June 2021: I contacted Unividual for advice on mortgages and had a meeting with Simon Hicks. While I didn’t end up buying a house, I was really impressed by the company and Simon in particular. He knew his stuff and highlighted some financial issues that I hadn’t even thought which should save me a lot of pain in the future. I’m very glad I picked up the phone!

      View our testimonials

    • Stephen, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (240) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (241) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (242) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (243) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (244)

      24 June 2021: Simon Hicks at Unividual is the best financial advisor I have ever had dealings with. I go to him with complex issues and he comes back quickly with well researched, sound, and...

      24 June 2021: Simon Hicks at Unividual is the best financial advisor I have ever had dealings with. I go to him with complex issues and he comes back quickly with well researched, sound, and accurate advice. I have recommended his services to multiple people and have only had positive feedback from them too.

      View our testimonials

    • Ashley, Southampton

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (245) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (246) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (247) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (248) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (249)

      25 June 2021: Simon Hicks made sorting our finances out an absolute breeze. He explained all our options in a way that was easily understandable and made the whole process completely stress free!...

      25 June 2021: Simon Hicks made sorting our finances out an absolute breeze. He explained all our options in a way that was easily understandable and made the whole process completely stress free! We immediately felt that Simon understood our circ*mstances and have full feeling of trust in him and his abilities that you don’t always get. I couldn’t recommend him and Unividual enough!

      View our testimonials

    • Farah, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (250) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (251) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (252) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (253) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (254)

      24th June 2021:Simon Hicks has been such a great help, he’s taken a lot of stress away by explaining my finances to me in a way that I can understand and it’s a huge help to have...

      24th June 2021:Simon Hicks has been such a great help, he’s taken a lot of stress away by explaining my finances to me in a way that I can understand and it’s a huge help to have someone so knowledgeable looking after my money. His manner is always polite and professional, he’s always available to answer any questions I have and responds quickly to any queries. Could not recommend Simon Hicks & Unividual more highly. It’s a very well earned 5 stars from me, I would give more if I could!

      View our testimonials

    • Matthew, Wiltshire

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (255) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (256) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (257) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (258) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (259)

      My previous financial adviser was retiring and I needed someone of equal quality to take over my affairs, I know Scott Gurd personally and I had no hesitation in asking him to look after me...

      My previous financial adviser was retiring and I needed someone of equal quality to take over my affairs, I know Scott Gurd personally and I had no hesitation in asking him to look after me. In the main I was looking at pension advice and investment planning. He reviewed my circ*mstances, discussed my views on investment, risk etc and we had a general discussion around my existing financial portfolio and my plans for the future. Scott then ensured I looked at all the available options open to me.Have I seen the outcome I was hoping for? Yes and more, I have no complaints. Scott is technically very good and he is genuinely interested in getting his clients the best possible outcome. I am now able to retire 4 years earlier than previously planned. If you are looking for a typical salesperson Scott is not your man, most advisers push harder to get you to follow their advice. Scott however, just gave great financial advice

      View our testimonials

    • Paul, Hampshire

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (260) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (261) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (262) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (263) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (264)

      I was looking to sell my existing property and jointly purchase a house with my partner. Scott Gurd visited my house at a time convenient to me and my partner and provided us with comprehensive...

      I was looking to sell my existing property and jointly purchase a house with my partner. Scott Gurd visited my house at a time convenient to me and my partner and provided us with comprehensive information about our options.We are now clear about what to do next and Scott was fantastic.

      View our testimonials

    • Rosie, Berkshire

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (265) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (266) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (267) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (268) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (269)

      I wanted to invest in medium term savings and make sure my pension and mortgage were the best products on the market for me. Scott Gurd helped me by ascertaining my risk level so that I chose...

      I wanted to invest in medium term savings and make sure my pension and mortgage were the best products on the market for me. Scott Gurd helped me by ascertaining my risk level so that I chose the right product portfolio for my savings. I have seen the outcome I was hoping for andScott has done everything I could want for. He’s accessible and incredibly helpful.

      View our testimonials

    • Enyioma, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (270) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (271) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (272) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (273) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (274)

      Simon Jones is both extremely professional and personable. He is a joy to work with and even via online meetings he is easy going and takes time to get to know you in order to fulfil his role...

