A director of an IFP corporate member has said it is “alarming” that advisers appear to be failing to recommend investment trusts due to poor understanding.
James de Sausmarez has also called on the major fund platforms to accelerate plans to provide access to investment companies on their platforms.

Mr de Sausmarez, director and head of investment trusts at Henderson Global Investors, made the comments after a report about the use of investment trusts, which were the world's first collective investment vehicle and launched in the 1800s.

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His research team found 57% of advisers have not been recommending investment trusts to their clients due to a combination of a lack of access via platforms and poor understanding.

Some 12% had not been putting investment trusts forward because they failed to understand the products themselves, while 11% stated they were too difficult to access via fund supermarkets.

Another 12% admitted that they do not suggest investment trusts to clients because they only offer-open product advice.

Mr de Sausmarez said: “It is alarming that IFAs do not recommend investment trusts to their clients simply because they do not understand them or do not have access to them via the large fund supermarkets.

“Henderson calls on the major fund platforms, Fidelity FundsNetwork, Cofunds and Old Mutual, to accelerate their plans to provide access to investment companies on their platforms.”

He said: “The Association of Investment Companies has a highly commendable IFA training programme which is available to any IFA that is interested.

“At Henderson we are developing new and innovative content to help IFAs and retail investors gain a better understanding of the benefits of trusts.”

Despite the findings over three-quarters of advisers surveyed admitted that they felt investment trusts were important investment vehicles for their clients because of their growth and income potential.

In a few years' time the first of Britain's oldest collective investment vehicles, the Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust, will celebrate its 150th birthday.