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FCA News & Analysis
Beyond the headlines: Impact analysis, sector insights, and actionable intelligence from ex-FCA regulators. Monitor consultations, enforcement, and policy changes affecting your firm.
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FCA news & analysis
565 FCA publications, newest first, 16 of them priority (score 90+). Our own commentary is in Our analysis Showing 361–400 of 561.
- News & SpeechesYear 2 Consumer Duty Board Reports: progress and what comes nextUnder the Consumer Duty, firms must report annually on what their monitoring found about customer outcomes, and what actions they’ll take as a result.Good Consumer Duty Board reports provide clear evidence about outcomes – helping to turn governance into real change. Boards can ask better questions, hold people to account, and act quickly to make sure they aren’t causing harm or offering poor value. We’ve seen this lead firms to design better products, communicate more clearly and support their customers better. This means they fix issues sooner, and customers are more likely to get fair value and the help they need.With the third cycle of Consumer Duty Board reports on the horizon, now is a good moment to pause and reflect on what we’ve learned from year 2.The good news: the Duty is making a difference. Firms are continuing to mature in how they use data and insights to understand...Consumer Credit16 April 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA introduces clearer and simpler short selling rulesThe FCA has finalised a simpler UK short selling regime that reduces reporting burdens for firms, while maintaining regulatory oversight. Short selling plays an important role in financial markets by supporting price formation, providing liquidity, and facilitating risk management.The new rules follow legislative changes under the Government’s repeal and replace programme, which imply that the FCA will publish aggregated data showing the overall size of net short positions in each company rather than identifying individual short sellers.As well as implementing these changes, the new rules set out how the FCA will oversee short selling in a more proportionate and practical way.Firms will benefit from a more workable reporting timetable, with extra time to calculate and submit short position reports. In addition, rules for market makers have been simplified allowing eligible firms to make far fewer notifications to us about exemptions, replaced by an annual confirmation. This cuts administrative effort while...16 April 2026
- Policy StatementPriorityPS26/5: Changes to the UK Short Selling RegimeWe have finalised our new rules and guidance for short selling activity. ... Read PS26/5Read our operational guideWhat we are changingIn this Policy Statement (PS26/5), we summarise and respond to the feedback received on our proposals in CP25/29: Changes to the UK Short Selling Regime. It includes our final short selling rules, Statement of Policy on the use of our emergency powers, and operational details on how and when our new rules will come into force.Our final rules implement the changes made in the Short Selling Regulations 2025 (SSR 2025), and make further changes to create a more efficient, effective, and coherent short selling regime to maintain the orderly and effective functioning of UK markets, while removing disproportionate costs. We are creating a new Sourcebook for our short selling rules, within the FCA Handbook, to largely replicate existing provisions from the current regime. In addition, our final rules make changes...Consumer Credit16 April 2026
- ConsultationHigh impactCP26/13: Cryptoasset perimeter guidanceWe’re consulting on our proposed perimeter guidance for the UK’s future crypto regime. ... Read CP26/13 (PDF)Why we are consultingCrypto firms will be able to start applying for authorisation from September 2026, in line with the perimeter set by the legislation. We are, therefore, consulting on draft perimeter guidance to help firms understand when authorisations will be required. We want feedback on our interpretation of the perimeter of the following regulated cryptoasset activities: Issuing qualifying stablecoins in the UK. Safeguarding, or arranging safeguarding of qualifying cryptoassets and relevant specified investment cryptoassets. Operating a qualifying cryptoasset trading platform. Dealing in qualifying cryptoassets as principal. Dealing in qualifying cryptoassets as agent. Arranging deals in qualifying cryptoassets. Arranging qualifying cryptoasset staking. The proposed guidance supports our aim for an open, sustainable and competitive crypto market people can trust, and builds on our previous consultations in our crypto roadmap.Who this is forThis CP will...PaymentsInvestment15 April 2026 · deadline 3 Jun
- News & SpeechesFCA consults on guidance on UK’s future crypto regimeCrypto will be regulated in the UK from October 2027. The FCA is finalising the wider cryptoasset regime, with rules to be published this summer. Parliament has now confirmed which cryptoasset activities will fall within the scope of regulation. Building on that, the FCA is consulting on new guidance to help firms understand how they might be affected by the regulatory regime for cryptoassets.The FCA is seeking feedback on its interpretation of the following regulated cryptoasset activities:issuing qualifying stablecoinoperating trading platformsdealing and arranging deals in qualifying cryptoassetssafeguarding cryptoassetsstakingThe proposed guidance supports the FCA’s aim for an open, sustainable and competitive crypto market people can trust.Crypto firms will be able to start applying for authorisation from September 2026. Ahead of this, the FCA is providing crypto firms with support on how to apply and to understand how the future regime could work.Until the new regime comes into force, crypto is largely...Investment15 April 2026
