In this latest episode of the Tax-Efficient Investment podcast from IFA Magazine, we turn our focus to Venture Capital Trusts and what advisers need to be thinking about as the busy tax year-end approaches.

Hosted by Editor Sue Whitbread and Deputy Editor Jenny Hunter, this special edition of IFA Talk is produced in partnership with Foresight Group and explores how the VCT landscape is evolving in response to shifting market conditions, new technologies and changing investor expectations.

Joining the conversation is Lucy Clarke, Investment Manager at Foresight Group, who shares an investment manager’s perspective on how to identify genuinely sustainable competitive advantage in today’s VCT-backed companies. Drawing on her background as both a venture investor and a former founder, Lucy discusses how traditional indicators of competitive advantage are changing, how the VCT investment process is adapting, and what this means in practice when assessing early-stage opportunities.

The episode also looks at the sectors and themes Lucy finds particularly compelling right now, offering advisers timely insight as they prepare for what is expected to be a busy period for VCT planning.

With more than 50 years in financial planning, Patrick Murphy has seen the profession evolve. Although he’s recently stepped back from advising clients, he’s challenging conventional thinking about what really drives client outcomes.

In this episode of IFA Talk, hosts Matt and Sue sit down with Patrick to explore his latest insights on Targeted Support, consumer behaviour and the future of advice. With Targeted Support kicking off from April, will this be the game-changer it’s often set out to be? The answer is probably yes but, as we’ll explore today, maybe not for the reasons that most people are thinking about.

Patrick’s recent paper, Financial Planning in Transition: Beyond Targeted Support (2025–2030), builds on his work in hybrid advice and argues that the way advisers support client behaviour could transform outcomes at scale. Today, we discuss what that means in practice and why understanding behaviour may be more important than simply providing knowledge or information.

We talk with Patrick about why good advice often fails, not because it’s wrong, but because it isn’t acted upon, how regulators and firms can misread the advice process, and why compliance alone doesn’t guarantee good outcomes, the shift from one-off recommendations to ongoing behavioural support and how advisers can adapt day-to-day, how Targeted Support could succeed or fail depending on whether it’s treated as content/compliance or as behaviour design, and the practical takeaways for advisers looking to improve client outcomes in a rapidly evolving profession.

The FCA’s plans to introduce Targeted Support from April 2026 represent one of the most significant regulatory developments which advisers need to be aware of at the moment.

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, Matt and Sue welcomed Chet Velani, Managing Director at EV, to chat through some of the key issues around what Targeted Support is really designed to achieve, how it might work in practice, and what advisers can be doing now to stay ahead of the curve. Chet was a great guest and had plenty of practical ideas to share.

EV is a financial services technology provider working with millions of consumers and a significant proportion of the UK advice market, giving Chet a unique perspective on how regulation, technology and advice intersect.

As Chet explains on the podcast, Targeted Support isn’t about eroding the value of advice. Instead, it’s about creating clearer, scalable pathways that use data and technology to support more people, while enabling firms to deliver demonstrably better outcomes for consumers.

However, for advisers, understanding the bigger picture, how this framework is likely work in practice and how it could complement existing advice models will be really important.

In this month’s special Tax-Efficient Investment (TEI) edition of IFA Talk, IFA Magazine's Content Editor Matt Williams and Deputy Editor Jenny Hunter take a look back at the 2025 Budget and the changes to VCTs.

Joining us to unpack all of this are not one, but two great guests. First, returning to the IFA Talk studio is Toyin Oyeneyin, Tax Product Specialist at Octopus Investments. Toyin joined us back in November ahead of the 2025 Budget to discuss the major changes in the 2024 Budget, along with the topic of pensions and the complex IHT landscape.

This time, Toyin is also joined by Tim Dickens, Head of Investment Specialists at Octopus Ventures. Together, they reflect on the key takeaways from this year’s Budget, the changes to VCTs and what they mean for financial advisers, and why private markets are becoming increasingly popular.

IFA Magazine’s weekly podcast, IFA Talk, is back with another insightful episode aimed squarely at busy financial advisers with a passion for what they do.

