The FCA’s head of supervision Nick Hulme will lead a Consumer Duty Alliance event this autumn aimed at highlighting the problems faced by smaller advice firms.

“Consumer Duty and the Evolution of Financial Planning” will focus on smaller firms, including proportionality of regulation.

It will be the Consumer Duty Alliance’s first in-person event and takes place on Friday 11 October at the National Motorcycle Museum, near Birmingham.

Smaller firms represent more than 80% of the regulated personal finance sector but often feel under-represented, or engaged, event organisers said. That’s especially the case when it comes to policymakers and regulatory consultations.

Keith Richards, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Smaller advice firms are an important part of the personal finance sector, offering consumers diversity and choice and they often play a key role within local communities.

“Facilitating wider sector engagement with FCA underpins their future strategy and we are delighted that FCA will be delivering a keynote speech, separate breakout sessions and a demonstration of the Retirement Income Advice Assessment Tool (RIAAT).”

The event will be hosted by Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Ruth Sturkey and combine keynote presentations from the FCA’s head of supervision, Nick Hulme, with sessions from subject matter experts, practitioners and interactive panel discussions.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear personally from the regulator, take part in a two-way FCA feedback session, as well as the opportunity to network with hundreds of Financial Planning professionals.

The event will be complimentary to attend for firms of up to 20 people, whether directly authorised or appointed representatives.

The Consumer Duty Alliance launched in March as a not-for-profit, independent professional membership body and is formed of a cross-sector alliance of affiliates. Its purpose is to unite the retail Financial Services sector to inspire greater confidence and trust in financial advice and financial planning by supporting the delivery of consistently good outcomes so firms are seen alongside other professional services as a ‘safe pair of hands’.

The Alliance incorporates the Financial Vulnerability Taskforce, the adoption of a consumer facing Financial Vulnerability Charter, the Retirement Income Taskforce and New Talent Alliance.