Over four in five (82%) people with a financial adviser believe it represents ‘value for money’, an increase of 10% from 2023, according to the latest Scottish Widows Investor Confidence Barometer.
Nine in 10 (90%) advisers surveyed believed being contactable is important, and almost all (96%) advised clients shared this view.
Additionally, 96% of advised clients considered portfolio performance to be a top priority, indicating that accessibility and performance are equally valued by clients.
Advisers and investors agreed on the significance of tools like cashflow modelling in demonstrating the value of advice.
Younger advisers (88%) particularly valued these tools, while 82% of surveyed advised clients found them important.
Geopolitics emerged as the top concern for advisers, who reported taking fewer risks than in the previous year following a volatile US stock market.
The last Barometer showed that 77% of advisers expected equities to rise over the next 12 months, but that figure dropped to 64% in 2024.
Four in 10 advisers cited geopolitics as the biggest risk to equities, while investors were more concerned about inflation (31%).
Over five years, 89% of advisers expected markets to rise, compared to 63% of advised consumers and 57% of non-advised consumers.
Over 10 years, 91% of advisers expected market growth versus 68% of advised and 57% of non-advised consumers.
Ross Easton, head of platform proposition at Scottish Widows Platform, said: “This survey emphasises the difference that advisers make for their clients, especially when it comes to guiding them through times of market volatility.
“Our Barometer has consistently found that advised clients are more confident than non-advised investors, setting them up to benefit from market corrections and recoveries when others are more cautious.”
Easton added: “It’s also clear from our research that advisers believe that having cutting-edge tools helps them to showcase the value of advice to their clients via coaching on stock market trends and scenarios.
“Over the last year, we’ve integrated a comprehensive stack of tools, including cashflow modelling applications like Voyant and EVPro, to ensure that advisers have a full range of options to help them communicate their advice to clients in a way that’s intuitive and engaging.”
