FAQs

Yes, Blackstone Financial Management offers independent financial advice. Your recommendations will be shaped around your circumstances, goals and priorities.

Yes, Blackstone Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can verify the firm and its registration number, 630530, on the FCA Register website.

Yes, you can meet your financial adviser in person or by video call. Use the Contact us page to arrange the format that works best for you.

Face-to-face meetings can take place at one of our offices or at another venue that is convenient for you. Our Contact us page includes the Cheadle Hulme and Warwickshire office details, so you can see which location suits you.

Yes, parking is available when you meet us at the office. We can confirm the arrangements when your meeting is booked.

Blackstone Financial Management has been providing financial advice for 21 years. Our team page introduces the people behind that experience.

We are based in South Manchester and Warwickshire, and work with clients nationwide. Use the Contact us page to discuss how you would prefer to meet, wherever you are based.

Our financial advisers are Certified rather than Chartered. Our team page shows each team member’s qualifications and professional background.

No, Blackstone Financial Management does not hold Chartered firm status from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). Our team page sets out the qualifications and experience of the individual advisers.

No, Blackstone Financial Management does not hold Accredited status from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI). Our team page sets out each team member’s qualifications and experience.

Yes, you can read client reviews and watch video testimonials on our website, YouTube and social media. The What clients say page brings together first-hand experiences of working with Blackstone Financial Management.

Empathy sits at the heart of our approach. Our Why choose us page explains how we take time to understand what matters to you before making any recommendations.

Our FCA registration number is 630530. Use the FCA Register website to check Blackstone Financial Management directly with the regulator.

We work with clients nationwide, including Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Chester, Liverpool, London, Bristol, York, Wrexham, Worcester, Wolverhampton, Warwick, Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon. Your location does not prevent you from working with us.

Yes, we provide mortgage advice. Our team page introduces the mortgage specialists who can discuss the support you need.

No, we do not provide advice on equity release. We will make this clear from the outset so you know which services are available.

Yes, we advise on personal pensions. Your advice will be based on your circumstances and what you want your pension to help you achieve.

Yes, we advise on occupational pensions. We can review your arrangements as part of your wider financial plan.

Yes, we can review multiple pensions and advise on consolidation. Any recommendation will be based on whether bringing them together is right for you.

Yes, we can help you plan how to take your pension tax-efficiently. Your financial adviser will consider this as part of your wider retirement plan.

Yes, we can help with ethical or sustainable investing. We will discuss your preferences and reflect them in your investment recommendations where appropriate.

Yes, we can help you invest an inheritance. We will take time to understand your goals before recommending how the money could support them.

Yes, we advise on self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs). Your financial adviser can consider a SIPP alongside your wider pension and investment arrangements.

No, we do not advise on final salary pension transfers or defined benefit transfers. We will be clear about this when discussing the help you need.

Yes, we provide advice on long-term care and later-life planning. We can include these needs within your wider financial plan.

Yes, we can help with Inheritance Tax planning and estate planning. Your advice will be shaped around your circumstances and the people you want to support.

Yes, we advise on investments including individual savings accounts (ISAs). Your recommendations will be based on your goals and wider financial position.

Yes, we advise on protection including life insurance, critical illness cover and income replacement. We will help you consider the cover that fits your circumstances.

Yes, your initial consultation and the information-gathering stage are free. The How we charge page explains how you can get to know us before deciding whether to proceed.

Your initial consultation and information gathering are free. If you proceed, we charge a one-off implementation fee, payable by invoice or, where applicable, deducted from an investment. The How we charge page explains ongoing advice fees, which can be percentage-based or charged on an ad hoc time-cost basis.

Our minimum fee is £1,000 and applies from the implementation stage. Your initial consultation and information gathering are free, and the How we charge page explains when charges begin.

Your initial consultation and information-gathering work are free. If you decide to proceed, the one-off implementation fee is typically between £1,000 and £1,500 and covers producing, discussing and putting the agreed financial plan into action. The How we charge page explains what this fee covers.

Both fixed fees and percentage-based fees are available. We will explain the options so you can understand how your chosen service will be charged.

We only receive commission for protection products we advise on. Where this applies, we will explain it clearly.

No, we do not charge VAT on our fees. The amount agreed with you will not include VAT.

You can review our fees on the How we charge page and compare them with those of other firms. Look beyond price alone and consider the service, support and value included.

Our fees are broadly in line with those charged by comparable financial advisers. The most useful comparison is the overall service and value you receive.

You can find our fees on the How we charge page and in our service agreement. You can also call us for a clear explanation of how the charges would apply to you.

Most of the investments we arrange are eligible for protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), subject to the scheme’s rules. We will confirm which protection applies to your specific investments.