This week, we’re joined by Martin Lockyer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Westminster Wealth Management, to find out from his years of experience as an adviser and running an advice business, what it takes to build and run a successful firm. Martin’s insight into succession planning is particularly thought provoking, and reinforces the idea that it should never be a one-size fits all approach.

In this episode, Meg Bratley and Sue Whitbread talk to Martin about the practical challenges and opportunities facing advice firms, from maintaining long-term client relationships to protecting independence in a landscape dominated by consolidation and regulation.

Martin shares his expertise based on years of experience, and offers practical insights and strategies that can help advisers create sustainable businesses while delivering excellent outcomes for clients.

Highlights include:

• How to run a succession-based business that prioritises clients and stakeholders alike.
• The advantages of a self-employed, proprietary-book adviser model versus the traditional employed framework.
• Navigating regulatory and operational pressures while maintaining independence.
• Martin’s three top tips for advisers looking to future-proof their business.

Whether you’re a business owner, manager, or adviser seeking actionable best practice ideas and real-world perspectives, this episode is sure to get you thinking.

Now live: The latest Mortgage & Property Investment special edition of IFA Talk explores what the 2026 mortgage market could look like for brokers, and where opportunities and challenges may lie as we head into the New Year.

In this episode, hosts Meg and Sue are joined by Jonathan Stinton, Head of Intermediary Relationship Management at Coventry Building Society. Jonathan discusses the outlook for the 2026 mortgage market, including broker confidence, remortgaging activity and affordability pressures. He also shares how lenders can best support brokers during a busy remortgage cycle, and explores the opportunities and challenges shaping the Buy-to-Let market in the year ahead.

Key discussion points also include:

• The outlook for mortgage brokers in 2026 and how confidence is shaping the market
• Remortgaging and product transfer volumes, and what brokers are saying they need most
• The impact of affordability pressures on client advice conversations
• How the Buy-to-Let market may evolve in 2026, including continued interest in specialist areas such as limited company BTL.

This episode provides valuable insight for mortgage brokers looking ahead to the near future, examining the key trends shaping the mortgage market and highlighting how advisers can continue to add value and support their clients in the long term.

In this episode of IFA Talk, Sue and Matt are joined by Alex Sumner from Thrive, Blackfinch Group’s dedicated workplace pensions and benefits platform.

Thrive is designed to simplify pension management for businesses while giving employees access to a financial wellbeing app that provides clear insights into pensions, benefits, and financial futures. It can be a key tool for advisers to use also.

The discussion dives into some of the most pressing topics for advisers today:

• Closing the advice gap: Alex shares his perspective on whether enough is being done to support those who can’t afford professional financial advice, and the role targeted FCA-backed initiatives like targeted support can play in improving financial wellbeing.
• Helping employers to support financial wellbeing and education: With employee financial health increasingly in the spotlight, the conversation explores how employers can better support their workforce, creating opportunities for advisers to add value too.
• Opportunities for IFAs: Thrive’s hybrid model isn’t just for businesses and employees, it also opens doors for advisers to strengthen client relationships, drive lead generation, and build new business opportunities.

Whether you’re looking to add to your advice business’ strategy for 2026 or exploring effective new ways to support your business clients, this episode offers practical insights and actionable ideas that can help you deliver.

This month's latest New Insurance & Protection special edition of IFA Talk explores an issue that affects clients across the UK but is still often misunderstood: economic abuse.

In this episode, hosts Meg Bratley and Jenny Hunter are joined by Shelley Read, Senior Technical Manager at Royal London. Shelley sheds light on what economic abuse really means, how it differs from financial abuse, and the impact it can have on financial wellbeing, protection, and even access to mortgages.

Highlights from this week’s episode

What economic abuse is, and who it affects Shelley explains the different forms this type of control can take, and why certain groups are at heightened risk.

How it shows up in financial services The discussion explores how economic abuse can influence mortgage eligibility, credit histories and wider financial decision-making.

The role of protection Shelley highlights how protection conversations can uncover signs of economic control and why advisers play a crucial role in supporting vulnerable clients.

Spotting the signs Practical guidance on what advisers, friends and family should look out for, and what to do if they’re concerned.