If you received a five-figure lump sum from inheritance, a maturing insurance policy, a company share save scheme, or a redundancy pay-off, would you know how to handle it?

A new car and a holiday are easy decisions. Finding expert, impartial advice on investing the rest is tricky, even if you ask a bank or building society.

A survey found more than 15 million adults believed they could get independent advice from the big financial names in the High Street.

More than a third of consumers had no exact idea what sort of advice they could get from the biggest institutions, including the Halifax, Barclays and NatWest. In fact, banks and building societies usually offer financial products from one or two pro-viders.

HSBC Bank, for instance, sells only HSBC investment products while Barclays lines up customers for Legal and General.

Having offered Woolwich-only products for years, the Woolwich switches this summer to Woolwich Independent Financial Advisory Service (WIFAS), which will recommend products from a panel of providers.

The High Street big names which are not the only ones "tied" to providers of financial services products. Smaller firms can do the same and must tell clients before taking them on.

This is why The MarketPlace, launched by newly-floated Bradford and Bingley (B&B), claims to be different, offering genuinely-independent advice through 800 staff at 500 High Street branches.

In the four key areas of life insurance, mortgage broking, investments and pensions, it says no adviser will sell any product to boost commission.

Rob Guy, based at its Brighton branch, said: "Our target is Middle England - from young people saving a small monthly amount, to retirement couples who may have £250,000 cash after sell-ing the family house. Commissions vary on different products but our advisers earn the same regardless of the product sold."

The MarketPlace competes for business with smaller firms, many of them listed by IFA Promotion, an organisation funded by the leading 30 life and pension product providers to give consumers access to best advice.

It lists 20,000 of the 26,000 people qualified as independent financial advisers (IFA) under the Financial Services Act. IFAs have to belong to one of the self-regulatory organisations.

How impartial can they be?

Mr Guy said: "Most IFAs won't let commission levels influence advice. But if consumers see a danger, it could be a barrier to their acceptance of advice. We tell clients exactly what commission we will receive."

To choose a fund for this year's individual savings account (ISA), you can contact discount brokers, like bestinvest, which produces newsletters listing favoured funds and stocks.

Clients can buy on an "execution only" basis at minimal commission rates. Equities, however, can be dumped if they go wrong. Financial advisers are needed for longer-term planning involving insurance products, savings plans, mortgages, offshore investments, pensions plans in the light of the Government's stakeholder schemes, careful planning of wills and for regular money check-ups.

IFA Promotion provides a list of advisers living in your area. Applicants nominate six areas of investment to be matched with advisers.

They must choose at this stage whether to pay on a commission or fee basis. Some 90 per cent choose commission, possibly because hourly fees range from £75 to £150 - although this may increase the risk of advisers recommending products paying higher commission.

IFAs must detail their remuneration for working on your behalf. Whether or not they are tied is explained by their business card or terms of reference letter.

Independent financial advice is available for those determined to find it. Talk first and you may avoid being part of the avalanche of complaints which the Financial Services Authority receives.