UK Financial Regulation
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End-to-end FCA authorisation support from application to approval. Get authorised faster with our proven process and free regulatory technology tools.
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Get Authorised
Launching a regulated firm or adding permissions? Scope what you need and build an application that gets approved.
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Already authorised? Keep your obligations evidenced and your controls audit-ready, without a large in-house team.
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Facing a query, VREQ or supervisory intervention? Respond confidently with evidence-led remediation.
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Firms Authorised
FCA-regulated firms trust our expertise
Submission-Ready
Typical MEMA prep from kickoff to FCA submission. The FCA's own determination then takes 6–12 months.
Ongoing Compliance Managed
Continuous monitoring and regulatory oversight
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Free Compliance Tools
Professional regulatory tools used by UK financial services firms. Free to use, no registration required.
Regulatory Perimeter Assessment
Discover your FCA regulatory requirements instantly with interactive assessment mapping.
- PERG/RAO mapping
- Sourcebook explainers
- Artefact templates
FCA Fee Calculator
Calculate your annual FCA regulatory fees instantly with our wizard-style calculator.
- Instant calculations
- Pre-defined firm types
- Accurate estimates
SM&CR Navigator
Build your SM&CR framework step-by-step with our comprehensive navigator tool.
- Six-step wizard
- SMF library
- F&P tracking
Consumer Duty Outcomes Checker
Rapid structured assessment against the four Consumer Duty outcomes.
- Four outcomes assessment
- Board report export
- Evidence tracking
Financial Promotions Quick Guidance
Media-neutral pre-clearance aid for financial promotions compliance.
- All channels covered
- Product-specific rules
- Prominence guidance
Vulnerability Support Checker
Proportionate adjustments for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
- Journey-specific prompts
- FCA's 4 drivers
- MI requirements
Complaints Checker (DISP)
Stay on track with DISP timelines, mandatory letter content, and root-cause analysis.
- Timeline calculator
- Letter templates
- Root cause tags
Financial Crime Assessment
Self-assess your AML/CTF controls against Dear CEO letter themes.
- Dear CEO aligned
- RAG scoring
- Expert recommendations
RegActions Enforcement Database
Search and analyse FCA enforcement actions and penalties, plus regulators worldwide.
- 10+ years of data
- Advanced filters
- Trend analysis
FOS Complaints Database
Financial Ombudsman Service complaints data by firm and sector.
- FOS case data
- Firm comparisons
- Sector analysis
Regulatory Perimeter Assessment
Discover your FCA regulatory requirements instantly with interactive assessment mapping.
- PERG/RAO mapping
- Sourcebook explainers
- Artefact templates
FCA Fee Calculator
Calculate your annual FCA regulatory fees instantly with our wizard-style calculator.
- Instant calculations
- Pre-defined firm types
- Accurate estimates
SM&CR Navigator
Build your SM&CR framework step-by-step with our comprehensive navigator tool.
- Six-step wizard
- SMF library
- F&P tracking
Consumer Duty Outcomes Checker
Rapid structured assessment against the four Consumer Duty outcomes.
- Four outcomes assessment
- Board report export
- Evidence tracking
Financial Promotions Quick Guidance
Media-neutral pre-clearance aid for financial promotions compliance.
- All channels covered
- Product-specific rules
- Prominence guidance
Vulnerability Support Checker
Proportionate adjustments for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
- Journey-specific prompts
- FCA's 4 drivers
- MI requirements
Complaints Checker (DISP)
Stay on track with DISP timelines, mandatory letter content, and root-cause analysis.
- Timeline calculator
- Letter templates
- Root cause tags
Financial Crime Assessment
Self-assess your AML/CTF controls against Dear CEO letter themes.
- Dear CEO aligned
- RAG scoring
- Expert recommendations
RegActions Enforcement Database
Search and analyse FCA enforcement actions and penalties, plus regulators worldwide.
- 10+ years of data
- Advanced filters
- Trend analysis
FOS Complaints Database
Financial Ombudsman Service complaints data by firm and sector.
- FOS case data
- Firm comparisons
- Sector analysis
Regulatory Perimeter Assessment
Discover your FCA regulatory requirements instantly with interactive assessment mapping.
- PERG/RAO mapping
- Sourcebook explainers
- Artefact templates
FCA Fee Calculator
Calculate your annual FCA regulatory fees instantly with our wizard-style calculator.
