FAQs

Our fees for full private wealth planning start at £3,000 for your financial plan. Implementation is charged separately.

Yes. We can help you plan for retirement, including when you can afford to retire, how much you may need, and how your finances could support you throughout retirement.

Yes. We can help you explore whether early retirement is achievable and build a financial plan around the lifestyle you want to enjoy.

Our website provides a broad outline of our fees. However, we can’t give you an exact fee until we’ve spoken with you and have a better understanding of your circumstances and the work involved. We’ll agree your fee with you before we begin any work.

We don’t aim to be the cheapest financial planning firm in the market. Our service is designed to be comprehensive, reliable, and fairly priced, with our fees reflecting the value and work involved.

We benchmark our fees against the wider market on an ongoing basis. We aim to keep our fees for initial advice and recommendations below 3% of your investible wealth.

Not normally. If VAT is applicable to any of our fees, we’ll let you know in advance, so there are no surprises.

Only in certain circumstances, such as when arranging protection products like life assurance. If commission applies, we’ll let you know and disclose the full amount we receive, so you can see exactly what we’re paid.

For initial advice and recommendations, we charge fixed fees. Ongoing advice is charged as a tiered percentage of the investments we manage for you.

Our full private wealth planning service typically costs between £3,000 and £5,000 for the plan itself, depending on your circumstances and the complexity of your needs. Fees may be higher in particularly complex cases.

Many of our clients are aged between 40 and 65 when they first come to us. They’re often starting to think more seriously about the future and retirement, and want to understand how much is enough and whether they’re making the right financial decisions now for the years ahead. We also work with business owners who are beginning to plan their exit or are going through the process of selling their business, as well as higher-earning professionals and women who are at, or facing, a significant transition of wealth.

For initial advice and recommendations, we charge a fixed fee. We’ll agree the fee with you before any work begins, once we understand your circumstances and the advice you need.

Yes. Your initial consultation is free, with no obligation to proceed.

Yes. We can advise on protection, including life insurance, critical illness cover, and income replacement, and consider the level of cover that may be appropriate for your circumstances.

Yes. We can advise on investments such as ISAs and help you consider how they could fit into your wider financial plan.

Yes. We can help you consider Inheritance Tax and estate planning as part of your wider financial plan.

No. We don’t provide advice on long-term care or later-life planning.

No. We don’t advise on final salary or defined benefit pension transfers. Where appropriate, we’ll refer you to a specialist who can provide this advice.

Yes. We can advise on self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) and consider whether one is suitable for your circumstances.

Yes. We can help you consider how an inheritance could be invested in a way that fits with your circumstances, priorities, and wider financial plan.

We don’t set a minimum level of investable assets or income. Whether we’re the right fit for you depends on your circumstances, the advice you’re looking for, and how we can best add value.

Yes. NorthNest Private Wealth is featured on VouchedFor, where you can read independently verified reviews from our clients.

Not yet. We’re a relatively new firm, so we haven’t received any awards or accreditations at this stage.

We regularly collect feedback and reviews from our clients, which are independently verified through VouchedFor. This includes feedback from both existing clients and those who have recently joined NorthNest.

Yes. You can find client stories and case studies on our website. We also have a Welcome Brochure that we can send to you if you’d like to find out more about how we work.

NorthNest Private Wealth is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our firm reference number is 1053523, and you can check our details on the FCA Register.

Yes. We hold appropriate professional indemnity insurance for the provision of financial advice.

We take the security of your personal information seriously and comply with UK data protection legislation and requirements when handling and storing your data.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you have a concern or complaint, and we’ll work with you to resolve it. If we’re unable to reach an acceptable solution, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service for independent review.

Generally, yes. However, FSCS protection depends on the type of investment or product you hold, and some products may not be covered. If this applies to any recommendation we make, we’ll explain this to you upfront and discuss whether you’re comfortable proceeding.

Yes. We can discuss your preferences around ethical and sustainable investing and consider suitable options as part of your investment planning.

Yes. We can review your existing investments and pensions, even where they’re held with other providers, and consider how they fit into your wider financial plan.

No. We currently provide financial advice to clients who are UK residents.

Yes. We work particularly closely with business owners, retirees, and higher-earning professionals, alongside clients experiencing significant changes in their wealth or circumstances.

Yes. We can provide financial planning and guidance following a bereavement, helping you understand your options and make considered decisions about your finances at an important time.

Yes. We can help you plan for a business sale and consider how the proceeds could fit into your wider financial plan, both before and after the sale.

