Berry & Oak

Business Details

Award-Winning Financial Advisers in Boston Spa

At Berry & Oak, we are an independent, multi award-winning financial planning practice dedicated to helping clients achieve their life goals without the fear of running out of money. Founded by Andrew and Sarah Elson, our Chartered and CISI-accredited firm combines over 40 years of collective experience to deliver tailored financial solutions. We prioritise life-centred planning, ensuring your money serves your lifestyle rather than the reverse. Our teams expertise spans retirement planning, estate management, and tax-efficient wealth transfer, supported by accreditations from leading industry bodies including the CII and SOLLA.

Recognised as Adviser Firm of the Year (UK) and Yorkshire Financial Awards Best Employer, we maintain a family-oriented approach, treating clients as part of our extended family. With a focus on transparency, we avoid financial jargon and product-centric sales, instead offering ongoing, adaptive advice to navigate lifes changes. Our commitment to ethical standards is underscored by our Cyber Essentials certification and signatory status to the PFS Financial Vulnerability Charter.

Services

Retirement Planning Estate Planning Investment Advice Tax-Efficient Strategies Financial Reviews

Highlights and features

We are one of only 65 CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firms in the UK.
Our Chartered status demonstrates commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.
We focus on life-centred financial planning, not product sales.
Award-winning client engagement with 100% client confidence in adviser expertise.
Cyber Essentials certified for robust data security and client protection.

Associations and certifications

Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments (CISI)
SOLLA Retirement Advice Standard
SIFA Professional
PFS Financial Vulnerability Charter
Cyber Essentials

What people say

Confident in technical abilities Informed and reassured Extremely likely to recommend Caring approach Simplified complex issues

Website

Update Listing

Services

Retirement Planning

We help clients transition into retirement with confidence by creating tailored financial strategies. Our approach considers lifestyle goals, income requirements, and market conditions. With SOLLA-accredited expertise, we optimise pension withdrawals and annuity decisions while ensuring long-term sustainability. Clients benefit from ongoing reviews to adapt to changing circumstances.

Estate Planning

Our specialists protect family legacies through tax-efficient estate planning. Services include inheritance tax mitigation, trust creation, and intergenerational wealth transfer strategies. We coordinate with legal professionals to align financial plans with wills and lasting powers of attorney, ensuring assets pass to beneficiaries as intended.

Investment Advice

We develop diversified investment portfolios aligned with risk profiles and financial objectives. Using independent market analysis, we select appropriate vehicles while maintaining transparency about fees and performance. Regular reviews ensure investments remain aligned with evolving life circumstances and market conditions.

Tax-Efficient Strategies

Our specialists identify legitimate opportunities to minimise tax liabilities across income, capital gains, and inheritance taxes. Strategies include utilising tax wrappers, gifting strategies, and business relief opportunities. We collaborate with accountants to ensure compliance while maximising after-tax returns.

Financial Reviews

We conduct comprehensive annual reviews to assess progress against financial goals. These sessions evaluate investment performance, life changes, and regulatory updates. Our documented review process ensures clients remain informed and confident in their financial direction, with adjustments made as needed.

People

Andrew Elson

Senior Financial Planner

With over 20 years' experience, Andrew specialises in retirement and estate planning. He holds the prestigious Chartered Financial Planner designation and is SOLLA-accredited. His client-centric approach focuses on simplifying complex financial matters while maintaining ethical standards.

Sarah Elson

Director

Sarah leads our operations with 20+ years in financial services. A multiple award winner including Female Leader of the Year (2025), she champions ethical practices and client empowerment. Her expertise spans tax-efficient strategies and business development.

Craig Stewart

Financial Planning Analyst

Craig supports client portfolios with analytical precision. He specialises in investment research and financial modelling, ensuring data-driven recommendations. His technical skills complement our commitment to delivering accurate, actionable advice.

Ruth Lippiatt

Operations Manager

Ruth oversees daily operations, maintaining our high service standards. With extensive experience in financial services compliance, she ensures seamless client interactions and regulatory adherence across all business processes.

