Our approach
Personal advice. Vegan values.
An advised investment service, not a fund shop. Chartered financial planners assess your situation, recommend a screened portfolio in writing and stay with you year on year.
What we stand on
Four principles we do not bend.
Advice before product
Nothing is recommended until your goals, time horizon, attitude to risk and capacity for loss are assessed and written down. The recommendation follows from them, never the other way round.
Values are a rule, not a filter you toggle
The vegan screening criteria are fixed and documented. Every fund in a recommended portfolio must pass them, and the criteria appear in your suitability report with the date they were applied.
Long term, by design
Portfolios are diversified and rebalanced, and reviewed at least once a year. We do not trade on news, and we do not publish return targets or forecasts.
Everything in writing
Your suitability report sets out what was recommended, why, what it costs and what could go wrong. A separate evidence record keeps the full calculation behind it for as long as you are a client and beyond.
How advice works
Four steps, one written plan.
Regulated advice follows a set order for a reason: assess first, recommend second, then keep looking after it. Here is what that looks like for you, screen by screen.
Step 1 of 4: Assessment
- 1
Step 1
Assessment
You tell us about your goals, your time horizon, what you already hold and how much you can afford to lose without changing your plans. Around fifteen minutes, saved as you go.
- Plain English questions
- Identity checks handled once
- Nothing recommended yet
- 2
Step 2
Risk and values
A structured risk questionnaire sets your attitude to risk and your capacity for loss. Your vegan screening rules are confirmed alongside it, so the values filter is part of the assessment rather than an afterthought.
- Scored risk profile
- Capacity for loss recorded
- Screening rules confirmed
- 3
Step 3
Recommendation
A chartered financial planner recommends a portfolio that fits your risk band and passes the screening rules, in a written suitability report that sets out the reasoning, the costs and the risks.
- Written suitability report
- Costs shown in pounds and percent
- Risks explained before you commit
- 4
Step 4
Ongoing care
Your plan is reviewed at least annually. You can message your adviser, update your circumstances and see every document in the app, and the screening rules are re-applied as funds change.
- Annual suitability review
- Secure adviser messaging
- Documents kept for you
Screens are from the beta build of the Vegan Invest app. Figures shown are illustrative, not a forecast.
Ethical screening
What the rules exclude, and what they look for.
Every fund is checked against the same written criteria before it can be recommended, and again at each review as holdings change.
Excluded
- Animal testing
- Meat, dairy, eggs and leather
- Factory farming and its supply chain
- Fossil fuel extraction
- Weapons and arms
- Tobacco
Positive screens
- Renewable energy
- Sustainable agriculture and food
- Clean technology
- Healthcare innovation
- Education services
- Circular economy
Five portfolios
A portfolio matched to your risk band.
Your assessment places you in one of five bands. Each band has a screened portfolio whose mix of bonds and equities sets how much it can move. Your adviser confirms the fit in writing.
Band 1
Defensive
Lower Risk
Capital preservation with steady, modest growth
80% bonds, 20% equities
Band 2
Cautious
Low-Medium Risk
Balanced approach with income focus
60% bonds, 40% equities
Band 3
Balanced
Medium Risk
Equal focus on growth and stability
40% bonds, 60% equities
Band 4
Growth
Medium-High Risk
Focused on long-term capital growth
20% bonds, 80% equities
Band 5
Adventurous
Higher Risk
Maximum growth potential for long horizons
0% bonds, 100% equities
Transparent pricing
One fee, shown in pounds.
Our advice and ongoing service are charged as a single annual percentage of the money we look after. Your suitability report shows it in pounds for your own amount, alongside the underlying fund charges.
Annual service fee
0.75%
of the value we manage, per year
Roughly £7.50 a year for every £1,000 invested. No set-up, exit or transaction fees from us.
Underlying fund charges of approximately 0.2% to 0.4% a year apply in addition and are paid within the funds. All figures are confirmed for you in writing before you invest.
Everything included
- Personal financial advice from chartered planners
- Screened portfolios, rebalanced regularly
- Annual suitability review
- Secure adviser messaging in the app
- Your documents kept in one place
Risk warnings
- The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invest.
- Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. We do not publish return targets.
- Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change in the future.
- Ethical screening changes what your money finances; it does not reduce investment risk.
Meet the team
Chartered financial planners
Vegan Invest is powered by Altor Wealth, a team dedicated to helping clients reach their objectives with integrity and expertise.
Matt Pitcher
Managing Partner
Matt started his career as an independent adviser in May 2001, rising to become one of only four Executive Partners nationally at Towry. Following the acquisition by Permira in 2016, Matt left to establish Altor believing that there was a fairer way of advising clients.
Lucinda Pitcher
Partner
Lucinda is an equity partner at Altor and is responsible for the running of the business. Coming from a teaching background, her day to day role ensures that crucial functions are fulfilled allowing the advisers to focus on clients.
Vaughan Watson
Partner
Vaughan started his career as a financial adviser in 1999, becoming one of only a dozen Senior Client Partners at Towry. He joined Altor as a Partner in April 2019 seeking a firm aligned with his values. He has embraced Veganism since 2020.
Jon Whiteley
Financial Planner
Jon started his career in 1988 running his own IFA business. He came out of retirement to join Altor believing that our innovative charging model and independence is just what his clients are looking for.
Lee Harman
Financial Planner
Lee started his career at Saunderson House, becoming an adviser in 2018 and achieving Chartered status in 2019. He left following a takeover to seek a firm more aligned with his values.
Hannah Lawless
Financial Planner
After several years working in NHS operational & governance management, Hannah decided to channel her energy into financial planning. She has completed the Diploma for Financial Advisers, with a view to progress to Chartered status.
James Cooper
Financial Planner
James joins us having spent the previous decade as a Police Officer for Hampshire Constabulary. Prior to that he spent 6 years in Kansas on a joint basketball and academic scholarship, obtaining his finance degree.
Hugo Sherlock
Trainee Financial Planner
Hugo joins us having spent 5 years training and practicing as a chartered accountant, recently working as a Fund Controller in a listed real estate fund. He is currently working towards his Diploma in Financial Advice.
Ashley Weller-Evans
Analyst
Ash comes from a finance background – most recently working at Merlin Entertainments and previously 5 years at Novuna Business Finance. Ash is responsible for looking after our clients' investments.
Louise McCormack
Technical Administrator
With over a decade of experience in administrative support and data management, Louise combines technical expertise and a CeMAP qualification with a passion for efficiency and innovation.
Jo Addison
Administrator
Jo comes from a varied administration background and was most recently working for a Conservation/Heritage company. Jo is responsible for looking after our clients' administration needs.
Vegan Invest, in your pocket
Advice that travels with you.
The client experience is moving to a native app for iPhone and Android. Onboarding, your adviser, your documents and your plan reviews in one place, protected by your phone's own security.
- Your suitability report and every document, kept together
- Secure messages with your adviser, answered by a person
- Review reminders and plan updates, nothing promotional
Beta open
Store listings follow the beta. Until then both badges take you to the invitation list.
Screens from the beta build. Figures shown are illustrative, not a forecast.