As we cross the midway level of 2025, the UK mortgage and safety community sector continues to evolve with measured confidence displaying nuanced shifts in appointed consultant (AR) agency exercise.
Year-to-date (YTD) figures level to a broadly stable landscape, with a number of networks reaching growth by way of centered recruitment, adviser growth, and new agency onboarding, whereas others cope with web attrition.
AR agency numbers throughout the highest 30 networks have remained notably constant, with solely a marginal web shift of -1 in comparison with Q1. However, the mortgage adviser headcount inside these networks skilled a web improve of 227 for the second quarter. This signifies wholesome natural growth and a continued urge for food for scaling inside current AR companies. This shift factors to an more and more environment friendly use of the community mannequin, the place companies are deepening capability moderately than merely increasing footprint.
On preliminary evaluation of the info, it appeared as if Quilter had loved an enormous acquire of a whole lot of AR companies. However, nearer inspection revealed that these actions stemmed from inner realignment between group manufacturers on the FCA register, ensuing in no web change in agency numbers throughout the community.
Notable year-to-date growth by the standout performers amongst mortgage devoted networks are firstly, Cornerstone Finance with the best web improve of AR companies with 23, representing a 25.6% uplift. Similarly, Rosemount Financial Solutions had a formidable improve of 14.5% whereas HL Partnership, Connect and Stonebridge all loved web improve of twenty-two, 21 and 20 companies respectively.
On the contraction facet, a number of well-established networks noticed continued reductions, most notably Openwork, which delivered a web lack of 22 AR companies year-to-date and -12 in Q2, extending a downward pattern that has persevered since Q1 2023. Primis additionally skilled comparable web decline, dropping 23 companies YTD and 11 in Q2. In isolation these numbers solely characterize small losses in share phrases for the 2 networks.
Despite some notable shifts in AR numbers throughout the sector, vital investments and appointments underscore a vote of confidence in the community mannequin. Openwork’s £120m strategic partnership with Bain Capital valuing a 30% stake highlights its dedication to scaling adviser assist by way of expertise and infrastructure, even amid contraction in AR numbers. HL Partnership’s multimillion-pound funding in Haysto additional displays drive to again digital innovation in the sector. Meanwhile, key management appointments, together with Ben Allen as managing director of The Right Mortgage, previously the compliance director, and Dan Hobbs entering into the chief govt position at New Leaf Distribution sign a recent strategic course for the 2 lengthy standing networks.
While direct authorisation stays an important route for a lot of companies, the community mannequin continues to supply scalable compliance, strategic alignment, and business power for these looking for resilience in a shifting regulatory atmosphere. The FCA seems more and more cautious of a fragmented retail landscape dominated by quite a few standalone DA companies. However, its centered consideration and scrutiny of networks illustrates that they want them to be match for goal. Yet, it additionally displays their dedication to the mannequin and potential to ship sturdy governance, honest adviser oversight, and higher shopper outcomes.
For well-run networks, that scrutiny interprets into alternative, the place a tradition of greatest apply turns regulatory rigour into long-term dividends with sturdy agency partnerships.
Paul Day is founder and director of Network Consulting
Read May’s community replace right here.
Total variety of AR companies
Number of AR companies that joined YTD in 2025
Number of AR companies that left YTD in 2025
Net change in variety of AR companies YTD 2025
Net change in share phrases
Net change in AR companies in Q2 2025
Number of advisers with mortgage permissions as per FCA register (CPD20 & CPD21)
Average variety of mortgage advisers per AR agency
St. James’s Place Wealth Management Plc
2806
111
131
-20
-0.7%
-29
1399
0.5
Primis*†
1091
25
48
-23
-2.1%
-11
2275
2.1
Quilter *
690
22
22
0
0.0%
0
1372
2.0
Stonebridge Mortgage Solutions Ltd†
680
48
28
20
2.9%
5
1252
1.8
Openwork Limited
579
7
29
-22
-3.8%
-12
2401
4.1
HL Partnership Limited†
530
50
28
22
4.2%
6
970
1.8
The Right Mortgage Limited†
419
30
22
8
1.9%
-6
718
1.7
2Plan Wealth Management
269
3
2
7
2.6%
-4
392
1.5
The On-Line Partnership Limited*
241
11
14
-3
-1.2%
1
301
1.2
Sesame Limited†
239
3
5
-2
-0.8%
1
557
2.3
Connect IFA Ltd†
237
39
18
21
8.9%
6
237
1.0
ValidPath Limited
193
41
4
37
19.2%
14
67
0.3
Mortgage Advice Bureau Limited
189
7
5
2
1.1%
-2
1802
9.5
New Leaf Distribution Limited
181
14
4
10
5.5%
5
286
1.6
Sense Network*
143
5
3
2
1.4%
2
178
1.2
Mortgage Intelligence Ltd†
139
3
7
-4
-2.9%
1
339
2.4
Best Practice IFA Group Limited
130
7
4
3
2.3%
3
92
0.7
White Rose Finance Group Limited†**
116
18
17
1
0.9%
2
29
0.3
TMG Direct Limited†
100
18
11
7
7.0%
0
286
2.9
Cornerstone Financial†
90
28
5
23
25.6%
10
233
2.6
Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA)
76
13
2
11
14.5%
1
114
1.5
Julian Harris*
75
4
2
2
2.7%
2
97
1.3
Beneficial restricted†
73
7
11
-4
-5.5%
-4
74
1.0
Corbel Partners
58
7
3
4
6.9%
2
62
1.1
Dragon Brokers Limited†
56
14
18
-4
-7.1%
2
69
1.2
Richdale Brokers
40
5
2
3
7.5%
1
26
0.7
John Charcol Limited†
34
3
1
2
5.9%
1
171
5.0
JLM Mortgage Network†
28
1
1
0
0.0%
1
85
3.0
Ingard Financial†
27
5
3
2
7.4%
3
33
1.2
Pi Financial Ltd
26
1
5
-4
-15.4%
-3
64
2.5
TOTALS & AVERAGES
9555
550
455
101
-2
15981
2.0
* denotes multipal principals (networks) buying and selling below one community model
† denotes networks holding solely mortgage and safety permissions
** specialise in shopper credit score
Source: FCA register
Figures right at eleventh July 2025
