Professional body and educational charity the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) has announced UK Financial Planning Week (27 January – 2 February 2025) as an opportunity for financial planners to give back to their communities.
Financial Planning Week is a nationwide public outreach campaign to spread awareness of the benefits of financial planning and encourage people to take control of their finances.
It allows consumers to experience the service through free introductory appointments and resources from CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™professionals. It is also an opportunity for financial planners to give back by sharing their expertise with their local communities.
Chris Morris, Chartered MCSI, CISI head of financial planning policy & engagement, said: “In today’s world, taking control of your finances and having a financial plan is more important than ever. Not everyone has access to a qualified financial planner. This initiative provides an opportunity for the public to get the help and guidance they need.”
Delegates at the CISI Financial Planning Conference in October, where FP Week was launched, expressed enthusiasm for the campaign, including Brilliance Financial Planning, which will participate in FP Week for the first time.
Susi Taylor, Chartered FCSI, director of Brilliance Financial Planning, left, said: “What we provide to people as a service can help make a big difference to people’s lives, and Financial Planning Week gets that message out there by encouraging participation in the community and raising awareness about financial planning. There’s always potential that we may find a good match in a client as well, so we think it’s a good thing for all parties.”
CISI Financial Planning Forum Committee member Andrew Elson CFP™ Chartered FCSI (Financial Planning), managing director at Berry & Oak, right, explained that his firm has created a service specifically designed to provide a financial planning 101 education for its clients’ adolescent children. This initiative, which received positive feedback from a trial in support of last year’s Financial Planning Week, underscores Berry & Oak’s dedication to fostering financial literacy across generations, helping younger clients establish a strong foundation for their financial future.
Financial planners can get involved by signing up to support CISI Financial Planning Week in a range of ways including:
- Spreading awareness on social media
- Hosting pro bono consultations
- Sharing press releases with local news outlets
- Speaking at local schools and community centres about financial literacy, or financial planning careers
- Sharing resources, including financial health checklists
The CISI’s Wayfinder website, financialplanning.cisi.org, lists CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™professionals and CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firm™ businesses for consumers to find and book an introductory free appointment. Also, new for this year, CISI financial planners supporting the FP Week initiative will be listed in a Financial Planning Week supporters directory, which will be hosted on Wayfinder.
The FP Week campaign logo, along with the slogan accompanying it: “Live your today. Plan your tomorrow.” symbolises a path to a fulfilling future. The slogan also aligns with the Financial Planning Standards Board’s slogan to signify the campaign’s efforts to make financial planning more globally accessible.
The CISI is again calling for support from its financial planning community. Everyone can download the campaign toolkit, which includes social graphics and a presentation aimed at a younger audience, from the Financial Planning Week Toolkit which will continue to be updated. Everyone is encouraged to also post on social media using the hashtag #FPWUK. If members have any ideas, they are invited to send them to FPWeek@cisi.org.
