Financial advice where extra support and care needed

If you’re looking for financial advice related to life-changing circumstances or need assistance planning for a family member who needs extra support and care, Edale can assist. Supportive financial conversations are critical in these situations. Care for financial assets is more than numbers; we feel it’s about what we say is “wellbeing” or building “good mojo” or going in the “right direction”. Probably you describe it in your own way – but know what we mean.

Whether a temporary, sporadic or permanent vulnerability, or need additional care and guidance, we have experience and an approach to support you.

Individual financial situations and personal circumstances vary and in these cases, you might need additional help with your financial planning needs. The FCA’s Consumer Duty requires financial services to prioritise your needs. Our commitment to providing support to all our clients, including those who may be experiencing difficult or unexpected circumstances or who may need some extra help to use our services. This page provides details on how we work in such cases.

Understanding Extra Support Matters

Everyone’s circumstances can change—through health challenges, life transitions, or language and literacy barriers—and having someone who understands those changes makes all the difference. By recognising when you might need a little more guidance, we can tailor our advice, ask the right questions, and ensure you feel confident about each financial step.

Working to help you

Our dedicated advisers combine professional expertise with genuine empathy. They’ve helped countless families and individuals navigate complex situations, always listening first, explaining clearly, and crafting personalised strategies that truly fit your life.

Money Safeguarding and Safety

Supporting individuals and those looking after individuals to keep money safe. Use of FSCS‑protected bank or custodial accounts, safeguarding login credentials, recognising phishing and fraud attempts, and selecting providers with appropriate security measures. Seeing warning signs linked to money abuse. Helping people spot signs of financial coercion or undue influence (e.g., sudden demands, isolation), and use of specialist support (e.g., domestic abuse charities, Age UK).

Investment Planning

Grow and preserve your savings with confidence. From straightforward investment portfolios to more advanced structures, we’ll recommend solutions that align with your goals and comfort level.

Will Writing

Ensure your wishes are honoured. Through our network of legal specialists, you’ll get clear, jargon-free support to draft a will that reflects your priorities.

Financial Decision Support

If you ever need someone to act on your behalf, we’ll introduce you to trusted professionals for Power of Attorney or Court of Protection arrangements—giving you and your family peace of mind.

Financial services setup to do the support individuals

The financial services sector uses the “vulnerable customer” classification to identify and support people facing temporary or ongoing difficulties, such as health problems, financial struggles, or communication obstacles, which are important to cover when discussing and advising on financial matters. Our teams are trained to identify when vulnerability is present and to communicate clearly and listen patiently while providing personalised financial support. We believe it’s important to explain when we see a vulnerability, and that while it’s not a term people may like, we want to explain to you that this is an integral part of our service delivery to you. It’s vital that when we become aware of a vulnerability, we will explain to you that we feel there is a vulnerability and will consider this in our work and advise you.

Factors that act as drivers to actual or potential vulnerability include:

• health conditions or illnesses that affect the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks;
• major life events, such as bereavement or relationship breakdown;
• capability – low knowledge of financial matters or low confidence in managing money and/or;
• resilience – low ability to withstand financial or emotional shocks

Clients can self-identify as vulnerable. We also listen and make judgments for signs of vulnerability or that someone may be experiencing vulnerability.

We are aware that certain processes and procedures can themselves cause stress and vulnerability.

We strive to manage these as smoothly as possible and work with you to support financial decisions and safe management of money.

Whether you’re just exploring your options or updating an existing plan, we’re here to listen and guide you every step of the way.

Our Commitments under the Financial Vulnerability Charter

As professionals in the UK personal finance sector, we are proud members of the Financial Vulnerability Charter. This means we formally pledge to:

The 9 Commitments of the Financial Vulnerability Charter in Detail

ONE: Act as a safe pair of hands

Because financial planning involves specialist and technical knowledge, we know our clients rely heavily on our guidance. This dependency gives us a clear moral duty to act in your absolute best interests. We promise to be a steady, reliable, and safe pair of hands—especially when you are facing difficult times.

TWO: Put our clients’ interests first

We promise to always prioritise your financial well-being over our own business interests. This commitment is especially important if you are going through a challenging life event, as it protects you from added stress or financial harm.

THREE: Recognise when extra support is needed

We know that life challenges can take many forms—whether physical, mental, or emotional. These situations can change quickly; they might be short-term, come and go, or be a permanent part of your life. We also understand that these struggles aren’t always obvious, which is why we keep a watchful and supportive eye out.

FOUR: Avoid making assumptions

We welcome and support everyone. We treat every client fairly, regardless of their identity, age, gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or belief. We focus on listening to you directly rather than making assumptions about what you need.

FIVE: Use thoughtful language and terminology

Words matter. We believe that needing extra support is a result of changing life circumstances, not a label that defines who you are. Because of this, we always talk about “clients in vulnerable circumstances” rather than labelling someone as a “vulnerable individual.”

SIX: Handle every situation with sensitivity

It can be hard to notice when we are in a vulnerable position ourselves, and many of us understandably dislike being described that way. We respect this. We hold ourselves to a higher standard of care, ensuring our team approaches your situation with heightened sensitivity, patience, and the right professional skills.

SEVEN: Maintain strict confidentiality

We want to create an environment where you feel completely safe telling us if you need extra help. If you share this with us, we promise to:

• Adjust our processes and communication so you receive the exact same high-quality outcomes as any other client.
• Keep your information strictly confidential and comply with all UK laws, including the Equality Act, Consumer Protection regulations, the Mental Capacity Act, and GDPR.

For us, providing this level of care is simply “business as usual”—it is the core of why Edale exists, not a checkbox exercise.

EIGHT: Ensure our team is trained and knowledgeable

We want everyone at Edale to look after you with genuine empathy and effectiveness. We regularly train our entire team to understand the different drivers of vulnerability so they always know how to guide, listen, and support you in the best way possible.

NINE: Offer immediate support

If we work with you and realise you are in immediate danger of financial abuse, coercion, or harm, we will not stand by. We will immediately take action and contact the relevant authorities or specialist support organisations to keep you and your money safe.