HL Company History

A timeline of events that have been instrumental in shaping Hargreaves Lansdown

Important notes - our website does not give personal advice. All investments fall as well as rise in value so you could get back less than you invest. If unsure about an investment please seek advice.

1981

Start of Hargreaves Lansdown

  • Founded by Peter Hargreaves and Stephen Lansdown.

  • Providing information to clients on unit trusts and tax planning matters.

First investment newsletter

  • Titled ‘The Unit Investor’, it highlighted two UK Equity Income funds: Henderson Income & Growth, and Save & Prosper Income & Growth.

  • Marking the beginnings of our direct, information-driven approach to helping clients choose their own investments.

1986

Discretionary investment management service launched

  • Financial Services Act introduced regulation and authorisation of investment businesses.

1987

Hargreaves Lansdown PEP (Personal Equity Plan – an early version of an ISA) launched

  • Over the summer of 1987, there was a frenzy from clients eager to get into the stock market. Unit trust launches were proving so popular that even estate agents were mailing application forms to their customers.

  • This was HL’s first experience of handling very high volumes of business.

Stock market crash

  • Whilst many fund managers and brokers simply switched off their telephones and refused to take client instructions, HL continued to talk to clients and guide them through the turbulent time.

  • HL earned clients’ trust, which saw them bring more of their investments to us, recommend their friends, and remain loyal during the subsequent recovery.