The number of adviser-centric platforms will fall significantly in the next five years, according to Schroders.

The asset management firm polled 140 advisers at its recent Schroders Adviser Investment Conference.

There are currently 20 adviser-centric platforms in the UK market but 61 per cent of financial advisers believed this number will have fallen to 13 by 2016.

Some 22 per cent believed there would be slightly more, with around 17 platforms in the market in 2016.

However, only three per cent of respondents thought there would be more than 20 platforms on the market.

Robin Stoakley, Schroders’ managing director of UK intermediary, said: “RDR and FATCA could prove that 2013 is the ‘perfect storm’ year for adviser platforms. I’m not at all surprised our conference delegates believe the number of platforms will significantly diminish. Only the most efficient and best capitalised will remain.”

Regarding platform charges, 79 per cent of advisers believed charges will be 15-30 per cent lower than the current rate in three or four years time.

Only seven per cent believed they would be higher than they are currently.

Mr Stoakley said: “We certainly agree that in the new RDR environment, platform changes will decrease and I think 30 per cent is a realistic figure.”