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Are you Regulated?
Yes we are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, our FCA number is 952823
Are you Independent?
Yes, we are proud to offer Independent Advice, this means we offer you impartial, objective advice on financial products and services. We carry out research across the whole of a particular market to find the most suitable solution to suit you personally. We are not biased or tied towards any particular financial company or products, and we don’t base our recommendations on fees paid by other companies. If you get your advice from an independent financial adviser or financial planner, you can feel confident they are working solely for the benefit of you, and no-one else.
How does restricted advice compare?
Being ‘restricted’ means an adviser can only recommend products from a limited selection or product range, not from the whole of the market. Here’s an example that highlights the difference from a client’s perspective.
You arrange to meet a financial adviser to set up a personal pension. An independent financial adviser will research every relevant pension available within the UK market to find the one that they believe is best suited to your needs. They will then make a recommendation and provide you with the reasons that justify their decision.
With a restricted financial adviser, however, the recommendation process is different. The adviser might tell you that they are only able to suggest a pension from one pension provider, or from a select panel of a handful of different pensions. Your options could be drastically reduced, because they won’t have access to the widest choice of products available.
How do you charge me and what will it cost?
We offer an initial consultation free of charge and with no obligation, by the end of that exploration meeting we will be in a position to know what advice would be beneficial to you and will provide you with a detailed summary along with a personalised illustration of the costs of that work. Currently we do not charge VAT for our advice.
For Protection Insurance – such as life assurance, critical illness and income protection for example we do not charge a fee and we are paid instead via commission. This does not mean the advice is free, but the charges are bundled into the product.
No chargeable work will be carried out until explicitly agreed with you that you wish to proceed
How will you treat my personal information?
We are very aware that you share with us your most personal information, and we treat this with the upmost respect. Please see our privacy policy.
Are You a Member of any Professional Bodies?
We are proud to be a member of the Personal Finance Society, as members of this body we maintain professional standards as outlined in the PFS Code of Ethics. The code sets down the principles which all members follow in the course of their professional duties.
Therefore we:
Comply with the code and all relevant laws and regulations
Act with the highest ethical standards and integrity
Act in the best interests of each client
Provide a high standard of service
Treat people fairly regardless of age, disability, gender, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion and belief, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
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Who do I complain to if I'm not happy ?
If you wish to make a complaint, please contact Gem Durham;
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Email: gem@whitebeamfinancial.co.uk
Telephone: 0121 444 4210
In writing: Gem Durham, Whitebeam Independent Financial Advice Limited, Grosvenor House, 11 St Paul’s Square, Birmingham. B1 1RB
A summary of our complaints handling procedure for the reasonable and prompt handling of complaints is available on request, and if you cannot settle your complaint with us, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk or by contacting them on 0800 023 4 567