Recruitment figures from Just Mortgages show that the majority of self-employed advisers brought into the brokerage over the past 12 months have joined under principal firms, underlining a growing appetite among experienced advisers to build and lead their own teams.

Nearly 60% of self-employed advisers recruited during the period were aligned with principal businesses rather than operating alone. These senior brokers typically recruit support staff and additional advisers as they expand, forming a central pillar of Just Mortgages’ long-term growth strategy.

Supporting business principals is a core element of the Just Mortgages proposition, with recruitment assistance offered at no additional cost. This focus has been reinforced by the recent appointment of senior recruitment consultant Sascha Mason, who is tasked with helping principals attract adviser talent as they scale their operations.

The firm claims this strategy is already delivering results. Just Mortgages has more than tripled the number of protection advisers within its self-employed division as principals seek to diversify income, meet regulatory expectations and create more resilient businesses with broader client banks.

ADVISER DEMAND

Demand from advisers also remains strong. During 2025, Just Mortgages received more than 100 applications to join its self-employed division, reflecting continued interest from advisers looking to move away from employed or corporate models and establish their own firms with national backing.

Ben Allkins (pictured), head of mortgages and protection at Just Mortgages, said: “There is a real appetite among business principals to grow right now.

“Advisers want to build sustainable businesses with people around them, not work in isolation, and that’s exactly what our model is designed to support.

“What sets us apart is that we actively help our business principals recruit and scale, and we do that at no extra cost. By investing in recruitment support and specialist roles, we’re removing one of the biggest barriers to growth and giving principals the confidence to take the next step.

“It’s just one example of the comprehensive support structure we place around all our self-employed advisers, whether that’s as a new starter or a principal firm.”

He added: “The volume of applications we’re seeing shows there is strong demand to go self-employed, but advisers want to do it the right way. Our focus on business principals is central to that and will remain a key driver of the division’s success.”