- Data ReleaseResearch Note: Synthetic Data and Anti-Money Laundering – Project ReportThis report summarises the work we have done, jointly with the Turing Institute and Plenitude Consulting, to generate a synthetic data set that will be used to foster innovation in the detection of money laundering. ... Read the research note (PDF)Progress in combatting money laundering depends on access to detailed financial data, yet legal and privacy constraints often restrict sharing of such information.This project aims to tackle these challenges by collaborating with the Alan Turing Institute, Plenitude, and Napier AI to create a fully synthetic dataset created using real data from UK retail banking, enhanced with realistic synthetic money laundering scenarios observed in financial markets.We hope this project will show that synthetic data can help regulators and firms work together, supporting beneficial innovation in the detection of money laundering.Next stepsThe FCA will make this dataset available through the Digital Sandbox as part of the upcoming Synthetic Data AML Solution Sprint,...Banking15 April 2026
- DecisionFCA takes next steps toward enforcement action against Hartley Pensions and an individualThe FCA has set out plans to take action against Hartley Pensions Limited and an individual involved at the firm. Hartley was a Self-Invested Personal Pension operator, which went into administration in July 2022. The FCA alleges that Hartley provided it with false and misleading information and improperly withdrew and invested substantial amounts of customers’ pension funds, without their consent, to benefit an individual at the firm.The FCA alleges that the individual dishonestly used the pension funds and made false representations to obtain money for a company that they owned. They then misled the FCA to conceal this misconduct.The issued Warning Notices are not the FCA's final decisions and there is a right to make representations to the Regulatory Decisions Committee. In the event that the FCA makes final decisions, it intends to make its findings public at the appropriate point, but it cannot provide any further detail beyond the...Consumer Credit15 April 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA bans CMC's misleading advertsAdverts which used edited, unauthorised clips of Martin Lewis to make misleading claims about average motor finance compensation and used the FCA logo without permission, have been banned by the FCA. Conclusive Financial Ltd (Conclusive), a claims management company (CMC), which also trades as PCP Refunds, was required to remove its advertising and update or take down its website until it complied with the FCA's rules. Conclusive has since removed the banned adverts.The FCA was also concerned that some of the firm’s adverts stated consumers would receive £1,846 on average for compensation for motor finance claims, with no explanation of how they reached this figure.Conclusive also promoted a 'No Win, No Fee' service on its websites, without a proper explanation of the fees, including any exit fees, people would be charged. It did not tell consumers that they could make claims for free to their lender or to the Financial...Consumer Credit14 April 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA sets out vision for open finance to empower consumers and businessesConsumers and businesses could be given greater control over their financial data to help secure better deals, under a vision for open finance published by the FCA. Open finance will unlock the potential for people and businesses to share their financial data securely with a range of financial services providers, helping them access mortgages, investments, savings and pensions. This will give financial services firms a more complete picture of consumers’ and businesses’ finances, enabling more personalised and inclusive services, alongside more competitive pricing and stronger fraud protection.The FCA will prioritise exploring how open finance can help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) improve access to credit and speed up loan applications. It will also examine how open finance can help consumers manage and improve access to mortgages.David Geale, executive director for payments and digital finance at the FCA, said: 'Open finance has the potential to transform how people interact with financial...PaymentsConsumer CreditMortgages14 April 2026
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- Data ReleaseOpen finance roadmap: our vision for a smart data futureOpen finance has the potential to be the next major step in the UK’s smart data revolution. Our roadmap sets out a clear path to move open finance from vision to delivery between now and 2030. ... Banking and financial services occupy a central place in the Government’s Smart Data Strategy, and open finance will be a critical enabler for developing smart data schemes across sectors.Enabling open finance to develop is also one of our priorities. In our strategy for 2025 to 2030, we committed to setting out a delivery plan to help unlock open finance.Open finance can offer significant benefits, such as:Giving consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) greater control over their own financial data, and unlocking faster and more personalised financial services.Stronger competition and greater incentives for firms to innovate and invest.Supporting wider economic growth across the economy.We’re building on the foundations of open banking and international...PaymentsConsumer CreditMortgages14 April 2026
