Money guides
Plain-English explanations of how financial advice and the big money decisions work in the UK. Every guide is educational: we explain how things work and what questions to ask — we never tell you which product to buy.
The advice system itself
How financial advice works in the UK
Advice vs guidance, what regulation actually protects you from, and when paying for advice tends to be worth it.
Read → CornerstoneHow to find an adviser you can trust
Where to look, how to use the FCA Register, independent vs restricted, and how to run a first meeting.
Read → CornerstoneWhat financial advice costs
Fixed fees, hourly rates and percentage-of-assets charging — and what each model really costs over a decade.
Read →Money decisions, explained
Pensions explained
Workplace, personal and State Pensions, how tax relief works, and the decisions that matter most at each age.
Read → SavingISAs explained
Cash, Stocks & Shares, Lifetime and Junior ISAs — how the allowance works and how the types differ.
Read → InvestingInvesting basics
Risk and return, diversification, fees and time horizons — the concepts every first-time investor should understand.
Read → PropertyMortgages explained
Repayment vs interest-only, fixes and trackers, loan-to-value, and what lenders actually assess.
Read → ProtectionProtection insurance explained
Life cover, income protection and critical illness — what each does, and the order most planners think about them.
Read →Reminder: these guides are general education, not regulated advice or personal recommendations. Rules, allowances and tax treatment change and depend on individual circumstances. For advice tailored to you, consult an FCA-authorised adviser — see our adviser-vetting toolkit.