- Instant calculations
- Pre-defined firm types
- Accurate estimates
SM&CR Navigator
Build your SM&CR framework step-by-step with our comprehensive navigator tool.
- Six-step wizard
- SMF library
- F&P tracking
Consumer Duty Outcomes Checker
Rapid structured assessment against the four Consumer Duty outcomes.
- Four outcomes assessment
- Board report export
- Evidence tracking
Financial Promotions Quick Guidance
Media-neutral pre-clearance aid for financial promotions compliance.
- All channels covered
- Product-specific rules
- Prominence guidance
Vulnerability Support Checker
Proportionate adjustments for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
- Journey-specific prompts
- FCA's 4 drivers
- MI requirements
Complaints Checker (DISP)
Stay on track with DISP timelines, mandatory letter content, and root-cause analysis.
- Timeline calculator
- Letter templates
- Root cause tags
Financial Crime Assessment
Self-assess your AML/CTF controls against Dear CEO letter themes.
- Dear CEO aligned
- RAG scoring
- Expert recommendations
RegActions Enforcement Database
Search and analyse FCA enforcement actions and penalties, plus regulators worldwide.
- 10+ years of data
- Advanced filters
- Trend analysis
FOS Complaints Database
Financial Ombudsman Service complaints data by firm and sector.
- FOS case data
- Firm comparisons
- Sector analysis
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Expert Regulatory Support
End-to-end compliance services for UK financial services firms.
FCA Authorisation
Be ready to submit to the FCA in ~6 weeks.
Learn moreCompliance Outsourcing
Your external compliance team.
Learn moreSMCR Implementation
Senior Managers Regime expertise.
Learn moreConsumer Duty
Meet FCA's new standards.
Learn moreFinancial Crime
AML, CTF and sanctions controls for regulated firms.
Learn moreSelected client work
Examples of how we’ve helped firms get authorised, stay compliant, and respond to the FCA.
Our winning partners
FCA Authorisation, Explained in 2 Minutes
What the application actually involves, what the FCA is looking for, and where most firms lose time.
Supporting firms across 11 FCA sectors, from payments to pensions.
What Our Clients Say
Trusted by 100+ UK financial services firms for FCA authorisation and compliance.
During our payment services authorisation, we faced unexpected challenges with our case handler. MEMA advocated for us professionally, secured a case handler change, and supported us through personnel transitions. They even prepared our COO for the FCA interview. Authorised in 9 months despite the complexity - they went above and beyond.
Our compliance resource suddenly left, leaving us exposed to regulatory risk. MEMA stepped in immediately, conducted a full compliance review, and stabilised our operations over 6 months while we recruited. They prevented potential FCA scrutiny and got us back to a strong compliance footing.
We had compliance position issues flagged by the FCA during our investment authorisation. MEMA navigated the regulatory concerns with us, provided detailed supplementary evidence, and worked directly with the FCA to satisfy all queries. Their ex-regulator perspective was invaluable - we're now successfully authorised.
Regulatory Updates
Rapid intelligence on FCA policy statements, Dear CEO letters, and enforcement priorities, curated by the MEMA regulatory team.
Reforming UK capital markets to ensure they work well for our economy
**What changed** – The FCA outlined the next phase of its multi‑year capital‑markets reform programme, building on completed wholesale‑market rules and announcing new focus areas: tokenisation of assets, the use of artificial intelligence in market infrastructure, and the creation of regulated venues for trading private‑company shares. **Who’s affected** – All participants in UK capital markets: licensed exchanges, clearing houses, investment firms, fintech firms developing token‑based products, AI‑driven trading platforms, and issuers or investors in private‑company securities. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. **Review existing licences** – confirm they cover any planned token‑or AI‑related activities; update permissions where needed. 2. **Map new regulatory expectations** – use FCA guidance on tokenised assets and AI risk management to identify gaps in governance, data‑quality and model‑validation processes. 3. **Update compliance frameworks** – embed controls for market‑abuse, transparency and consumer protection in any private‑share trading venue. 4. **Engage with FCA consultation** – submit feedback on proposed rules (e.g., token‑asset classification, AI‑audit requirements). 5. **Prepare for supervisory checks** – conduct internal audits against the FCA’s “trust‑and‑innovation” principles. **Deadlines** – FCA expects initial consultation responses on tokenisation and AI reforms by **31 December 2026**; detailed rulemaking is slated for publication in **mid‑2027**, with implementation phases beginning **early 2028**. **Source** – https://www.fca.org.uk/news/speeches/reforming-uk-capital-markets-ensure-they-work-well-our-economy (RSS).