- News & SpeechesSpotting risk earlier by tracking consumer credit journeysHow we're investing in data and analytics in consumer financeOur goal is regulation that is evidence-based, targeted, and achieves good outcomes for consumers. That’s why we’ve been using richer datasets and sharper data science to drive better outcomes in the consumer finance market, widen financial inclusion, and support economic growth.This blog post explains one way we've been doing that, in a proof-of-concept undertaken by the team of Isabela Barra, Daniel Bogiatzis-Gibbons, Lawrence Charles, and Wenjin Li (detailed results in the Technical Annex (PDF)).We draw on credit file information from a major Credit Reference Agency (CRA), an existing source of data that the FCA has been using since 2018. We apply novel advanced statistical methods to draw new insights from it on which consumers are likely to fall into distress on their credit products and at what time. We can do this given we have a wider market view than an...PaymentsConsumer CreditMortgages10 April 2026
- News & SpeechesAsset management: improving applications for authorisationTo help you apply for authorisation, we list common issues with applications which have reduced firms’ chances of success or caused delays. ... This is a non-exhaustive list, and you should consider the points below alongside the relevant information for your firm type.9 April 2026
- Market BulletinPrimary Market Bulletin 62Newsletter for primary market participants.April 2026 / No. 62. ... In this edition, we cover:Key aspects of our misleading statements case against Carillion plc. Our concerns about potentially manipulative investment approaches. Our review of sponsors’ work on the modified transfers process. The deadline for commenting on our consultation about proposed clarificatory amendments to the Prospectus Rules: Admission to Trading on a Regulated Market sourcebook (PRM).Consumer CreditCorporate Finance8 April 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA imposes restrictions on Bazar Money Transfer LimitedOn 21 November 2025, we imposed restrictions on Bazar Money Transfer Limited (BMTL), preventing it from providing regulated payment services. BMTL is registered with the FCA to provide money remittance services to retail and corporate customers.As BMTL was no longer meeting the conditions for registration as a small payment institution, we acted to impose restrictions to protect consumers, preventing BMTL from carrying out any regulated payment services.Following representations made by BMTL, on 6 March 2026, we issued a Second Supervisory Notice, keeping the restrictions in place.Anyone who needs to send or receive money should use an alternative authorised or registered payment services firm.Any BMTL customers who haven’t received expected funds should contact our Supervision Hub.BMTL is also not registered to carry on cryptoasset business and must not provide these services to customers.More informationYou can read the Second Supervisory Notice which outlines our concerns and the basis for imposing the restrictions.Find...PaymentsConsumer Credit8 April 2026
- News & SpeechesFirms’ customer due diligence processes and controls: our findingsIn 2025, we conducted a multi-firm review of Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and ongoing due diligence controls. ... This is a summary of our main findings, the good and poor practice we observed, and our expectations for firms.The findings centre around the firms' approaches to:Policies and proceduresCDD and EDD processesCompliance monitoring and auditThis review is part of our wider financial crime supervisory work in support of our 2025-30 strategy (PDF). It covered a range of portfolios and firm types, aiming to raise standards and share practical insights.8 April 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA and Bank seek members for their Transaction and Post-trade Reporting TaskforceThe FCA and Bank of England (Bank) invite expressions of interest from market participants to join a new taskforce. The purpose of this taskforce is to inform the design of our long-term approach to harmonising transaction and post-trade reporting requirements.The taskforce will be comprised of three separate working groups: a main Policy group, supported by a Strategy group and an Architecture group. The working groups will have the following individual objectives: Policy group:Identifying and assessing opportunities for harmonising data collected under UK MiFIR, UK EMIR and UK SFTR.Reviewing and sharing feedback on proposals to support the simplification of reporting of the data.Strategy group:Providing strategic insight from industry experience to help simplify transaction and post-trade reporting.Exploring how harmonisation will benefit reporting firms’ overall wholesale market activity.Architecture group:Identifying and assessing opportunities to leverage modern technologies, architecture and data to simplify and streamline transaction and post-trade reporting.The working groups will each be co-chaired...PaymentsBanking2 April 2026
