Nucleus Financial Platforms

Nucleus Financial Platforms: investment and pension platforms for financial advice in the UK

Nucleus Financial Platforms is an independent UK group that brings together investment platforms, pension products and wealthtech software. The company presents itself as one of the country's leading independent groups in its segment and states that it is the only large-scale group with a comprehensive range of bespoke platform solutions for advisory and investment management firms of all sizes, as well as for their clients.

The group states that it focuses exclusively on the advice sector, with no vertical integration and no in-house investment funds or solutions, and offers adviser firms operational efficiency so they can grow their businesses.

Platforms and products of the group

Nucleus's activity is structured around several platforms and products:

• Nucleus Platform: a retirement-focused adviser platform proposition that combines technology with the group's more than 45 years of pensions experience.
• Nucleus Wrap: a wrap platform launched in 2006 by a group of adviser firms, aimed at financial planning for small and medium-sized advisers.
• James Hay: the UK's first Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) provider, with Partnership SIPP and IPS SIPP products, and James Hay Online as a retirement platform for large financial advice businesses.
• Curtis Banks: one of the UK's largest providers of SIPPs and Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSAS), with flexible options for retirement goals.
• Talbot and Muir: an SSAS provider specialising in commercial property.
• Third Financial: a provider of scalable and bespoke Enterprise and Adviser as a Platform solutions for large advice firms and consolidators.
• Dunstan Thomas: technology solutions and services for wealth management, retail platforms and the retirement market.

Scale and financial strength

The group reports £117 billion in assets under administration, 251,000 customers and approximately 5,200 advice firms. Regarding its financial strength, it states that it holds an AKG rating of B+ (very strong), which, according to its own presentation, places it among the safest providers in the platform sector.

Ownership structure

HPS Investment Partners, a US private capital provider, is the majority shareholder of the parent company, Nucleus Financial Platforms Group. Epiris LLP is a minority shareholder. The company notes that the support of these investors enables it to continue innovating.

Research and foundation

Nucleus produces the UK Retirement Confidence Index, a report that analyses trends in customer sentiment and financial preparedness. According to the group, 74% of UK adults are not confident they will have enough money to retire. In addition, the Nucleus Foundation, in collaboration with the Verve Foundation, funds and supports an initial cohort of ten women on the We Are Change programme.

Customer service and presence

The group's head office is in Salisbury, with a correspondence address in Glasgow. Telephone support is available Monday to Friday, from 8:30 to 17:30, and messages can be left outside these hours.

Offices and locations

Main office: Suite B & C First Floor Milford House 43-55 Milford Street Salisbury SP1 2BP · Telephone: 0131 226 9800

Correspondence address: Nucleus client relations PO Box 26968 Glasgow G2 9DY