How much does a financial coach cost in the UK?

If you’re thinking about working with a financial coach, one of the first questions you’ll probably have is: how much does a financial coach cost?

It’s a fair question, but the answer isn’t always straightforward. Unlike regulated financial advice, where costs are often linked to assets under management, fees for financial coaching will depend on the coach’s experience, approach, and the level of support they provide.

In the UK, financial coaching can cost anywhere from £100 per session to several thousand pounds for a structured coaching programme. Note that you’ll be able to find basic guidance at a lower cost, or even free, so it’s important to understand what you’re actually paying for.

A “proper” financial coach won’t just give you tips or general guidance; they’ll help you shift your mindset, build confidence around money and take control of your financial future.

That’s why it’s important to choose a coach who is actually trained in coaching, not just someone with financial expertise. While financial knowledge is important, coaching is a distinct skillset that involves deep listening, powerful questioning, and behaviour-change techniques. Without these, you might just be paying for informal guidance rather than real coaching.

In this article, we’ll break down:

• What does a financial coach actually do?
• How much does a financial coach cost?
• What factors influence pricing?
• How to make sure you’re paying for genuine coaching
• Is financial coaching worth the investment?

This should give you a clearer idea of what to expect when working with a financial coach, so you can make an informed decision and get the most value for your money.

What does a financial coach actually do?

A financial coach’s role is to help you feel more confident in making your own financial decisions. Unlike a financial adviser, who tells you what to do or recommends specific products, a coach supports you in developing the knowledge, mindset, and habits that allow you to take control of your money with clarity and confidence.

How financial coaching differs from financial advice and guidance

Financial coaching sits in a unique space between financial advice and general financial guidance:

• Financial Coaching → Focuses on empowerment, decision-making and taking action. A coach helps you understand your financial situation, develop better habits, and build the confidence to make informed choices about your money. They don’t tell you what to do but instead guide you in discovering the best path for yourself.

• Financial Guidance → Provides general financial information, often through charities, workplace programs and banks. Guidance is useful but tends to be broad rather than tailored to your specific situation.

• Financial Advice → A regulated service where an adviser assesses your circumstances and recommends specific financial products (such as pensions, investments, or insurance). Financial advisers must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and will often charge percentage-based fees for their advice.

What You Can Expect from a Financial Coach

The value of financial coaching is that it blends mindset, habits, and knowledge-building in a way that helps you take control of your financial future. A good financial coach will support you with:

✔ Financial Confidence – Helping you understand your financial situation so you can make informed decisions without second-guessing yourself.

✔ Money Mindset & Behaviours – Identifying and shifting unhelpful beliefs around money that might be holding you back.

✔ Practical Financial Habits – Supporting you in creating a budget that works, setting realistic savings goals, or tackling debt in a manageable way.

✔ Building Financial Knowledge – Explaining financial concepts in a way that makes sense, so you’re not reliant on others to tell you what to do.

The Value of Working with a Coach Who Understands Finance

While coaching is primarily about empowerment rather than advice, it can be really valuable to work with someone who also understands the financial side of things.

A coach with financial qualifications should be able to explain key concepts clearly, without jargon, so you feel equipped to make your own decisions.

But just as important is that they have coaching skills, not just financial knowledge. Real coaching involves deep listening, asking powerful questions, and supporting you in changing habits – not just telling you what to do.

If you’re looking for a coach, it’s worth checking whether they’ve trained with a recognised coaching organisation. Some examples include:

• ICF (International Coaching Federation) – a global organisation that sets professional standards for coaching

• EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council) – a professional body for coaches and mentors across Europe

• ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management) – offers coaching and mentoring qualifications in the UK

• Wise Monkey Financial Coaching – a UK-based provider of specialist training for financial coaches, with a strong emphasis on values-led, client-centred work

For example, my own background includes the Wise Monkey Financial Coach Practitioner Certificate and an ICF-accredited Certificate in Professional Coaching Practice, alongside years of experience as a Chartered Financial Planner. I also hold the Financial Wellbeing Certificate from the Institute for Financial Wellbeing and a specialist certification in Financial Abuse Awareness. This helps me support clients in a safe, empathetic and fully informed way.

While a certificate isn’t the only thing that matters, working with someone who has invested in their own training gives you more confidence that they have the tools to support real change; not just offer tips or opinions.

How much does a financial coach cost?

The short answer is: it varies. Fees can differ significantly depending on the coach’s experience, the depth of support they offer, and the format of their services.

That said, here’s a general idea of what you might expect to pay in the UK:

• Hourly Sessions – Many coaches offer pay-as-you-go sessions, usually priced between £100 and £250 per hour. This can be a good option if you want to dip your toe in or need help with something specific.

• Packages or Programmes – Some coaches offer structured programmes that run over several weeks or months. These often include a mix of one-to-one sessions, exercises between meetings, and email or message support. Packages typically range from around £500 to £2,000+, depending on the depth and duration of the support.

• Monthly Retainers – For ongoing support, some coaches offer a monthly fee that includes regular check-ins and access to your coach between sessions. That could cost anywhere from, say, £50 to £250 per month.

You might also find group coaching options or online courses at a lower cost. These can be great if you’re looking to build financial confidence in a more affordable way, or with peer-support.

What Else Can Affect the Cost?

