The Money Advice Service’s adviser directory will allow advisers to detail their specialisms to potential clients in more depth as part of an upgrade to the service.
The Retirement Adviser Directory was opened up for Financial Planners and advisers to join in January and the number registered has reached 6,000.

The aim is to make it easier for consumers to find a regulated financial adviser specialising in retirement planning.

It is designed to complement the Government's Pension Wise guidance service.

Jackie Spencer, pensions and retirement expert for the Money Advice Service said: “The Retirement Adviser Directory has continued to go from strength to strength since launch in April and now includes around 6,000 advisers from around 2,600 organisations. We have also received visits from 18,000 unique users since launch (to the website).

“Our focus for development of the directory is improving functionality to ensure that advisers are able to showcase their services to potential customers in more depth and that search results best meet the customer’s needs.

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“As part of this, advisers will be able to manage their own profile information on the directory and enter contact details for more than one office.

“Customers will also be able to see if firms specialise in; ethical investing, providing services that comply with Sharia law, have access to multilingual advisers or provide disabled access or car parking. We are aiming to complete these updates by the Autumn.”

Advisers must be active in the retirement planning market and have the ability to provide regulated financial advice for either 'at' or 'post' retirement planning to be included in the directory.

Advisers may concentrate on either or both markets, and will need to make the scope of their service clear in their directory entry.

Caroline Rookes, chief executive at the Money Advice Service, said: "As the Government's pension reforms are implemented, it is really important that consumers in every part of the country know where to turn to find a specialist retirement adviser who can help with their individual circumstances at a very crucial time in their lives.”