By Lora Benson
The CISI (Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment), the licensing body for the CFP™ mark in the UK, welcomed 76 new CFP professionals in 2025. This growth contributed to a rise in the UK’s numbers, which currently stand at a total of 1098 CFP professionals.
The increase in the UK’s CFP professionals aligns with the recent Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) announcement confirming global year-on-year growth of 2.5%, bringing the total to 236,300 in 2025, a net increase of 5,652 CFP professionals.
The CFP designation – equivalent to a level 7 certification in the UK – is globally recognised as the gold standard in financial planning, signalling excellence and a commitment to fiduciary duty that helps consumers navigate an increasingly complex advice world.
In 2025, the CFP certification in the UK continued to attract a new generation of financial planners:
- 68% of those who achieved CFP certification in 2025 were under the age of 40
- 13% of those who achieved CFP certification in 2025 were female
Carly Dunningham CFP™ MCSI, chair of the CISI Financial Planning Forum committee (left), said: “I am thrilled to see more planners choosing to pursue CFP certification, because it signals a real commitment to going beyond products and investments to focus on what truly matters to clients – their lives, goals and values. As a practising financial planner, I see first-hand how rigorous, holistic planning and strong professional standards can transform clients’ confidence about their financial future, and it’s encouraging to see a growing, diverse community of UK CFP professionals embracing that responsibility.”
CISI Chief Executive, Tracy Vegro OBE (right), said: “Both the global and UK CFP increases highlight the increasing appeal of this ‘gold standard’ certification among younger professionals and particularly women. This shift is vital to meeting the evolving needs of UK consumers. Even in this AI-enabled era, consumers clearly value the “human in the loop”, meaning these skills are more in need than ever. We should remember that financial planning is a global discipline, and through our partnership with FPSB, we’re proud to support and showcase UK excellence on the world stage.”
The CISI will host the annual FPSB conference in London later this year, bringing together global leaders in financial planning to share insights, celebrate progress, and strengthen international collaboration across the profession.