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21 January 2021 VAJBell AJ Bell plc Q1 trading update AJ Bell plc ( " AJ Bell " or the " Company " ) , one of the UK's largest investment platforms , today issues a trading update in respect of the three months ended 31 December 2020 . Performance overview Total customer numbers increased to 312,309 , up 30 % over the last 12 months and 6 % in the quarter , with total net inflows in the quarter of £ 1.6 billion , double the level reported in the first quarter of the prior year ( 2019 : £ 0.8 billion ) . Total assets under administration ( " AUA " ) increased to £ 62.5bn , up 14 % over the last 12 months and 11 % in the quarter . Platform business AJ Bell's platform business saw continued strong growth in customer numbers , net inflows and AUA : • Platform customer numbers grew organically by 16,959 in the quarter , an increase of 88 % compared to the first quarter of the prior year ( 2019 : 9,033 ) • Total platform customers closed at 298,053 , up 31 % over the last year and 6 % in the quarter ○ Advised customers of 112,308 , up 12 % over the last year and 3 % in the quarter ○ D2C customers of 185,745 , up 46 % over the last year and 8 % in the quarter Platform net inflows , representing organic growth in the quarter , increased by 67 % over the prior year to £ 1.5 billion ( 2019 : £ 0.9 billion ) ○ Advised net inflows of £ 0.8 billion , up 33 % on the prior year ( 2019 : £ 0.6 billion ) ○ D2C net inflows of £ 0.7 billion , up 133 % on the prior year ( 2019 : £ 0.3 billion ) • Platform AUA closed at £ 55.2 billion , up 17 % over the last year and 11 % in the quarter AJ Bell Investments Reporting for the first time , AJ Bell Investments ' assets under management ( " AUM " ) was £ 1.0 billion as at 31 December 2020 , an increase of 100 % over the last 12 months ( 2019 : £ 0.5 billion ) . Net inflows of AUM in the quarter were £ 147 million , up 91 % compared to the first quarter of the prior year ( 2019 : £ 77 million ) . Andy Bell , Chief Executive Officer at AJ Bell , commented : " We have had a strong start to our financial year as customer numbers , net inflows , AUA and AUM all showed significant growth in the quarter . Increased awareness and trust in our brand continued to attract new advisers and customers to our easy - to - use , competitively priced platform .