- ConsultationHigh impactCP26/12: Proposed amends to PRA Rulebook and FCA Guidance concerning the Loan to Income flow limit in mortgage lendingWe are proposing changes to the Prudential Regulation Authority's (PRA) and FCA's loan to income (LTI) rules for mortgages. ... Read CP26/12 (PRA 6/26) Why are we consultingIn July 2025, the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) recommended the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and FCA amend implementation of its loan to income (LTI) flow limit to allow individual lenders to increase their share of high LTI lending while aiming to ensure the aggregate flow remains consistent with the 15% limit. We and the PRA are consulting on proposed amendments to the PRA's Rulebook and the FCA’s general guidance following the FPC's recommendation.The PRA proposals apply to all PRA-authorised mortgage lenders and their subsidiaries, while the FCA proposals cover all FCA-authorised mortgage lenders not owned by PRA-authorised firms.This consultation is part of our wider review of mortgage rules. The LTI flow limit plays an important role in protecting borrowers and financial stability, while...Consumer CreditInvestmentMortgages1 April 2026 · deadline 1 Jul
- Policy StatementPriorityPS26/4: Financial Services Compensation Scheme – Management Expenses Levy Limit 2026/27We and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) have confirmed the annual Management Expenses Levy Limit (MELL) for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) for the financial year 2026/27 will be £112,972,954. ... Read PS26/4 ... Why we are changing the limitThe FCA and PRA are required to set a limit on the total management expenses that the FSCS can levy financial services firms.The MELL covers the FSCS’s ongoing operating costs and includes the FSCS’s IT, staff, legal and outsourced and internal claims handling costs. It does not include compensation costs, which are levied separately and decided by the FSCS. ... Who this is forFCA authorised firmsPRA authorised firms ... BackgroundSetting the right MELL makes sure the FSCS has enough funding to carry out its functions. The MELL applies from 1 April 2026 until 31 March 2027.For more detail on how the MELL is calculated and the FSCS unlevied reserve, see...Insurance31 March 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA confirms motor finance redress schemeWe are going ahead with a scheme to compensate motor finance customers who were treated unfairly. Courts have found that firms broke the law by failing to disclose important information to customers. An industry-wide scheme is the quickest and most cost effective way to deliver fair compensation.We had over 1,000 consultation responses and engaged extensively with consumer groups, professional representatives, firms, manufacturers, investors and industry bodies. While most respondents supported a scheme, we received much conflicting feedback on its details.We have listened and made several changes, set out in detail below, to design a final scheme which strikes the balance between sometimes competing principles such as simplicity and cost effectiveness, comprehensiveness and fairness.Our final approach is fair for consumers and proportionate for firms.We have tightened eligibility so only those treated unfairly receive compensation. Agreements involving minimal commission or zero APRs will not receive redress. Where a lender can prove there...Consumer CreditBanking30 March 2026 · deadline 31 Aug
- News & SpeechesMillions of car finance customers to get payouts this year as FCA goes ahead with compensation schemeMillions of motor finance customers will receive compensation this year under an FCA scheme for those treated unfairly by firms who broke the law by failing to disclose important information. Consumers were denied the chance to seek a better deal and, in some instances, paid more for their loan.The FCA has made several changes to the free to use scheme in response to conflicting feedback from consumers, their representatives, firms, manufacturers and industry bodies.This ensures it is fair for consumers and proportionate for firms. The eligibility criteria have been tightened, average compensation increased for older agreements and a minimum 3% compensatory interest rate per annum added. Payouts will be capped in around 1 in 3 cases to ensure no one is put in a better position than had they been treated fairly.12.1 million agreements made between 2007 and 2024 are now eligible for compensation, fewer than under the FCA’s original...Consumer CreditBanking30 March 2026
- Policy StatementPriorityPS26/3: Motor finance consumer redress schemeIntroducing an industry-wide redress scheme to compensate motor finance customers who were treated unfairly between 2007 and 2024. ... Read PS26/3What we are changingMost respondents to our consultation (CP25/27) agreed that an industry-wide scheme, free for consumers to use, would be the best, most efficient way to compensate consumers, while ensuring a well-functioning market.We have listened to feedback and made changes so the final scheme is fair to consumers and proportionate for firms.The scheme will put £7.5 billion back in people’s pockets with millions of claims settled in 2026 and the vast majority by the end of 2027. And it will provide firms with certainty and finality to support the long-term availability of competitively priced motor finance.Who this is forThis policy statement will be of interest to lenders, brokers, consumers and consumer organisations, and motor finance and professional trade bodies. Car finance claims: consumer informationIf you've used car finance, you...30 March 2026
