Paraplanners should prepare for a rise in the number of vulnerable clients they work with, Just's Jan Holt has told today's annual CISI / IFP Paraplanning Conference in Leicestershire.

In a keynote address at the start of the conference today she said that an ageing population would mean many more vulnerable clients and they would need special treatment

and support but this market could be an opportunity for Paraplanners and Financial Planning firms.

She said: "25% of all adults experience circumstances that would qualify them as vulnerable. By 2039 there will be 83,000 centenarians and the number of people aged 85+ will grow from 1.5m now to 3.5m in 25 years time."

She said too fee Paraplanners were prepared for the changes and more training was needed on how to work with people who may not be able to make all their decisions themselves.

The FCA's Recent Occasional Paper 8 on Consumer Vulnerability had contained some good pointers to how to work with vulnerable clients but few advisers had read it.

One key area to watch for, she told a packed conference of more than 130 Paraplanners, was clients who became vulnerable as they became older or developed long term illnesses.

She said: "There are many things that could make a client vulnerable and Paraplanners need to ask: 'What could make a client vulnerable.' It could be physical disability, illness, mental health problems of other factors."

Firms should develop a policy and strategy on working with vulnerable clients at different stages and train staff to work with these clients so they had the right tools.

The annual event is taking place in Coventry, with a superhero theme. The event has been billed as the League of Extraordinary Paraplanners, inspired by the movie.

Financial Planning Today is attending the conference and is reporting live.

Conference co-chair Farida Hassanali CFP^TM Chartered MCSI said: "

Conference co-chair Dan Atkinson FPFS APP ACSI, a Chartered Financial Planner, said:"

Cashflow modelling, platform due diligence and a former fighter pilot are on the billing.

Looking forward to @CISI #paraconf this week. A great opportunity to catch up with fellow Paraplanners. pic.twitter.com/C7xYZQbjxK

— Gemma Siddle (@GemmaSiddle) June 12, 2017

The CISI Paraplanner Interest Group has put together the agenda.

Conference co-chair Farida Hassinali CFPTM Chartered MCSI told Financial Planning Today: “The conference will end with someone truly extraordinary.

“Mandy Hickson was one of the first female pilots on the frontline in the Royal Air Force and reminds us that with hard work and self-belief anyone can achieve their ambitions.”

Co-chair Dan Atkinson FPFS APP ACSI, a Chartered Financial Planner, said: “Like many delegates I am really looking forward to hearing from Mandy Hickson the former fighter pilot on the topic of being extraordinary. It will round off the conference well and picks up on our theme. Not every superhero wears a cape and becoming an extraordinary Paraplanner is no mean feat!"

Ms Hassanali, a Paraplanner at UBS and chair of the Paraplanner Professional Interest Group, said: “The main conference incorporates several key topics such as vulnerable clients, ethical investing and sustainable withdrawals throughout the morning with more technical topics being covered in the afternoon stream sessions.

“There will be plenty of take aways for both experienced and more junior Paraplanners alike so we really hope you can join us for what will be a memorable conference packed full of valuable CPD.”