As the UK financial services industry moves towards raised minimum qualification standards, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners has enlisted the help of private client law firm Boodle Hatfield in the development of its new qualification and education programme for financial advisors.

The recently launched Certificate for Financial Services (Trusts and Estate Planning) is described by STEP as the only trusts and estate planning qualification to address the common ground between trustees and those working in the financial services sector. The course material and textbook for the qualification were jointly written by Boodle Hatfield and Julie Hutchison, head of estate planning at Standard Life. Going forward Boodle Hatfield will continue to be involved in an advisory capacity to ensure that these materials remain up to date with regulatory developments.

STEP expects that up to 100 financial advisors will sign up for the certificate’s inaugural course, which begins in January. 

In other examination-related news, earlier this week the UK’s Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment moved to reassure advisors that age is no barrier to exam success – allaying fears that experienced practitioners could leave the industry rather than return to the exam hall.

In response to the Financial Services Authority’s directive that all investment advisors be qualified at level 4 by 2012, the CISI has developed its Certificate in Private Client Investment Advice and Management. Of the latest group to take the exam, the majority of candidates were over 40 and more than 20 per cent were in their 50s, the Institute said.