- News & SpeechesShojin Financial Services Limited enters administrationShojin Financial Services Limited (Shojin) is a crowdfunding platform authorised and regulated by the FCA. Shojin allowed customers to make investments that were used to fund loans toward property developments. On 23 March 2026, Shojin went into administration. Simon Carvill-Biggs and Ian Corfield of FRP Trading Advisory Limited were appointed as Joint Administrators.The Joint Administrators are responsible for acting in the best interests of the people who are owed money by Shojin, and they must work as quickly and efficiently as possible. While investors are not always classed as creditors, they should still benefit if the Joint Administrators can recover as much value as possible from the property development companies involved. If you are affected by Shojin entering administration, the Joint Administrators will get in touch with you directly.The FCA is engaging with the firm and the Joint Administrators to seek to ensure the best outcomes for investors.If you have...Consumer Credit30 March 2026
- News & SpeechesRegulators launch joint taskforce to crack down on poor practice in motor finance claimsA new taskforce will tackle poor handling of motor finance claims by some claims management companies (CMCs) and law firms, after the FCA, Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) agreed to join up their efforts. The announcement comes as the FCA prepares to set out its final compensation scheme for motor finance customers.The regulators will step up efforts to share intelligence and continue to take co-ordinated and targeted actions using the full extent of their powers to mitigate harm to consumers. It will take swift action to tackle issues with unsolicited and misleading advertising, meritless claims, multiple representation, and unfair exit fees.Alison Walters, director of consumer finance and FCA taskforce lead, said: 'Our scheme will be free and people don’t need to use a CMC or law firm. Should they decide to do so, it’s important that they can trust CMCs and law...30 March 2026
- News & SpeechesInvestment trust votes, conflicts of interest, and our roleOn 3 March 2026, we said we’d bring forward our planned review of the UK Listing Rules for Investment entities, including how they apply to board independence and related party provisions.Since then, there has been substantial debate over our role in relation to investment trusts, including calls for us to ‘get to grips’ with voting rules ‘that allow a minority shareholder to repeatedly attack an investment trust’.Much of this debate suggests there are misunderstandings about how investment trusts are governed and where responsibilities sit. We’re concerned this may confuse investors in these trusts. Other calls to action have lacked clear proposals or been based on future hypothetical scenarios for which protections often exist. We want our review to ensure that these rules remain fit for novel circumstances.This blog reminds participants of their powers and responsibilities, clarifies our role, and sets out what our review will cover.PaymentsConsumer CreditCorporate Finance27 March 2026
- DecisionFCA fines Dinosaur Merchant Bank Limited for market abuse surveillance failuresThe FCA has fined Dinosaur Merchant Bank Limited (DMBL) £338,000 for failing to put in place effective systems and controls to detect and report suspicious trading in its contracts for difference (CFD) business. CFDs are sophisticated financial products that are used to speculate on various assets going up or down in value. Given their high-risk nature, firms must have strong and reliable surveillance arrangements to prevent insider dealing and market manipulation.In June 2024, DMBL introduced a new order system that led to a sharp increase in CFD trading by its clients. Between June and October 2024, trades with a corresponding asset value of approximately $3.05 billion were executed via the platform. However, these orders and trades were not captured and reviewed by the automated surveillance system which meant that potential market abuse could have gone undetected.Although DMBL identified this issue in October 2024, the firm failed to properly address the...InvestmentBanking27 March 2026
- News & SpeechesMy FCA marks first year with a single, streamlined sign in for all firmsAs part of ongoing improvements to My FCA, and following the successful removal of RegData sign in at the end of last year, we have now removed direct access to Connect and the Online Invoicing System. Firms do not need to take any action. All existing RegData, Connect and Online Invoicing links and bookmarked pages will now automatically redirect to My FCA, where you can access all systems from a single homepage without signing in again. This makes managing your regulatory tasks quicker and more efficient.One year of My FCAOne year on from launch, My FCA has proven to be a real success. It’s now used by all firms, providing a streamlined, effective way to manage regulatory tasks. Engagement continues to grow, feedback has been strong, and My FCA is now firmly embedded as a key part of firms’ regulatory journey.Jessica Rusu, the FCA's chief data, intelligence and information officer...27 March 2026
