The number of certified financial planner professionals grew in 2025, driven by younger financial planners.
According to the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, there were 76 new CFP professionals in 2025. This growth contributed to a rise in UK numbers, which currently stands at 1,098 CFP professionals.
Globally, there was growth of 2.5%, bringing the total to 236,300 last year, a net increase of 5,652 CFP professionals.
CISI said 68% of those who achieved CFP certification in 2025 were under the age of 40, while 13% of those who achieved the designation were female.
Carly Dunningham, chair of the CISI Financial Planning Forum committee, 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.”
Tracy Vegro, chief executive of CISI, commented: “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.”
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