Independent Financial Adviser in Manchester — Advice From People You Can Actually Go and See
Most retirement advice now happens through a call centre and an online portal. Ours happens in a room in Worsley, with an adviser who will still be your adviser in ten years’ time. We are independent, which means we are not tied to any provider or product range — we look at the whole market, recommend what we believe is right for you, and put that recommendation in writing so you can hold us to it. The first meeting is free and there is no obligation to proceed.
✔ Free first meeting — at our office, at your home or workplace, or by video call
✔ Truly independent — not tied to any provider, panel or product range
✔ Written recommendation — including the options we considered and rejected
✔ One named adviser — you will know who you are dealing with
✔ Fees agreed in writing — before any work begins, with nothing charged until you sign off
Prefer to talk first? Call us direct on 0161 813 2187.
Our Office
1st Floor, 3 Worsley Court
High Street, Worsley
Manchester
M28 3NJ
Free parking on site. Around 20 minutes from Bolton, Salford, Bury and Altrincham.
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Book Your Free First Meeting
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Prefer to Talk to Us Directly?
Speak to an adviser at our Worsley office — no obligation, and no call centre.
Manchester-based advisers — you will speak to a real person
What We Advise On
We advise across the whole of your retirement, not just one product. Whatever you come to us about, we will look at how it fits with everything else you hold.
- Pension advice — consolidating old workplace schemes, understanding what you already hold, and deciding what to do with it
- Retirement planning — working out when you can afford to stop, how much income you will have, and how long it needs to last
- Flexi-access drawdown — taking an income while staying invested, including the risks that come with it, honestly explained
- Investments and ISAs — building and reviewing a portfolio that matches how much risk you are genuinely comfortable with
- Inheritance tax planning — structuring what you leave behind so more of it reaches the people you intend it to reach
- Business protection — key person, shareholder and relevant life cover, so the loss of an owner or a key individual does not become a financial crisis for the business
Advice and Comparison Are Not the Same Thing
We offer both, and it matters that you know which one you are using.
This page · Advised
Independent financial advice. We assess your full circumstances, research the market and give you a written personal recommendation. We take responsibility for the suitability of that recommendation, and you have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in relation to it.
There is a fee for this service, agreed with you in writing before any work begins.
Our Annuity Service · Non-Advised
Annuity rate comparison. We research the whole annuity market and present you with the best rates available to you. We do not give advice or make a recommendation, and the decision is entirely yours. There is no fee — we are paid a commission by the provider you choose.
If you would prefer a recommendation rather than a comparison, ask us and we will explain the advised route instead.
What Actually Happens
The first meeting is free, and nobody is going to sell you anything in it.
1. You get in touch. Call us, or leave your details above and we will ring you back. We will ask a few questions to check we are the right firm for what you need — and tell you if we are not.
2. We meet, at no cost. At our Worsley office, at your home or workplace, or over video if you prefer. You tell us what you have and what you want to happen. We explain what we do, what it costs, and what we would need from you. You leave with no obligation whatsoever.
3. We agree the work and the fee. If you want to go ahead, we set out in writing exactly what we will do and exactly what it will cost, before any work starts. Nothing is charged until you have signed that off.
4. You get a written recommendation. We research the market and give you a report explaining what we recommend and, just as importantly, why — including the options we considered and rejected on your behalf.
5. We stay in touch. Most of our clients come back every year. Circumstances change, tax rules change, and a plan written once and never revisited is not much of a plan.
How We Charge
Every client’s circumstances are different, so our fees vary from client to client depending on what you need advice on and how much work is involved. We will not pretend otherwise by publishing a single figure that would be wrong for most people. What we will always do is agree the exact amount with you before any work begins.
The first meeting is free. No charge, no obligation. Come to our Worsley office, or we will come to your home or workplace.
Nothing is charged without your explicit consent. Any charge is agreed with you upfront, in writing, before we start. Payments are usually deducted from your investment or pension, and we will tell you exactly what that means for you.
To give you a general idea: for investment and pension advice, advisers typically charge a percentage of the amount you invest or transfer — usually between 1% and 4%, depending on the amount involved. If you want ongoing advice year after year, there is normally an additional annual charge, usually between 0.5% and 1% a year. We can also work on a fixed fee or an hourly basis, or a combination, if that suits you better.