- News & SpeechesOperational resilience: insights and observations one year onMake sure your firm is continuing to comply with our operational resilience rules. Use our observations from firms’ self-assessments to help review and evolve your firm’s approach to being resilient. ... Introduction We’re now almost a year on from the end of the operational resilience transition period on 31 March 2025. By that date, firms were required to have completed mapping and testing so they can remain within impact tolerances for each important business service. We reviewed firms’ annual operational resilience self-assessments and have set out our observations and insights on how firms are continuing to strengthen their operational resilience under our rules and guidance since the transition period ended. We’ve seen examples of good practice as well as areas where further improvement is needed, and we’re engaging directly with firms in scope of our rules on these findings. However, there is information here that all firms could benefit from...27 March 2026
- Data ReleaseJoint FCA and ICO statement on regulatory expectations regarding firms’ approaches to vulnerability related dataThis statement aims to help firms understand and apply the FCA’s expectations for delivering good outcomes for retail consumers in vulnerable circumstances, in line with the Consumer Duty, while also maintaining confidence in the lawful, fair and responsible use of personal information in line with the information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) expectations.27 March 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA responds to Complaint Commissioner’s report on the British Steel Pension SchemeWe sympathise with former members of the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) who lost money after they were given unsuitable advice from people they trusted. Complaints are a valuable source of feedback which help us improve and learn. There have also been 4 independent reports into the BSPS since 2018, which have helped us learn lessons. We have accepted several of their recommendations and implemented improvements, including those below.We now have much closer collaboration between the FCA, The Pensions Regulator, Pension Protection Fund, and the Money and Pensions Service. This has improved intelligence sharing, enabling us to identify defined benefit pension transfer risks more swiftly.We are also collecting more pension transfer data from advisory firms to proactively monitor trends. We created a tool so people can check if they may have had unsuitable defined benefit pension transfer advice and have banned contingent charging for defined benefit pension transfers to reduce...26 March 2026
- News & SpeechesEquity for Growth (Securities) Limited enters liquidationOn 25 March 2026, following a petition filed by the FCA, the High Court ordered that Equity for Growth (Securities) Limited (EFG) be wound up. EFG is a corporate finance firm. EFG was also a principal for a number of appointed representatives between 2015 and 2020, including Amyma Ltd and Osborne Baldwin Ltd, which traded as Hunter Jones.An appointed representative carries on regulated activity under the responsibility of an authorised firm, known as 'the principal'. Find more information on the relationship between principals and appointed representatives.Corporate Finance26 March 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA sets out next phase of smarter, more effective regulationWe have set out plans for using AI to speed up authorisations, testing new tools to identify key risks earlier, with our people remaining at the heart of decision-making. The new authorisation tool is being developed internally and will be integrated into existing FCA systems.It forms part of our annual work programme 2026/27, which lays out how we’re accelerating our ambition to be a smarter, more data-driven regulator.We will also use generative AI to support our efforts to modernise regulation, streamline supervision and improve firms’ experience, by reducing unnecessary administrative burdens.We’re only proposing to raise minimum and flat fees by 1%, even after significantly investing in data analytics and digital tools to improve how we triage information and share intelligence more efficiently. This is the lowest rise in the fees budget since 2017/18 and well below the rate of inflation. It’s the lowest annual funding requirement (AFR) increase in a...26 March 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA annual work programme 2026/27Our annual work programme details what we will deliver in 2026/27 on our 4 strategic priorities. This will be the second year of our 5-year strategy.26 March 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA annual work programme 2026/27Our annual work programme details what we will deliver in 2026/27 on our 4 strategic priorities. This will be the second year of our 5-year strategy.26 March 2026
