Pearson Jones plc is one of the largest firms of Independent Financial Advisers in Northern England. We are dedicated to providing bespoke advice to High Net Worth individuals, Corporates and Trustees.

The success of Pearson Jones has been built on three simple maxims developed over nearly 40 years of business experience: integrity, professionalism and complete impartiality. We offer high quality service to assist our clients over the long term; we focus on delivering financial planning strategies that fulfil their requirements. These principles have helped us to retain a high degree of loyalty from our clients and accountants and solicitors with whom we work.

Pearson Jones employs over 100 staff across 4 offices in Leeds, Sheffield, Bishop Auckland and York. We have more than 35 advisory staff with the remainder providing specialist administrative support. The high ratio of support staff to advisers indicates the high focus our business places on ongoing service to its clients.

We are very proud to have been awarded the accreditation of Chartered Financial Planners by our professional body, the Chartered Insurance Institute. This demonstrates our adherence to the highest standards of professional practice and is currently only held by a very small percentage of IFA businesses in the UK.

In October 2009, we won the prestigious award "IFA Team of the Year 2009/10" in the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Private Client Awards. STEP is an international body of 14,500 barristers, accountants, solicitors and other professionals who specialise in the Trust and Estate Planning market. This award provides an independent confirmation of our skills, particularly in the areas of Trust Management, Trust Investment Advice and individual Inheritance Tax Planning.

Services

The objective of our Wealth Management department is to improve the financial position of High Net Worth individuals and Trusts. We do this by holistic financial planning (looking at a client's overall financial position and objectives), tax mitigation, quality investment management and a focus on minimising total costs.

We use extensive investment research facilities to provide our clients with "best of breed" investments. This research extends to all recommendations we have made, not just new investments we currently recommend. Crucially, we ensure that we maintain our independence by only recommending investments from external fund managers; we ensure there cannot be conflicts of interest as we do not provide investment products directly to clients.

Many of the investments we recommend are available to us at potentially significant discounts to standard retail terms. The majority of our clients pay for our services by fees rather than commission (which has been known to distort truly independent high quality advice).

Our Pensions & Employee Benefits Division provides a full range of consultancy and administration services in that market. Our ethos of providing pragmatic and cost effective solutions has meant that we have steadily increased our bank of satisfied customers year-on-year and now provide professional service and advice to more than 450 corporate clients ranging from sole traders, small and large partnerships, Private and Public Limited Companies.

Our Tax & Trust Department is very unusual in IFA firms in the UK. It employs 13 staff who specialise in all aspects tax management and mitigation as well as Trust management and advice. Within the team we have qualified Chartered Accountants and fully qualified STEP members. Through our Trustee Company, we currently manage around £300 million of assets in over 200 Trusts.

In 2012, our Regulator, the Financial Services Authority intends to make fundamental changes to the provision of financial advice. The focus will be on professionalism, fairness and transparency of adviser remuneration and how an adviser operates (with a particular focus on defining independence). Many advisers who are currently badged as "Independent" may not be in a position to maintain this status past 2012. Pearson Jones is well placed to meet these challenges and we intend to remain as truly independent advisers now and in the future.

Pearson Jones is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skipton Building Society but operates under its own autonomous Board of Directors. This provides our clients with the benefit of a strong parent. Clients also have the knowledge and benefit that decisions are made at local level by Directors who never forget that ‘the client is king' as most Directors also have client responsibilities.

Key people

Tim Johnson ACII Dip PFS, Chartered Financial Planner - Managing Director

Peter Heckingbottom FCIB APFS, Chartered Financial Planner - Deputy Managing Director & Investment Director

John Metcalf Dip PFS, Director - Wealth Management

Paul Scott FPMI, Director - Pension & Employee Benefits Division

Jonathan Lee BA (Hons) TEP - Tax & Trusts Departmental Manager

Offices

Leeds (Head Office):
Pearson Jones plc, Clayton Wood Close, West Park Ring Road, Leeds LS16 6QE
t: 0113 228 0900 f: 0113 228 0901

Sheffield:
The Manor House, 260 Ecclesall Road South, Sheffield S11 9PS
t: 0114 235 7000 f: 0114 235 7019

York:
Chestnut House, Hackness Road, Northminster Business Park, York YO26 6QR
t: 01904 529250 f: 01904 529251

Bishop Auckland:
PACE Financial Solutions, Bank Chambers, 9 Kensington, Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland DL14 6HX
t: 01388 458919 f: 01388 665603

email: mail@pearson-jones.co.uk  
website: www.pearson-jones.co.uk