If something goes wrong, we will give you clear information about our complaints process and who to contact. If we cannot resolve the matter, the Financial Ombudsman Service website explains whether it can review your complaint.

We keep your personal data in a secure, encrypted back-office system. Our Privacy policy page explains how we collect, use and protect your information.

Yes, we are insured to provide financial advice. We can confirm the relevant details if you need them.

You can check our registration and authorisation using firm number 630530. The FCA Register website lets you verify Blackstone Financial Management directly with the regulator.

Yes, you can read client stories and case studies on our website. The What clients say page shows how people in different circumstances have worked with Blackstone Financial Management.

We measure client satisfaction through client surveys and requests for reviews. This feedback helps us understand how clients feel about the service they receive.

Yes, Blackstone Financial Management has received Top Rated recognition through VouchedFor. The Why choose us page explains more about our independent recognition and the experience you can expect.

Yes, Blackstone Financial Management is featured on VouchedFor. Our VouchedFor profile page brings together independent client reviews, so you can see what clients say about working with us.

Yes, we can help you explore whether early retirement is achievable. The Retirees page explains how your financial adviser can build a plan around your circumstances and retirement goals.

Yes, retirement planning is a core area of our advice. The Retirees page explains how we can build a financial plan around the retirement you want.

We work with retirees, business owners, self-employed people, families, executives and trusts. The Who we help page also shows how we support people building or managing wealth, those who have inherited money and people going through divorce.

Yes, we work with younger clients who are still building wealth. The Young professionals page explains how you can put a financial plan in place before you have accumulated significant assets.

Yes, we work with company directors and self-employed clients. The Business owners page explains how your advice can reflect both your personal goals and the financial demands of running a business.

Yes, we work with clients who are approaching retirement and those who have already retired. The Retirees page explains how your plan can be shaped around the stage you are at now.

Yes, we help clients who have inherited money. We will take time to understand what you want the inheritance to achieve before advising you.

Yes, we help clients who have sold a business or are preparing to sell one. The Business owners page explains how the proceeds can fit into your wider financial future.

Yes, we can help you manage your finances after a bereavement. You will have space to explain what has changed before we discuss the support you need.

Yes, we specialise in working with business owners, retirees and professionals. The Who we help page explains how your advice will be tailored to your circumstances rather than built around a one-size-fits-all approach.

No, we do not provide financial advice for expats or non-UK residents. Our advice is intended for clients based in the UK.

Yes, we can help if you already have investments or pensions elsewhere. We can review them as part of your wider financial position.

Not necessarily; there is no automatic requirement for a set level of investable assets or income. Use the Contact us page to discuss your circumstances and the advice you need before we confirm whether we can help.

You can book an initial meeting by telephone, email or through the Contact us page on our website. Call 0161 482 8285 or email to start the conversation.

No, your initial meeting is free. The How we work page explains how this no-obligation conversation helps you talk through your needs before making a financial commitment.

You only need to bring yourself to the initial meeting. The focus is on listening to you and understanding what you are looking for.

Your first meeting is centred on you. The How we work page explains how we listen to your goals and circumstances before discussing the next steps.

Allow around 90 minutes for your initial meeting. This gives you enough time to explain your circumstances and what you would like to achieve.

No, you do not have to sign up at the initial meeting. You can use the conversation to decide whether working together feels right for you.

At the moment, we do not have a female financial adviser in the team. Our team page shows who is currently available, so you can decide whether the arrangement feels right for you.

If your financial adviser is away, our office team and other advisers can help you. You will still have access to support when you need it.

You will hear from us regularly when there are updates relevant to you. We also aim to hold at least one formal review every year.

Yes, cashflow planning can form part of your service. The How we work page explains how your financial adviser can build it into your wider financial plan.

Changing circumstances are not a problem; most people’s lives and priorities evolve over time. Tell us what has changed, and we can review what it means for your financial plan.

Yes, we can work alongside your accountant or solicitor. This joined-up approach helps keep the professionals supporting you aligned.

Yes, we can coordinate with your mortgage adviser when they need information from us. We will help keep communication straightforward between everyone involved.

If your financial adviser leaves the firm, we will help you move to a suitable alternative within the team. Our team page introduces the people who can support a smooth transition.

Yes, you can see an example of a financial plan. The How we work page also explains where the plan fits within the wider advice process, so you know what to expect.

Yes, you will be able to view the value of your investments online. This gives you convenient access to current valuations.

A dedicated online client portal is due to be introduced soon. Until then, you will still be able to view the value of your investments online.

You will meet your financial adviser at least once a year. In practice, most clients meet with us at least twice a year, and the How we work page explains how regular reviews fit into your service.