Advice 2026

AI is reshaping financial advice

Adoption is accelerating. Capacity is rising. Agentic AI is moving onto the horizon. Explore the findings from almost 700 UK advice professionals.

Headline changes

Clients served per adviser 2025 118 2026 134
Actively using AI 2025 28% 2026 41%
Data as operationally essential 2025 47% 2026 58%
Using digital messaging or in-app comms 2025 50% 2026 67%
Using tech to support compliance 2025 62% 2026 70%

Al today, agentic Al tomorrow

41% are actively using AI, with 99% positive on its impact. Agentic AI is emerging as the next wave: workflows working alongside advisers, not in place of them.

Advice capacity is rising

Average clients per adviser has increased from 118 to 134, rising to 142 among the largest firms. Technology is helping firms create the capacity to serve more clients.

Data is business-critical

97% of firms say data is essential or useful, with 99% confident they can access it – though 39% are only fairly confident.

An industry in confident, sustained growth

Advice 2026 builds on the foundation of last year’s inaugural survey, tracking the vital signs of UK financial advice firms across growth, recruitment, regulation, and the future of the profession.

It tells a story of advancement: client numbers are up, firms are hiring, and optimism about the profession has never been higher. We also see AI move into steady use, and technology as a whole take a lead in workflows, bringing the industry another step forward in its technological revolution.

Now in its second year, Advice 2026 not only provides a snapshot of a moment in time but allows us to chart the direction of travel. And the news is good. If Advice 2025 identified a highly positive mood in a thriving industry, this year’s survey finds the same – but more so. More growth, more hiring, even greater optimism about the future.

Ben Goss
Founder and CEO
Dynamic Planner

Looking for last year’s report?

Download Advice 2025 today for a valuable benchmark to track how the industry has evolved over the past twelve months.

Press & Media enquiries

Head of PR – Jo Macklin
07956 575743
press@dynamicplanner.com