- ConsultationHigh impactCP26/11: FCA regulated fees and levies: rates proposals for 2026/27We are consulting on our regulatory fees and the levies we collect for the Financial Ombudsman Service and government. ... Read CP26/11 (PDF) Why we are consultingWe are funded by the fees and levies paid by the firms we regulate. This Consultation Paper (CP) seeks feedback on proposed rules that would allow us to:Raise regulatory fees and levies for the 2026/27 period to fund both the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Financial Ombudsman Service (Financial Ombudsman)Collect levies on behalf of various government departmentsThis consultation is relevant to all FCA fee-payers, Financial Ombudsman general levy payers, businesses considering applying for FCA authorisation or registration, and any firms required to pay the levies outlined in this CP.Who should respondThis consultation applies to:all FCA fee-payersFinancial Ombudsman general levy payersany businesses considering applying for FCA authorisation or registrationfirms which pay the levies set out in this CP which we collect on behalf of...26 March 2026 · deadline 30 Apr
- News & SpeechesFCA perimeter reportOur perimeter sets out what we do and don’t regulate. This update sets out the current issues we see around the perimeter and actions needed in response. ... The regulatory perimeter defines our remit. Within our perimeter, we have powers and tools we can use to protect consumers, support market integrity, promote competition, and facilitate the UK’s international competitiveness and economic growth. What is inside our perimeter is set by Government and Parliament. In an era of increasing technological change and AI adoption, defining what is inside and outside our perimeter is ever more complex. It is important that consumers and other stakeholders understand what is regulated, and what is not. Our perimeter report seeks to explain both the areas where we believe the perimeter should change, and the areas where there is often misunderstanding about the boundaries of our current perimeter.This report sets out the most significant issues at...PaymentsConsumer CreditInvestment26 March 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA plans to help people get more financial advice for important decisionsMore people could access financial advice, under proposals set out by FCA. The FCA is consulting on how to make it easier for firms to give more simplified forms of individualised financial advice to consumers.Simplified forms of advice can help consumers with more straightforward needs and do not require a full assessment of all their financial circumstances, making it more accessible and affordable.Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive of the FCA, said:'For too long the support people need to make important financial decisions has been out of reach for many. 'A market that provides good quality, lower cost simplified advice alongside comprehensive financial advice and targeted support will better support people making decisions about their financial lives. We want to see more people getting supported, who aren’t currently, and a market that innovates and offers tailored services to meet differing consumer needs.'We welcome everyone’s views on whether our proposals will achieve...Consumer CreditInvestment25 March 2026
- ConsultationHigh impactCP26/10: Simplifying the pensions and investment advice rulesWe are consulting on how to make it easier for firms to give more simplified forms of advice to consumers. ... Read CP26/10 (PDF) We want consumers to be confident when making decisions and to see a market that offers a continuum of help, guidance and advice, so that people can find what’s right for them. With the targeted support rules now in place, our focus is on completing our outstanding policy work so that the market can develop and deliver a wide range of support for consumers. We are taking steps to simplify our advice rules to remove barriers to innovation and promote competition in the market, while maintaining consumer protection. Our proposals include:Consolidating the suitability requirements in COBS 9 and COBS 9A into one set of common rules and expectations.Clarifying the existing flexibility in our suitability rules to offer different advice services, and different recommendations to different clients,...Consumer CreditInvestmentInsurance25 March 2026 · deadline 22 May
- News & SpeechesTiming of the FCA's motor finance announcementWe will set out our approach on motor finance redress shortly after markets close on Monday 30 March, having consulted on a compensation scheme in October 2025.24 March 2026
- News & SpeechesTargeted support: firm considerations when designing consumer segmentsRead information and examples for firms designing consumer segments for targeted support23 March 2026
- News & SpeechesFCA highlights risks when dealing with unregulated lendersWe are reminding regulated firms they need to undertake proper checks when dealing with unregulated lenders, safe custody providers, money brokers and financial leasing companies – also known as 'Annex 1' firms. There are around 1,200 of these firms registered with us for solely anti-money laundering purposes. Our powers are currently limited to looking at how these firms are meeting their anti-money laundering obligations and they are not subject to our wider rulebook. This regime is based on registration and is different from the authorisation regime under the Financial Services and Markets Act. For example, our wider conduct rules do not apply to these firms, nor are customers of Annex 1 firms able to access the Financial Ombudsman Service. When dealing with Annex 1 firms, regulated firms must do their due diligence to understand the firm’s business, in accordance with legislative requirements. This would include seeking direct confirmation from the...PaymentsConsumer Credit20 March 2026