Demand for face-to-face advice has held up despite lockdown, new research suggests.

Ongoing social distancing has not changed how people prefer to receive advice, according to an Openwork poll, with nearly two thirds of adults still wanting face-to-face support, and 66 per cent worrying robo-advice may not meet their needs.

Some 35 per cent of advisers believe that the pandemic will increase demand, and nearly half believe they will need to recruit more advisers to meet this.

The workplace could play a key role in providing face-to-face services, as 36 per cent of respondents said that they would like their current employer to offer access to financial advice, rising to 60 per cent for 18 – 24-year olds.

The younger generation also reported being more likely to seek advice thanks to Covid, at 23 per cent, compared to 17 per cent of those over 35.

Learning and acquisition director Claire Limon says: “Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 and the difficult last six months, it is absolutely clear that the demand for financial advice remains as strong as ever, especially among young adults who have only recently started their careers.

“To some extent it will be about repairing the financial damage of Covid-19, but it is also interesting that people still want to see advisers face to face despite social distancing.”