The Personal Finance Society has revamped its awards programme to recognise the efforts of those who have championed consumer interests.
From this year, the Chartered Awards will be rebranded as the Personal Finance Awards, which for the first time will include five categories for excellence in trade and national media.
The annual awards programme, which is being held for the eighth year, will also see the PFS expand its list of practitioner awards to recognise specialist advisers.
This means the specialist areas of retirement and later life advice, investment advice and mortgage and protection advice will also receive nods at the new awards.
PFS chief executive Keith Richards, said he wanted to use the annual gongs to recognise those who have contributed to developing a more informed and educated public.
“We’ve assembled an expert judging panel, which has already started reviewing some of the outstanding reporting being done by personal finance journalists across the country.”
Stage one entries to the six practitioner awards are now open and close on 12 August.
A judging panel will select winners of two national media awards and a consumer champion category from a shortlist of finalists to be announced on 1 July.
Voting for the two trade media awards will be opened to members of the PFS during the summer.
Following the launch of the PFS’s MoneyPlan initiative - which offers pro bono financial guidance to consumers through Citizens Advice Bureau - a MoneyPlanner of the Year award has replaced the annual pro bono award.
Simon Glazier of Anderson Anderson & Brown Wealth was the winner of last year’s Chartered Financial Planner of the Year award.
“When I saw the calibre of the other finalists it made my winning this award all the more valuable,” he stated.
“The respect of my peers, the confidence of my clients, the enhanced standing with professional connections and the pride of my team have all made it more than worth the effort.”
The awards will be presented at a gala dinner in November. Entries can be made here.
