New online 'find an IFA' service launched by NS&I

'Helping you find independent advice' is a free service available in the 'Help' pages on the NS&I website at www.nsandi.com and helps customers find the IFA they want by location, qualification and specialisation, and also allows them to select a male or female adviser.

The service, provided in partnership with IFA Promotion Limited, accesses 10,350 IFA branch addresses throughout the UK.

Paul Knight, NS&I Head of Sales and Customer Services, said:

"The addition of this new service to the NS&I website will make it even easier for our customers to find specialist independent financial advice in their local area from the comfort of their own homes.

"The new service has been provided as part of our ongoing business transformation, the continuing development of our website and as a way of forging closer links with IFAs."

The launch comes as NS&I publishes research revealing that, nationally, 27 per cent of people - more than a quarter - are failing to save any money. The worst region is East Anglia where 38 per cent of people are not currently saving any money at all. By contrast, just 21 per cent of people in the East Midlands and Yorkshire/Humberside regions are not putting some money into a savings account.

Sally Mantell, NS&I IFA Account Manager, added:

"With the huge number of financial products available on the market, tracking down the right one for you can be very time consuming. One way to make sure consumers receive an objective assessment of their needs is to contact an IFA.

"The addition of this service on our website will help customers choose an IFA by location, qualification or specialisation and they can even choose a male or female adviser. It also shows our commitment to IFAs by improving the channels between them and our millions of customers."

During 2002, IFA Promotion Limited received more than 300,000 consumer and business requests for details of local IFAs.

Notes to Editors

1. 'Helping you find independent advice' can be found in the 'Help' pages of the National Savings and Investments website at www.nsandi.com
   1. The National Savings and Investments survey was conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres via Phonebus from 26 November - 1 December 2002 as part of NS&I's ongoing research into saving and investment habits. The sample size was 2,007 adults.
      Question posed: Are you saving at present?

      Area	Percentage not saving
      East Anglia	38
      Scotland	34
      South East	32
      North West	31
      South West	27
      West Midlands	26
      Greater London	24
      Wales	24
      North East	22
      Yorkshire/Humberside	21
      East Midlands	21
      Average	27

       
2. NS&I does not currently pay commission to IFAs who recommend NS&I products to clients.