Will Costall

Technology Manager

Will leads our digital infrastructure, implementing secure systems that protect client data. His Cyber Essentials expertise ensures robust cybersecurity measures while enhancing client-facing technology for improved service delivery.

Questions

Are you regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority?

Yes, we are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 787328).

What areas do you cover?

We primarily serve Yorkshire and surrounding regions including Leeds, Grimsby, and Wakefield.

How do you charge for your services?

We provide transparent fee structures during initial consultations, with no hidden charges.

Can you help with inheritance tax planning?

Yes, we specialise in tax-efficient estate planning strategies to protect family wealth.

What makes you different from other advisers?

Our life-centred approach focuses on your goals rather than selling products, with proven accreditations.

Do you offer ongoing financial reviews?

Yes, we provide annual reviews to ensure your plan adapts to changing circumstances.

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Reviews (7)

Write a Review

Rbh Icu Rota

Jan 17, 2022 Report

Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Responsiveness,Value
The team at Berry & Oak assisted us with our income protection plans. They were extremely professional and made the whole process as simple as possible for us. We felt reassured at all times that we were in very good hands. We highly recommend Berry & Oak for all financial support!

Tom Robertshaw

Dec 31, 2021 Report

I began working with Berry and Oak at a really difficult time for the family and we were in need of some guidance on how best to set us up for a secure financial future. My experience with all of the team at Berry and Oak is that they take a real personal approach, they recognise the importance of tailoring advice and presenting it in a clear and easy to understand manner. This, coupled with their responsiveness, really has helped to give me great confidence about mine and the entire familys financial future. I would highly recommend Berry and Oak if you are looking to find financial advice

The Diamond Cow Scottsmith

Nov 28, 2021 Report

Today we drove down to Boston Spar for our twice yearly visit to Berry and Oak. My wife and I were invited in and asked if we would like a cup of tea before we chatted. It was all very informal and the bits I couldn`t get my head around were explained to us. The information we received was all concise and clear information we were given. Very professional !
SJ and EL

Ann Allcock

Sep 11, 2021 Report

We were approaching retirement and were confused on what to do with our pensions and savings. Berry & Oak took their time to reassure us and explain all our options and created a strategy that meant we could retire in relative comfort. Since retiring they meet with us regularly to ensure everything is still ok for us and advice on any changes needed. Our investments have done very well and this has allowed us to do more than we planned in retirement. We couldnt speak highly enough of them and would recommend them to anyone wanting help with retirement planning and investing.

Daniel Copley

Sep 09, 2021 Report

On behalf of David Copley:
Although we are reasonably well organised as a family and household we have always tended to put our personal finances to the back of our minds. The image of an ostrich comes to mind. So when it came towards the autumn of our working lives the rude awakening was that we had various defunct pensions plus a bit of money sloshing around in so called investments and savings.

It all seemed fragmented and inadequate. And then we found Berry & Oak. They were nearby, approachable, understanding. They were different from anyone I had ever met in that they understood my desire

Becky Carter

Sep 05, 2021 Report

I have been using Andrew Elson for financial advice for over 10 years. I first approached Andrew when I became self employed and needed support with arranging a pension and critical illness cover. Since then I have regular financial planning sessions with Andrew where we cover a wide range of issues and differing requirements. I have always found Andrew to be approachable and knowledgeable. He always listens fully to my needs before outlining the different options available to me to review. Thanks to Andrew's advice i have made financial decisions that will benefit my future and I have no hesitation

Linda Gordon

Aug 20, 2021 Report

We have had a relationship with Berry and Oak for over five years now. In the beginning my husband was starting to think about how we could get the most out of savings to sustain a life that we wanted. We met with Andrew and had a very honest and in-depth meeting about our needs and desires for the future. This involved being able to live a similar lifestyle to what we were used to whilst being able to leave a substantial amount of money to our two children.
Berry and Oak were not only able to support us do this but also gave great advice on how to manage our monthly spending to keep a tighter