Essential IFA Limited

Reference number: 478224

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Appointed representative

This firm does not hold FCA authorisation of its own, and acts under a principal firm, which is legally responsible for its regulated business.

Responsible principal firm

The Whitechurch Network Limited Reference number: 190859 Authorised View firm →
What does this mean?
  • An appointed representative (AR) can carry out regulated financial services, but is not directly authorised by the FCA. A principal firm holds the authorisation and is legally responsible for the AR's conduct.
  • Essential IFA Limited (FRN 478224) is an AR of The Whitechurch Network Limited (FRN 190859). When you use Essential IFA's services, the FCA authorisation sits with the principal firm.
  • Example: if you take financial advice from Essential IFA, complaints and compensation usually follow the same rules as dealing with the principal, but this depends on the product and your circumstances.
  • Before you proceed, confirm contact details match the official FCA register for both firms. Scammers sometimes clone legitimate AR names and FRNs but use fake phone numbers and websites.

Website, phone number and address

Compare these against whatever you were given. Scammers clone real firm names and reference numbers but use their own phone number and website, so a detail that does not match the register is the clearest warning sign there is.

  • No website on the FCA register

  • Phone number

    01473 276141

  • Address

    Stebbings, Back Lane, Washbrook, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3JA, United Kingdom

In the full report: 2 background checks

  • What kind of line 01473 276141 is
  • Who else gives the postcode IP8 3JA
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Other names (1)

If you were contacted under any of these names, it is this firm.

  • Essential IFA Ltd Former name

FCA permissions and consumer protection

  • Protection through the principal firm
    Protection works through The Whitechurch Network Limited, the principal firm responsible for this firm's regulated activity. FSCS cover and the Financial Ombudsman Service apply as they would to the principal.
  • Complaints Ombudsman, free
    You can refer a complaint about this firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, whichever activity it relates to.

FCA disciplinary action and complaints

No FCA disciplinary action.

The Financial Ombudsman Service only publishes complaint figures for firms with 30 or more new complaints in six months, so there are none here for this firm.

Companies House record

The company behind the firm: its status, age, registered office and directors.

Company number
06405586
Company status
Active
Company type
Private limited company
Incorporated
22 October 2007 (19 years old)
Registered office
Stebbings Back Lane, Washbrook, Ipswich, IP8 3JA, England
Nature of business
  • Activities of insurance agents and brokers (SIC 66220)

Directors and company secretaries

Name Role Born Appointed Other companies
Peter Herd Director Jun 1968 22 Oct 2007 None
Sheila Herd Director Dec 1969 22 Oct 2007 None
Sheila Herd Secretary Not published 22 Oct 2007 None

In the full report: every company its directors have run

  • Confirmation that these 2 directors run no other company
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Filed accounts and finances

Year to 20 April 2025Abridged accountsNot audited

Net assets

£7,418

−49% from £14.5k

Cash at bank

£8,016

+329% from £1,867

Employees (average)

2

Same as 2

Owed within a year

£70.7k

+7.9% from £65.5k

Assets and liabilities

In the full report: all 7 years of accounts

  • Every year from 2019 to 2025
  • The chart, over every year
  • Every filed figure, year by year
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About these figures
Turnover
Money taken from sales in the year, before any costs.
Profit before tax
What was left after the year’s costs, before corporation tax. A minus figure is a loss.
Net assets, or total equity
Everything the company owns minus everything it owes. A minus figure means it owes more than it owns.
Total assets and total liabilities
Everything the company owns, and everything it owes, on the last day of the year. The gap between them is its net assets.
Cash at bank
Money in the company’s accounts on the last day of the year.
Owed within a year, owed after a year
Debts and bills due in the next twelve months, and those due later.

There is no turnover or profit: small companies do not have to publish them.

Accounts filed at Companies House for company 06405586. Every figure is as filed, apart from total assets and total liabilities, which are added up from filed figures. Nothing is estimated.

Key dates in its history

Essential IFA’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

2016

1 September 2016

  • Peter Herd became the majority owner (50–75% of shares)

Companies House

2014

21 July 2014

  • Changed its registered name from "Essential IFA Ltd"

FCA register

2008

29 January 2008

  • Became an appointed representative

FCA register

2007

22 October 2007

  • Incorporated at Companies House
  • Peter Herd appointed as a director
  • Sheila Herd appointed as a director

Companies House

Director appointments and resignations, and trading names, appear under All events.

Firms like Essential IFA

Other firms of the same type (insurance broker), nearest first.

In Ipswich

B L Williams, G C White & S M HeardIpswichAppointed representativeClaret Commercial LtdIpswichAppointed representativeEvans Insurance Brokers LtdIpswichAppointed representativeFoxhall Risk Management LtdIpswichAppointed representativeGary FarleyIpswichAppointed representativeGPJSIMS LimitedIpswichAppointed representative

Firms are listed by type and location, best known first. Being listed is not a recommendation: check any firm before you deal with it.

Get the full report on Essential IFA

Everything on this page, plus everything locked above, in one dated PDF you can keep, file or send on.

  • Every company its directors have run, named
  • 2 background checks on its contact details
  • 7 years of accounts, charted
  • All 6 events in its history

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Essential IFA Limited FCA authorised?
Essential IFA Limited (FRN 478224) is not directly authorised. It is an appointed representative acting under the responsibility of a directly authorised principal firm.
What does appointed representative mean for Essential IFA?
An appointed representative (AR) can carry out regulated financial services, but is not directly authorised by the FCA. A principal firm holds the authorisation and is legally responsible for the AR's conduct. Essential IFA Limited (FRN 478224) is an AR of The Whitechurch Network Limited (FRN 190859). When you use Essential IFA's services, the FCA authorisation sits with the principal firm. Example: if you take financial advice from Essential IFA, complaints and compensation usually follow the same rules as dealing with the principal, but this depends on the product and your circumstances. Before you proceed, confirm contact details match the official FCA register for both firms. Scammers sometimes clone legitimate AR names and FRNs but use fake phone numbers and websites.
What is Essential IFA’s phone number?
The FCA register lists the phone number 01473 276141 for Essential IFA. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.
Is Essential IFA a scam or clone?
Essential IFA is a genuine FCA-listed firm, and the FCA has published no warnings about fake versions of it. Scammers do copy real firms, though, so check that any contact details you were given match the ones on the register.
Is my money safe with Essential IFA?
Protection works through The Whitechurch Network Limited, the principal firm responsible for Essential IFA's regulated activity. FSCS cover and the Financial Ombudsman Service apply as they would to the principal.
Who owns Essential IFA?
Companies House lists one person with significant control of Essential IFA: Mr Peter Herd (50–75% of shares).
Who runs Essential IFA?
Companies House lists 2 directors of Essential IFA: Peter Herd and Sheila Herd.
How long has Essential IFA been in business?
The company was formed on 22 October 2007.
What do Essential IFA’s latest accounts show?
Its latest accounts, to 20 April 2025, show net assets of £7,418 (−49% from £14.5k) and cash at bank of £8,016 (+329% from £1,867).
Does Essential IFA use any other names?
It has previously used the name Essential IFA Ltd.

Sources and links

The full report on Essential IFA Limited

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