The start of a new year is a natural time to review your finances and plan ahead.
With inflation, rising living costs and continued economic uncertainty, having large sums of cash sitting in savings may feel safe – but it could quietly erode your spending power.
Smart financial planning helps your money work harder, yet millions of adults have never sought regulated independent guidance. Research from St. James’s Place shows 24.6 million people have never accessed financial advice, and the Financial Conduct Authority reports that over half of non-advised savers have never considered investing – often due to fear or lack of knowledge.
If that sounds familiar, 2026 could be the year to start asking questions. A clear plan today can make a meaningful difference tomorrow.
Cash vs. Inflation
Many in the UK are sitting on surplus cash savings when their money could be working harder for them in other ways. The cold truth is that while cash feels safe, inflation slowly eats away at it.
Over the past 30 years (1995-2024), the UK inflation rate has averaged at 2.5%. That means if your money hasn’t grown by at least 2.5% each year, its real value has fallen.
Does cash still have its place? Absolutely. You should be aiming for 3-6 month’s worth of cash savings for essential living expenses in case of emergencies. We’d recommend 6 months, but 3 months is a good starting point if 6 seems like too much.
However, keeping more cash than you need for emergencies probably means the value goes down, unless it’s accruing at a faster rate than inflation. This is one of the most common issues we see with our clients. If you have scope to explore long-term investing, now is a great time to do so.
Building an investment-focussed culture
City UK, the industry-led body representing UK-based financial services, has called on the government to foster a more investment-focussed culture.
UK households have saved £1 trillion in cash since 2020, but only one in four UK adults invests outside their pension – the lowest rate in the G7.
According to the latest FCA data, there are 7 million adults in the UK with £10,000 or more in cash savings who could be missing out on the benefits of investments.
In short, we are being left behind by the US and the EU when it comes to investing.
To its credit, the government has responded by announcing the creation of an industry-led, nationwide retail investment campaign to raise awareness about the value of investing.
The campaign aims to increase awareness of:
- The importance of investing to people’s future financial wellbeing
- The value of investing to the economy we all live in
The government has also introduced money education into the national curriculum for primary school children from September 2028. Financial literacy and money management will be compulsory from Key Stage 1, and lessons will cover practical skills such as budgeting, saving, and understanding interest and mortgages.
It’s encouraging to see steps being taken to address the UK-lag around investing and financial education. But while national campaigns matter, it is your individual financial decisions that make the biggest difference to your money.
Of course, investing won’t be for everyone. Each individual’s circumstances are unique, but if you have too much cash eroding with inflation, then investment opportunities or tax-efficient wrappers like Stocks & Shares ISAs are worth exploring.
This is one of many reasons why regulated financial advice can make a meaningful difference.
A study by the International Longevity Centre (ILC) found that people who took financial advice were, on average, nearly £48,000 better off over a 10-year period compared to those who didn’t – The Value of Financial Advice, International Longevity Centre, 2017
Seeking financial advice
The process for seeking financial advice is not complicated. Our process can be summarised in four stages:
1. Initial call
Expectations: 20 minutes, no cost, no obligation
The initial call is about understanding your current position and what your thinking is around your goals and financial needs, now and in the future. We don’t expect you to have all the answers, just a general gist of your thoughts and feelings. This is also your chance to see if we’re the right fit for you.
2. Discovery
Expectations: 90 minutes, identifying your priorities, relaxed and informal
At the discovery stage, we take a deep dive into your financial picture looking at:
- Your past – Where you’ve been and what’s shaped your financial habits.
- Your present – What’s working, what’s not, and where you stand today.
- Your future – What you want to achieve and how we can get you there.
There are no sales pitches, that’s not our style. The goal at this stage is to get a clear understanding of your situation and what’s important to you.
3. Bridge Meeting
Expectations: 45-60 minutes, highlighting your key advice areas
At this stage, we highlight your key advice areas. You can think of these as the things which matter most for your financial security. It could be planning around your estate, consolidating pensions, inheritance planning, the list goes on. The key advice areas link back to your financial goals and future security needs. We also discuss fees so everything is transparent and nothing is hidden.
4. Advice & recommendations
Expectations: 45-60 minutes, presenting your financial plan
This final session is when we present your personalised financial plan. This will cover:
- Your goals – What you want to achieve.
- Your risk profile – How much risk you’re comfortable with.
- Your options – Clear, practical recommendations for moving forward.
Everything is explained in plain, jargon-free language, making sure you fully understand your choices.
That’s the process from start to finish and we are proud to work with many happy clients. Check out our 5-star reviews on Google to see first-hand what they say about us.
This summarises the process of seeking financial advice, but it doesn’t stop there. Once you’re happy with the plan, we get to work on your behalf. That could mean setting up new financial products, adjusting investments, or consolidating pensions.
We’ll also meet at least once a year to review and adjust things as needed. This is not a one and done process, it’s a partnership working together to secure your financial future.
Take Control of Your Financial Future
Whether you’re just getting started with investing, planning for retirement, or somewhere in between, getting expert guidance could be one of the best financial decisions you ever make.
Get in touch today and take control of your financial future.
📞 Call 01772 956 043
📧 support@foxlifefp.com
🦊 Book your free discovery call