      Simon Jones is both extremely professional and personable. He is a joy to work with and even via online meetings he is easy going and takes time to get to know you in order to fulfil his role as adviser. He manages to provide accountability without being overbearing and is also clear that I am free to take or leave his advice! His advice has always been spot on. In the short time I have been consulting with him, I have found myself in an improved financial position and have greater clarity when it comes to future financial issues. I would highly recommend him to anyone, whether you are planning on buying a house or just need to get your finances in order so you can make some sound investments.

      View our testimonials

    • Charlotte, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (275) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (276) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (277) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (278) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (279)

      I started looking for a financial adviser after having children and wanting to ensure that we have financial security for our family, now and in the future.Simon gave us clear advice and information...

      I started looking for a financial adviser after having children and wanting to ensure that we have financial security for our family, now and in the future.Simon gave us clear advice and information regarding what services were available and took the time to really understand our situation both personally and financially to help us choose a life insurance policy and make plans for our will.

      View our testimonials

    • Sherona, Wales

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (280) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (281) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (282) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (283) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (284)

      I have been working with Simon Jones for a couple of weeks now and he has been incredibly helpful explaining what options are available with regards to pension planning. The process has been...

      I have been working with Simon Jones for a couple of weeks now and he has been incredibly helpful explaining what options are available with regards to pension planning. The process has been very smooth and our meetings are very relaxed but with clear instruction on what we need to do next and I look forward to continuing to work with Simon going forward.

      View our testimonials

    • Cecilia, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (285) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (286) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (287) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (288) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (289)

      We had house sale proceeds to invest,Simon Jones patiently took me through a range of different options for long term financial planning. Being quite new to investments, and working with a...

      We had house sale proceeds to invest,Simon Jones patiently took me through a range of different options for long term financial planning. Being quite new to investments, and working with a financial adviser, I really appreciated his approach. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to either invest or get general advice, whether you are a new or experienced investor. I have now got a portfolio of ethical investments that is being managed, I have just confirmed initial investments so can’t review in terms of financial performance, but feel very happy with the service provided.

      View our testimonials

    • Lisa, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (290) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (291) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (292) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (293) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (294)

      It would be difficult to improve the level of service that Simon gave during this pandemic. When planning for our retirement, Simon Jones created projections for us and looked at how we were...

      It would be difficult to improve the level of service that Simon gave during this pandemic. When planning for our retirement, Simon Jones created projections for us and looked at how we were managing our pension funds. Simon has exceeded my expectations and I am looking forward to continuing working with him in the future.

      View our testimonials

    • Claire, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (295) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (296) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (297) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (298) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (299)

      We can not recommend Simon Jones and Unividual highly enough. I’m afraid he had an uphill start as we had bad experiences of old school” advisers. He took pains to allay all our fears. We...

      We can not recommend Simon Jones and Unividual highly enough. I’m afraid he had an uphill start as we had bad experiences of old school” advisers. He took pains to allay all our fears. We were fast approaching retirement with little understanding of the benefits and pitfalls of the pensions and products we had in place. After several meetings Simon had a full understanding of our hopes and the products we had. He was able to recommend alternatives that better fulfilled our requirements and overall left us feeling confident about our future which we hadn’t previously. He has also arranged for our wills to be written which had been a “round-to-it” for a very long time. We are in a much better position all round.

      View our testimonials

    • Veronique, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (300) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (301) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (302) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (303) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (304)

      We’ve just breathed a large sigh of relief, having secured our first mortgage thanks to the help of Unividual financial advisor Simon Hicks. Both myself and my partner are unconventional...

      We’ve just breathed a large sigh of relief, having secured our first mortgage thanks to the help of Unividual financial advisor Simon Hicks. Both myself and my partner are unconventional financial cases so in turn were expecting a complicated slog, but Simon’s knowledge and diligence pushed things over the line in record speed and with minimal fuss. We would highly recommend Simon to anyone venturing into the intimidating world of first home buying (as he was recommended to us by friends), he was brilliant.

      View our testimonials

    • Paul, Wiltshire

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (305) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (306) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (307) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (308) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (309)

      I hadn’t heard from my previous financial adviser, from another company, for a few years. I needed to get my finances sorted out before reaching retirement age. Scott advised me as to my options...

