Who can apply for accreditation?

Lawyers

You must also hold a current practising certificate issued by The Law Society or by The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).

Financial Advisers

You can apply if you:

• Have a valid Statement of Professional Standing (SPS).
• Hold QCF Level 4
• Are able to provide evidence you are qualified to undertake Regulated Activity 11 (Pension Transfer Specialist), whether you are actively registered to or not. The qualifications held must meet ApEx1 competencies.
• Are an independent or restricted financial adviser, in line with SRA guidance, but not tied to just one provider and with the personal authority to advise ‘off panel’ should the case require it.
• Can – and do – work on a non-product related hourly or fixed fee basis; directly invoicing clients for this work.
• Take authority to assume agency and advise personally upon the client’s existing financial products.
• Have undertaken eight hours CPD in family relationship breakdown, separation or divorce related issues in each of the past three years. This can include training from any provider and on any topic that may support your work in family practice.

In considering these entry criteria, we are and remain alert to and mindful of the various business models that regulated Financial Advisers might use, in terms of the scope of advice and charging structures.

However, it is vital to note that significant elements of the specialist work that we are assessing, in relation to this accreditation, are unregulated.  For example, the role of the financial neutral, or cash flow modelling.

There must be no assumption that undertaking this work might predetermine a possibility of any regulated activity or regulated intermediary work.

For this reason, it is vital that potential candidates are able to certify that they can conduct this work, on a pure fee basis (either time charged, fixed fee or a mix of the two), without any expectation of future regulated activity.

Lawyers & Financial Advisers

Applicants are required to disclose anything which could bring the organisation into disrepute.

Eligibility is considered without reference to race, religion, belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age.

See the Scheme Rules for further information.