WEALTH manager Brewin Dolphin has reported profit before tax of £21.4m for the half year to the end of March, up from £6.8m for the same period a year ago.

The firm's total income increased by 5.3 per cent to £146.3m, while adjusted profit before tax of £29.7m showed an increase of 25.3 per cent.

William Baker Baker, the head of Brewin Dolphin's Newcastle office said “These results show a step change in our performance within an improving economic backdrop, they also reflect the opportunities open to us in the North-East as the demand for professional and trusted wealth management advice grows.

"This trend has been accelerated by the recent Budget, which put in place a strategy to modernise pensions and savings and which was warmly welcomed by us and our clients.”