Posted by Dave Seager, consulting adviser to Legal Futures Associate SIFA Professional
Seager: Key resources for lawyers
I make no apologies for the fact that I am revisiting a subject much covered – how we look after and support elderly clients and those, elderly or otherwise, who find themselves in vulnerable circumstances.
This is particularly topical at a time of year that can be very difficult for many within those groups.
At SIFA Professional, we are always swift to advise our financial planning members of information and resources that will enhance how they work with elderly and vulnerable clients, but solicitors too will be supporting such individuals and families, often in collaboration with the financial planning profession.
Often, of course, this will be clients and their families or attorneys considering their options and the cost of later-life care.
The Centre for Ageing Better and LG Inform collaborate
Thanks to the amazing Centre for Ageing Better for highlighting this fabulous free benchmarking tool. It has collaborated with the Local Government Association’s data benchmarking platform to enable professional firms and organisations produce a localised customised report.
Surely understanding local trends and metrics will assist you and your financial planning colleagues provide the best possible advice.
The State of Ageing 2025
As if that was not enough, the Centre for Ageing Better also produced an annual State of Ageing report at the end of 2025. It is full of useful information for professionals working and advising in this space.
Just Annual Care Report 2025
Just is a leading provider of financial solutions for clients in later life, providing superb support for the financial planning community.
Its annual Care Report, which comes out every autumn is an invaluable read and a fabulous resource.
In this year’s report, Just has challenged our community by suggesting planning for care might often be a blind sport for financial planners.
I do not believe for a second that this is the case for SIFA Professional members but it would be hard to argue with the title of the 2025 report: Social care – Stuck in the waiting room.
Financial vulnerability taskforce charter
First produced in 2021 and now fined tuned and focused by the Financial Conduct Authority’s consumer duty, this is a charter that has been adopted by over 1,000 financial planning firms. Living and breathing the charter is enabling professional businesses to genuinely focus on identifying and supporting clients in vulnerable circumstances.
However, those at the Consumer Duty Alliance behind the charter have recognised that the principles also apply to lawyers and accountants, and so have adapted the charter’s wording to be universal to all professional firms supporting such individuals.
Society of Later Life Advisers
For solicitors supporting vulnerable clients or those planning for later life, similarly to the Association of Lifetime Lawyers, there is a specialist financial planning community you may wish to seek out.
Those in the Society of Later Life Advisers’ directory have undertaken a rigorous accreditation process, which includes relevant examinations and soft advisory skills.
I hope the resources and information highlighted here help you fine-tune your services to elder clients, those likely to need care and those in vulnerable circumstances.
I urge you to discuss them with the financial planning partners or those you seek out having read this article.
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