Pricing isn’t just about a coach’s time. It also reflects the value and outcomes a coach is helping you achieve. A few factors that can influence what a coach charges include:

• Experience and qualifications – A coach who brings both coaching credentials and financial expertise may charge more, but they’ll also bring a richer blend of support.

• Coaching style and structure – One-off sessions tend to cost less, but structured coaching programmes often provide deeper, longer-lasting change.

• Level of personalisation – Fully tailored, one-to-one coaching will naturally be more expensive than group work or online learning.

Most coaches offer a free initial chat or “discovery call”. This can help you get a feel for whether their approach is a good fit before committing to anything. Some may also offer tiered pricing or payment plans to make coaching more accessible.

What You’re Really Paying For

Ultimately, financial coaching is an investment in yourself. It’s not just about your money, but your mindset, your confidence, and your future.

When you’re looking at prices, it may help to ask yourself:

“What would it be worth to me to feel calm, confident, and in control of my money?”

What I charge:

To give you a rough idea, I charge £150 for a 60-minute one-off session or £250 for a more in-depth 120-minute session.

For more structured support, I offer a range of coaching packages:

• £420 for a 3-month Focussed package (3 x 60-minute sessions)
• £780 for a 6-month Holistic package (6 x 60-minute sessions)
• £1,575 for a 9-month Comprehensive package, which includes 9 x 60-minute sessions and lifetime cashflow modelling using professional financial planning software

I like to be clear and transparent about pricing, so you can always find the most up-to-date details on my Services page.

How to make sure you’re paying for genuine coaching (not just guidance)

Because financial coaching is still a relatively new field, especially in the UK, it’s not always clear what’s meant by the word “coach.”

More and more these days, the term gets used by people offering general money tips or sharing their personal experiences. That kind of support can be helpful, but if you’re paying for coaching, it’s worth making sure you’re getting something that can be transformative.

True financial coaching is about helping you build clarity, confidence, and long-term change—not just handing you a plan and sending you on your way. But it’s also not just coaching in the purest sense of the word.

A good financial coach blends coaching, guidance, and mentoring – and knows when to use each.

For example, some clients already know what they want to achieve, but feel stuck on how to get there. In those moments, a coach with real financial expertise can absolutely offer options, suggest a structure, or help map out a step-by-step approach.

The key is that it’s done with your permission, in service of your goals, not as a default or in a directive way.

Here’s what to look out for to make sure you’re getting real coaching (with the right amount of support built in):

Real Coaching Puts You in the Driving Seat

A coach doesn’t come in with all the answers. They help you explore what matters most to you. But when you reach a point where you want guidance, a skilled coach can shift gears and offer suggestions or share knowledge in a way that supports, not overrides, your autonomy.

Look for Coaching Qualifications, Not Just Financial Experience

Coaching is a professional skill in its own right. Look for someone who’s trained in coaching (e.g. through ICF, EMCC, ILM, or Wise Monkey Financial Coaching), as well as having financial knowledge. It’s this combination that allows a coach to move fluidly between coaching, mentoring, and teaching.

Ask About Their Coaching Approach

A good coach will be clear about how they work. Do they have a process or is their work always bespoke? You’re not looking for a one-size-fits-all approach, but you might appreciate a degree of structure so you know what to expect.

Check for a Non-Judgmental, Supportive Style

Coaching is most powerful when it feels safe. Money is deeply personal, and a good coach will meet you where you are, without judgement or pressure. They’ll listen more than they talk, and they’ll respect your pace, your preferences, and your boundaries.

Trust Your Gut

Pay attention to how you feel in early conversations. Do you feel seen and heard? Do they ask thoughtful questions? Are they offering support in a way that feels empowering, rather than preachy or prescriptive? You want to walk away from a session feeling clearer, not more confused or dependent.

Is financial coaching worth the investment?

It’s perfectly natural to hesitate before spending money on something that doesn’t give you an instant, tangible return. This is especially true when the topic is money itself.

You might find yourself wondering, “Shouldn’t I be saving this money, not spending it on talking about money?”

But here’s the thing: financial coaching isn’t just an expense, it’s an investment in your relationship with money. And for many people, that relationship is the root of both their financial challenges and their stress around money.

Financial coaching helps you:

• Understand what’s really going on with your finances – not just the numbers, but the emotions and behaviours behind them
• Break out of unhelpful patterns, whether that’s overspending, avoidance, or chronic under-earning
• Build confidence to make decisions, take action, and trust yourself with money
• Feel calmer, clearer, and more in control

It’s about building sustainable habits and mindset shifts that last far beyond the coaching relationship itself.

The Value Isn’t Just Financial

Coaching can absolutely help you make better financial decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and build wealth. But its impact often runs deeper than just pounds and pence.

Many clients say they feel lighter after coaching. They sleep better. They argue less about money with their partner. They stop procrastinating on things that have been hanging over them for years.

That’s hard to put a price tag on.

What’s It Worth to You?

Only you can decide whether it’s the right time to invest in coaching. But a helpful question to ask yourself might be:

“What would change in my life if I felt confident, calm, and in control of my money?”

If your answer feels meaningful, then financial coaching might just be one of the best investments you ever make.

Ready to explore financial coaching for yourself?

If you’re curious about whether coaching might be right for you, I offer a free 30-minute initial chat where we can explore what’s going on for you financially and whether coaching could be a good fit.