      I hadn’t heard from my previous financial adviser, from another company, for a few years. I needed to get my finances sorted out before reaching retirement age. Scott advised me as to my options and showed me comparisons between what I was doing and what I could be doing. He then set me up with what I believe is a much better package with all my finances.I’m very pleased with the return I’m getting from the arranged plans. I know that if I have any issues I can call Scott, or email him at any time and he will get back to me. If I thought Scott could have helped me any better I know I can mention it to him – but I haven’t needed to.

      View our testimonials

    • Rosie, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (310) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (311) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (312) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (313) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (314)

      Simon Hicks at Unividual has made what should be a stressful process extremely easy and straightforward. He is very knowledgeable, yet able to explain complex matters in a jargon-free, easy-to-understand...

      Simon Hicks at Unividual has made what should be a stressful process extremely easy and straightforward. He is very knowledgeable, yet able to explain complex matters in a jargon-free, easy-to-understand way. We could not have asked for a better mortgage advisor; he was very patient with us and made sure that we were always getting the best possible outcome. Always quick to act and respond, even at very short notice. I couldn’t recommend Simon and Unividiual enough. Thank you for everything!

      View our testimonials

    • Kizzie, London

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (315) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (316) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (317) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (318) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (319)

      Thanks so much to Simon at Unividual who made everything so much easier by navigating us through this complex process of getting a mortgage!

      Thanks so much to Simon at Unividual who made everything so much easier by navigating us through this complex process of getting a mortgage!

      View our testimonials

    • Jim, Swindon

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (320) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (321) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (322) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (323) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (324)

      Could I just say how good your staff are in general to deal with. It doesn’t matter who answers the phone it is always handled in a very polite and efficient way, no pre-handling general recorded...

      Could I just say how good your staff are in general to deal with. It doesn’t matter who answers the phone it is always handled in a very polite and efficient way, no pre-handling general recorded messages either. Very refreshing. Your people are extremely efficient with handling of tasks giving me prompt feedback where required without me chasing and being diplomatic when I’ve been mucking things up like shredding documents that I should have been sending back to you!!! All in all a great service, many thanks.

      View our testimonials

    • Jack, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (325) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (326) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (327) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (328) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (329)

      I used Simon Hicks to assist me in finding a mortgage as I looked to move from my flat into a house, moving away from having the mortgage on my own to being jointly held with my partner. I work...

      I used Simon Hicks to assist me in finding a mortgage as I looked to move from my flat into a house, moving away from having the mortgage on my own to being jointly held with my partner. I work in the financial industry but find mortgages daunting hence turning to Simon for help. HE WAS SUPERB. Really clear, patient, attentive, available – finding us a mortgage which suited what we were looking for. Will look to use him for other finances in the future. Thanks Simon.

      View our testimonials

    • Dean, Bristol

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (330) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (331) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (332) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (333) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (334)

      Simon Hicks is a consummate professional, Simon helped me understand financial processes that were unknown to me. He fundamentally helped me achieve buying my dream home and offering sound financial...

      Simon Hicks is a consummate professional, Simon helped me understand financial processes that were unknown to me. He fundamentally helped me achieve buying my dream home and offering sound financial advice at every step.The face to face personalised service made me feel comfortable about each decision I was making, and where I was a little unsure, Simon made sure we covered that topic until I fully understood everything before we moved to the next area of financial planning. I couldn’t recommend Simon any higher – very nice chap too!

      View our testimonials

    • Aaron, London

      Our ultimate guide to investment planning (335) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (336) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (337) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (338) Our ultimate guide to investment planning (339)

      Unividual’s advice and guidance was invaluable in securing a great mortgage deal despite my somewhat complicated personal financial situation. Their advisors are fantastic, professional...

      Unividual’s advice and guidance was invaluable in securing a great mortgage deal despite my somewhat complicated personal financial situation. Their advisors are fantastic, professional and can help with all aspects of your financial planning. Would recommend highly!

      View our testimonials

    Our ultimate guide to investment planning (340)

    Our ultimate guide to investment planning (2024)
    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Gregorio Kreiger

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6425

    Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

    Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Gregorio Kreiger

    Birthday: 1994-12-18

    Address: 89212 Tracey Ramp, Sunside, MT 08453-0951

    Phone: +9014805370218

    Job: Customer Designer

    Hobby: Mountain biking, Orienteering, Hiking, Sewing, Backpacking, Mushroom hunting, Backpacking

    Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.