A survey of delegates attending the PFS’ Scottish regional conference in Perth – just days before the actual vote takes place on 18 September – showed 79% of those asked were against Scotland breaking away from the rest of the UK.
Just 11% were in favour, with the remaining 10% undecided.
However, according to one who took part, Dennis Osman from Glasgow-based Hicks and McNish, the official result will be a much closer affair.
“I was not surprised by the outcome from a financial services perspective,” said Osman, who is the Personal Finance Society’s educational officer for central Scotland, “But there will be a lot more emotion involved on the day.”
The latest figures from YouGov on 6 September, put the ‘yes’ vote marginally ahead on 47% against 45% who say ‘no’ and the remaining 8% undecided.
Osman added: “As far as we are concerned, there is a general consensus that going independent will only result in added costs for us all.
“We would have to duplicate the FCA, PRA and FSCS, yet like most IFAs in Scotland, I have many clients south of the border, which could make things rather complicated.
“Our view seemed to be that there is strength in togetherness and that, for the financial services sector at least, the positives of saying ‘no’ far outweigh the negatives.”
However supporters of the ‘Yes’ campaign have said Scotland is economically viable and will flourish as an independent nation.
