What is a facilitated adviser charge?
A facilitated adviser charge is an adviser fee that your pension or investment provider deducts from your pot and pays to the adviser on your instruction, so you never write a cheque for it.
Facilitation changes how the fee is paid, not how much: the firm must still agree the total adviser charge with you and disclose it, in pounds where practicable (FCA Handbook, COBS 6.1A.24R).
How it works
You sign an instruction allowing the provider or platform to pay the adviser from your money. The initial charge is usually taken when the money goes in; an ongoing charge is taken in instalments, often monthly, as a percentage of the value at the time.
Facilitation is a payment route, not a different price. The charge is still yours and the firm must still disclose it to you in pounds.
What to watch for
- It is easy to stop noticing. A fee you never pay directly is a fee you can forget. Look for it on your platform statement and on the annual costs and charges statement.
- It reduces the money invested. Pounds taken from a pension stop earning growth inside it.
- It can continue after a service stops. If you cancel the service, check the provider has stopped the payments too.
Paying directly instead
Some firms let you pay from your own account instead. Whether that is better depends on your circumstances, including tax: a charge taken from a pension is paid from money that has already received tax relief. That is a question for the firm and, if needed, a tax adviser. We do not suggest either route.
Related definitions
- Adviser charge
- Ongoing adviser charge
- Platform fee
- Costs and charges statement
- Paying adviser fees from your pension or ISA
Sources
- FCA Handbook, COBS 6.1A — Adviser charging and remuneration
- FCA, Retail intermediary market data 2025 (published 23 July 2026)
General information only, not regulated financial advice or a personal recommendation. FinancialAdvisor.co.uk is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Figures are labelled with their source and date; they describe the market, not any firm, and are not quotes. Spotted an error? Report it and we will correct it.