South East

The South East has the second largest share of UK financial services employment of any region (14 percent, or 129,000 employees) after London. The region’s share of employment in life insurance and financial leasing is the largest of any region.

The financial services industry accounts for 7.6 per cent of regional Gross Value Added (GVA). It contributed £12.3 billion to the regional economy in 2007. This makes the South East an essential part of the UK economy.

The most notable characteristic of the South East region is that it has no particular geographic clusters of financial services employment and businesses. The highest concentrations exist in Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and West Sussex.

In response to the high proportion of financial services businesses in this region, the National Skills Academy for Financial Services (NSAFS) has a strong presence in the South East through its accredited training provider network. Lead training provider Farnborough College of Technology, Hampshire Business School, lies on the border of Surrey and Berkshire and is supported by training provider Orpington College which is based on the Kent border. We are actively seeking to expand the network of training providers in this region.

The region is supported by its participative and active Regional Employer Board which represents the different sub sectors of the industry and the various geographic parts of the region.

The Regional Employer Board includes representatives from:

• Family Investments
• Aon Ltd
• Fortis UK
• Tenet Group plc
• Santander
• Sussex Independent Financial Advisers
• Zurich
• Prudential Assurance
• Chaucer Syndicates and Chaucer Insurance
• Skandia
• Lighthouse Group
• All Types of Mortgages Ltd

As well as these key industry employers, the Regional Development Agency (SEEDA) and the regional Learning and Skills Council (LSC) are also represented.

Some of our training providers can deliver in other regions too.