Complaints about personal investment firms jumped about 20 per cent in the first half of 2011 compared with both half-year periods last year, according to the latest data from the UK Financial Services Authority.

Personal investment firms, where IFAs make up the majority, received 24,548 complaints during the six months ended 30 June, up from 20,713 during the second half of last year and 20,398 during the first half.

The FSA also said that complaints about financial services in general amounted to 1,852,284 - up 3 per cent from the previous six-month period. Worth noting is that discontent about banking was at the lowest level since the first half of 2008. To read the full story, click here.

Looking back, the number of complaints about personal investment firms has fallen substantially from 46,529 in the first half of 2006, whereas the number of total complaints is 400,000 higher than five years ago.