Finance firm Beacon Wealth Management has again been named as being one of the top 100 best independent financial advisers in the UK and it has been praised for the way it has risen to “new challenges” for business in the pandemic.

Kimbolton-based Beacon, has featured in the top 100 for eight years running, fighting off competition from thousands of other firms in the busy industry.

New Model Adviser, a large financial publisher which is behind the awards, said that although the coronavirus had made it a hard year for any business, Beacon’s structure meant it had not been hit as hard as many other firms, with it investment team creating better results than the FTSE 100.

It also welcomed the firm’s preparations for Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) investing which had attracted interest from clients looking for more sustainable investment.

Tony Larkins, Beacon managing director, said: “It is an honour to be recognised again and it is testament to our team’s hard work and dedication to our clients that we have been.”

New Model Adviser (NMA) said: “Beacon Wealth Management certainly does not rest on its laurels. Despite featuring in the Top 100 for eight years running, the firm continues to look for ways to improve with its ‘good-to-great committee’ which comprises staff members from across the business.

“While this year has thrown up new challenges, Beacon has tried to keep up development with regular opportunities to earn qualifications and improve knowledge.”

NMA said: “It also provided a list of resources for furloughed employees to learn new skills during lockdown if they wanted to. Clients were also supported, with regular newsletters setting out what the team was doing during the pandemic.

“ESG has proven popular with Beacon’s clients this year, with 60 per cent of clients’ assets going into funds with some sort of screen. The firm was prepared for the influx, out of the 10 model portfolios, five have an ethical screen.”

NMA added: “This year hasn’t been easy for any business, but thanks to Beacon’s managing director Tony Larkins, who created a structure that would build on fund management income, and their investment team managing to create results far better than the FTSE 100, they haven’t been hit as hard as many others.”