Firms’ confidence, satisfaction and trust in the FCA rise
**What changed** - The FCA‑Practitioner Panel annual survey shows a rise in firm sentiment: high satisfaction with the FCA increased from 74% to 79%; rating the FCA as a highly effective regulator rose from 69% to 76%; and high trust grew to 75%. - Understanding of the Consumer Duty is now reported by 88% of firms (up from previous year’s unspecified level). - Firms’ grasp of the FCA’s Secondary International Competitiveness and Growth Objective jumped 27 percentage points, and confidence in its delivery rose 25 points. - Reporting simplification has removed outdated or duplicated data returns for 90% of firms, saving an estimated £16 million a year. **Who is affected** - All FCA‑regulated firms (banks, insurers, investment firms, crypto‑asset firms, BNPL providers, etc.) that submit regulatory data and must comply with the Consumer Duty. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. **Review internal dashboards** to confirm the firm’s current satisfaction and trust scores against the new benchmarks. 2. **Validate Consumer Duty compliance** – map existing consumer‑outcome processes to the FCA’s guidance and close any gaps. 3. **Check reporting templates** – ensure the firm is using the latest FCA data‑return formats and has removed any deprecated fields. 4. **Update risk‑and‑compliance registers** to reflect the heightened focus on the Secondary International Competitiveness and Growth Objective. 5. **Document any cost‑saving measures** achieved through the reporting simplification for internal audit and FCA reporting. **Deadlines** - No formal deadline is attached to the survey results, but firms should complete the above steps before the next FCA reporting cycle (typically 30 days after the end of each quarter) to align with the updated data‑return regime. **Source** - FCA RSS feed – “Firms’ confidence, satisfaction and trust in the FCA rise” (RSS).
FCA Authorisations operating service metrics 2026/27 Q1
**What changed** – The FCA released its Q1 2026/27 Authorisations operating service metrics (April‑June 2026). Seven metrics are now “green”, two “amber” and three “red”. A new “Adjacent Variations of Permission” category is reported for the first time, with a voluntary target of completing full applications within 3 months (incomplete within 6 months) – performance was 94.2 % (amber). Overall, 97.9 % of cases were decided within the applicable deadline, up from 97.5 % in Q4 2025/26. Corrections were applied to the 3/4 MLD and 5 MLD metrics for 2025/26 (working‑day vs calendar‑day calculation). **Who’s affected** – All solo‑regulated firms applying for FCA authorisation (new firms, variations, 3/4 MLD, 5 MLD, payment‑services/e‑money). Dual‑regulated firms are measured by the PRA. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. Review internal timelines against the new targets (3 months for complete, 6 months for incomplete Adjacent Variations). 2. Audit recent applications to confirm they meet the revised calendar‑day standards. 3. Update internal service‑level agreements to reflect the higher performance bar. 4. Monitor the FCA’s quarterly metric releases for any further category adjustments. **Deadline** – No immediate filing deadline; firms should align processes for the next reporting period (Q2 2026/27) to meet the new targets. **Source** – FCA RSS feed, “Authorisations operating service metrics 2026/27 Q1” (PDF).
FCA Explainers
Plain-English guides to FCA Handbook requirements, compliance frameworks, and regulatory decisions.
DISP Complaints Handling
What the FCA expects from your complaints process, timelines, and root cause analysis.
Read guideHandbookConsumer Duty Outcomes
The four outcomes your firm must deliver under PRIN 2A and how to evidence them.
Read guideGovernanceSM&CR Responsibilities Map
Building an effective responsibilities map with prescribed responsibilities and gap analysis.
Read guideImplementationFinancial Crime Controls
Implementing an effective AML/CTF framework covering BWRA, CDD, monitoring, and SARs.
Read guideCompareDIY vs Consultant: FCA Authorisation
Side-by-side comparison of self-managing vs using a specialist for FCA applications.
Read guideDecisionSection 166 Readiness
How to prepare for and respond to an FCA skilled person review.
Read guideReady to Get Started?
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