Yes. We can help you consider how best to manage and invest an inheritance in the context of your wider circumstances and financial plans.

Yes. We work with clients approaching retirement as well as those who have already retired, helping them make informed decisions about their finances and the years ahead.

Yes. We work with company directors, business owners, and self-employed clients, helping them consider both their business and personal finances as part of their wider financial plan.

Yes. We also work with younger clients who are building their wealth and want to make thoughtful financial decisions for the future.

Yes. You can read client reviews on VouchedFor, as well as reviews and testimonials on our website.

We recommend allowing between one and one-and-a-half hours for your initial meeting, so there’s plenty of time for a relaxed conversation.

The first meeting is an opportunity to talk about the help you’re looking for and how we believe we could add value. There’s never any pressure to proceed. It’s simply a chance for us to make sure our values are aligned and that we both feel comfortable working together, laying solid foundations for our relationship.

There’s no need to prepare anything in detail. It’s helpful to have a broad outline of your financial situation and an idea of what you’d like to achieve.

No. Your initial meeting is free, with no obligation to go ahead.

You can book an initial meeting by calling us on 0333 344 5033, emailing clientservices@northnest.co.uk, or using our online Calendly booking link.

No. NorthNest Private Wealth is an independent financial planning firm and is not part of NEST.

We work with clients across London, Bournemouth, Southampton, Winchester, and the wider South East, as well as clients further afield.

Our Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) registration number is 1053523.

We put strategy first, so our advice isn’t dependent on recommending or arranging new financial products. We’re deliberately small, too – a boutique financial planning firm working with a select number of personally chosen clients. We also set aside a proportion of our profits to support financial education for 5–25-year-olds and entrepreneurship projects across the UK.

No. There’s no obligation to become a client following your initial meeting. It’s an opportunity for both of us to decide whether we’re a good fit.

No. NorthNest Private Wealth does not currently hold Accredited status awarded by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).

No. NorthNest Private Wealth does not currently hold Chartered status awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

Our principal financial planner, Chris Miles, is a Certified Financial Planner.

We are based in London and Bournemouth, and we work with clients beyond these local areas, too.

NorthNest Private Wealth has been providing financial advice since 2026. Our founder, Chris Miles, has been providing financial advice since 2005.

No. We don’t have dedicated parking at our offices, although there are parking options available nearby.

We have offices in London and Bournemouth, where we can meet with you face-to-face.

Yes. You can choose to meet with us in person or via video call, depending on what works best for you.

Yes. NorthNest Private Wealth is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Yes. We can show you an example of a financial plan so you can see what our planning process and recommendations look like.

Yes. We can help you plan how and when to take your pension, considering the tax implications alongside your wider financial plan.

Yes. We can review your existing pensions and help you decide whether consolidating them is appropriate for your circumstances.

Yes. We can advise on occupational pensions and consider them as part of your wider financial circumstances and long-term plans.

Yes. We can advise on personal pensions and help you understand how they fit into your wider financial plan.

No. We don’t provide advice on Equity Release.

No. We don’t provide mortgage advice, but we can work alongside your mortgage adviser where appropriate.

We’d like to meet with you at least once a year for a Forward Planning meeting. This gives us an opportunity to talk about how things are going, update your circumstances, and recommend any changes to your financial plan. We’ll also consider external factors that could affect your plans, such as changes to legislation, government Budgets, or market conditions.

Yes. We provide an online client portal where you can view your investments and access relevant information about your finances.

In the majority of cases, yes. You’ll be able to view the value of your investments online, depending on the platform and investments you hold.

Yes. We provide independent financial advice, helping you make informed decisions based on your circumstances, priorities, and goals.

If your financial planner leaves NorthNest Private Wealth, we’ll introduce you to your new financial planner and make sure the transition is as smooth as possible.

Yes. With your permission, we can provide relevant information to your mortgage adviser and coordinate with them where needed.

Yes. With your permission, we can work alongside your accountant, solicitor, and other professional advisers where this would be helpful.

Tell us what’s changed, and we’ll talk it through with you. We’ll then consider whether your financial plan needs to be updated to reflect your new circumstances and priorities.

Yes. Cashflow forecasting is part of our financial planning service and can help you understand how your finances may look over the years ahead.

This depends on your circumstances and what you need from us. We like to speak with you at least once a year to review your plan and look ahead to the next 12 months. If something changes or you need our help during the year, your financial planner will also be available to discuss your circumstances.

Our phones and emails are always answered by a member of our team, rather than an automated service. We also have locum cover in place, so you’ll always have someone available if you need us while your financial planner is away.