We are paid by you, not by product providers. Since 2012 advisers have been prohibited from taking commission from investment or pension companies when recommending their products. That means our recommendation is not influenced by who pays us.
The figures above are general guidance, not a quotation. For an accurate estimate, speak to us about your circumstances and what you want advice on — that is what the free first meeting is for. Our fee information is also published openly alongside verified client reviews. See our fees and client reviews on VouchedFor →
We typically work with clients who have pension or investment assets of £50,000 or more. Below that level, advice is often not worth the fee — and we would rather tell you that honestly at the first meeting than take your money anyway. Our non-advised annuity comparison service has no minimum and is free to use.
You Will Have One Adviser, and You Will Know Their Name
Three advisers, all independent, all based at our Worsley office. You will be introduced to one of them and they will stay your adviser — you will not be passed around a call centre.
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David Bell Company Director & Independent Financial Adviser David founded Retirement Professionals in 2014 after more than 26 years in financial services. He specialises in complex retirement, pension and investment decisions, and in inheritance tax and trust planning — an increasingly important area with the pension rule changes taking effect from April 2027. Voted a VouchedFor Top Rated Adviser by his clients for four consecutive years. 0161 813 2187 · Read David’s verified client reviews on VouchedFor |
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Ian Swan Independent Financial Adviser Ian joined in 2017, having first worked with David in the early 2000s. Originally from Yorkshire, he brings a straightforward, down-to-earth approach to financial planning and advises across pensions, investments and retirement planning. Thoughtful, thorough and reassuring — and the office comedian, according to everyone else here. 0161 813 2195 · Read Ian’s verified client reviews on VouchedFor |
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Nathan Buckley Independent Financial Adviser Nathan joined in 2025 after completing his financial advice exams, having grown up with both parents working in the profession. He previously managed multi-million-pound solutions in the medical systems industry, and brings that problem-solving discipline to advice that is honest, accessible and tailored to each client. 0161 813 2189 · Read Nathan’s verified client reviews on VouchedFor |
Our advisers hold the Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA) and the Certified Professional in Financial Advice (CPFA), and are members of the London Institute of Banking & Finance.
Retirement Professionals Ltd is an appointed representative of pi financial ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA reference number is 622943 — you can check us on the FCA Register, and we would encourage you to check any firm before you deal with them.
What Our Customers Say
Thousands of people have trusted Retirement Professionals to help them plan their retirement. Read what our customers have to say.
Read Our Customer Testimonials →
Common Questions
Does the first meeting really cost nothing?
Yes. We meet, you explain your situation, we explain what we would do and what it would cost. If you decide not to go ahead, you owe us nothing and we will not chase you.
What does “independent” actually mean?
It means we are not restricted to one provider’s products or a limited panel. We consider the relevant market and recommend what we believe suits you, rather than what we happen to sell. A restricted adviser cannot say that.
How much do I need before advice is worth it?
We typically work with clients who have pension or investment assets of £50,000 or more. Below that, the fee often outweighs the benefit — and we would rather tell you that honestly at the first meeting than take your money anyway. Our non-advised annuity comparison service has no minimum and is free to use.
Do I have to come to the office?
No. We are happy to visit you at home or at your workplace anywhere in Greater Manchester, or to meet by video call. Plenty of clients do the first meeting at the office and everything afterwards by phone.
I only want to know about annuity rates. Is this the right page?
Probably not — our annuity comparison service is a separate, non-advised service with no fee, and it is likely to be what you want. Ask us and we will point you at it.
Can I get free guidance instead of paid advice?
Yes, and for some people that is the right starting point. MoneyHelper and Pension Wise are free, impartial government-backed services. Guidance explains your options; advice tells you which one to take and takes responsibility for that.
Useful Information
- Pension Advice — consolidating and reviewing what you hold
- Retirement Planning — see the bigger picture
- Pension Drawdown — advised, flexible retirement income
- Business Protection — key person, shareholder and relevant life cover
- Annuity Comparison — our free, non-advised rate comparison service
- Pension Wise — free, impartial government guidance on your pension options
Independent financial advice is provided on an advised basis and is subject to a fee, agreed with you in writing before any work begins. The value of investments and any income from them can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change in the future. Inheritance tax planning and tax planning are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We refer Equity Release, Mortgage and Wills & Probate enquiries to other firms. Your details are encrypted and we will never sell your information to any third party.
Retirement Professionals Ltd is an appointed representative of pi financial ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA number 622943.