Hiring in financial services is tilting toward more senior, regulated roles. In the sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles, rather than RQF 3-5 GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. That matters for brokers, because RQF levels map closely to professional study GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. RQF 6 sits at degree level, which aligns with advanced and diploma-level insurance units rather than the foundation ones.
So when a broking firm says it will fund study, the direction of travel is clear. The market is asking for people who can take on regulated responsibility, and the qualifications it supports follow suit. If you're planning your 2026 hiring, expect the units on offer to reflect that senior bias.
Because recruitment is weighted toward RQF 6+ roles rather than RQF 3-5 GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, the Chartered Insurance Institute units tied to funded broker roles tend to be the higher ones. In practice that means diploma and advanced diploma level study: units that count toward the CII Diploma in Insurance (Dip CII) and the Advanced Diploma (ACII), the recognised route to chartered status GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report.
Foundation and certificate units still appear in early-career and apprenticeship routes, which sit lower on the RQF scale. But the open roles driving demand in 2026 are the senior ones, so the funded units employers lead with are the diploma-level and advanced units that support regulated, chartered careers. A simple rule: the more senior the broker role, the higher the CII unit it funds.
Start with the regulatory bar. With recruitment generally for RQF 6+ roles rather than RQF 3-5 GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, you'll compete hardest for people who already hold, or are close to, diploma-level qualifications. Be specific in your advert about which CII units you fund and the target qualification, because that detail is a genuine draw.
Then move quickly. Qualified brokers have options, so a slow process loses them. Define the must-have units versus the nice-to-have ones, screen on evidence rather than job titles, and keep interviews tight. Frame study support as part of the offer, not an afterthought. People choosing between roles weigh who will help them reach chartered status.
We built Reed.ai to make senior, regulated hires like these faster and simpler. We search 15 million candidates to surface people who match your brief, including the diploma-level brokers these roles call for, and we manage recruitment end to end. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you're hiring brokers in 2026, start a role with us today and see your shortlist.
