Time to take UCIS seriously

Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes (UCIS) are a growing part of an adviser's potential portfolio of investment options, even though, as a sector, it is relatively young.

The UCIS roadshow currently touring the country reveals a market that incorporates sectors and asset classes as diverse as wine, traded life policies, enterprise zone schemes and biofuels. That more than 900 advisers registered for the seminars shows the level of interest in the sector. In their broadest sense, UCIS are uncorrelated with traditional asset classes such as bonds and equities. So, from an investment perspective, a good case can be made to a sophisticated investor for diversification into a single or range of UCIS products. And there are certainly some clients for whom inves...