Martin Crick

Redundancy felt like a setback - until Robin showed me I could retire instead.

My name is Martin Crick. I’ve been a client of Bluecoat Wealth Management for six or seven years now, and my adviser is Robin Clarke.

I was looking for a financial adviser because I’d moved jobs several times, and I was aware I had various pensions and other savings dotted around, and I wanted them all sorted out so that I could get better returns from those investments.

I had a couple of pensions that were no longer being actively managed. They’d been grandfathered, or whatever you want to call it, and I wanted to get them moved into something where they would be more actively managed and deliver better returns.

The key benefit for me of Bluecoat is, firstly, their data-driven approach to investment: it’s not riding a hunch. But I also liked what I heard from Robin about their ethical values.

I like working with Bluecoat. When they say they’re going to do something, they follow through. I’ve never had to chase them, and when I have a review with them, I have the pleasant experience of Robin telling me I’m not spending enough, which is advice I never thought I would get from a financial adviser.

One of the great things I’ve found through working with Bluecoat is that I now have much more confidence in my financial future. It’s all under control. With the recent changes in the world economy and in the UK tax regime, Bluecoat was proactive in coming to me and saying, “We need to make some changes.”

When I was made redundant, Robin was able to help me realise that I had enough investments and pensions set aside, meaning I didn’t need to look for another job, and I could instead go off and enjoy sailing. So, in 2021, I set off and sailed around Britain, almost all single-handedly. I set off in April and returned in mid-September – fantastic trip.

The three phrases I would use to describe Bluecoat, and Robin in particular, are, first of all, honest and trustworthy; secondly, on my side; and thirdly, results-orientated.

What I like about working with Robin is that it feels like I’m working with a friend.

I think there are probably two “best” bits of advice I’ve had from Robin. One, financially specific, was in the year I was made redundant, to set up a Charities Aid Foundation account, which allowed me to make my future charitable donations in a very tax-efficient way in the final year when I was paying higher-rate tax. But overall, my favourite bit of advice from Robin is simply to spend more money.

I absolutely would recommend Bluecoat and Robin in particular to anybody who is looking for an adviser, not for a get-rich-quick scheme, but to set up your finances to deliver your goals in a reliable, honest, and ethical manner.