Standard Life wrap assets reach £25bn but overall UK profit falls
The number of adviser firms using the Standard Life wrap platform increased by 123 to 1,463 last year.
The company, announcing its financial results this morning, reported that platform AUA were up 22% to £25.5bn compared to £20.9bn in 2014, with the highest net sales in the advised platform market. Wrap net inflows increased by 27% to £4.4bn.
The firm said it added over 250,000 new workplace customers during the year, increasing the total to 1.7 million.
Bosses said they were anticipating a “significant increase in demand for financial advice”, as the firm continues building its own financial advice business under the brand 1825 - the year Standard Life was founded.
UK Pensions and Savings assets under administration went up to £132bn – a rise from £128bn while operating profit before tax was £334m – down from £350m.
It received £631m in UK fee based revenue, rising from the 2014 total of £619m.
There was a 14% increase in workplace and retail net inflows to £5.8bn and an 18% increase in drawdown assets, with AUA now £13.6bn, up from £11.5bn.
Paul Matthews, chief executive UK & Europe, Standard Life: “Wrap enjoyed its most successful year to date with net inflows up by 27%. This unprecedented growth has been driven by increasing demand from financial advisers who look to our award-winning platform technology to meet their customers’ needs.
“Drawdown assets were up 18%, benefiting from the introduction of Pension Freedoms, while regular contributions into our workplace pensions continue to grow strongly as businesses look to our Good to Go solution to simplify and expedite the auto enrolment process.”