Tim Sargisson: The £1trn opportunity for advisers By Tim Sargisson 17 th February 2021 11:54 am While last year for many was one to forget, the good news for advisers is that, thanks to the Covid pandemic, more people than ever now recognise the need for proper financial planning. That said, the advice sector is facing a perfect storm of demand outstripping capacity to supply. A third of UK advisers expect to retire in the next five years, rising to nearly 60 per cent in the next decade, according to Octopus Investments. That is equivalent to more than 15,000 advisers leaving the profession out of a current total of 26,600. This capacity crunch is reinforced by the fact 44 per cent of firms say they are concerned about attracting new advisers.