Financial Conduct Authority or FCA meaning

This tracker outlines the consultation papers issued by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) from 2008–2013, listed in reverse date order, and includes links to the relevant FSA webpage and/or PDF versions of the papers. For details of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) consultation papers, together with subsequent rules and guidance, see: • FCA consultation paper tracker-2021 [Archived] 2013 Publication date Consultation Paper (including FSA webpage if available) Description March 2013 - FSA webpage: CP13/9: Implementation of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive Part 2; CP13/9: Follow-up consultation on draft rules and guidance for implementing the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). March 2013 - FSA webpage: CP13/8: Publishing information about warning notices; CP13/8: Proposals on how the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) would publish details about the subject-matter of a warning notice where it considers publication appropriate. March 2013 - FSA webpage: CP13/7: Consumer credit regulation-our proposed regime; CP13/7: Invites views on the proposed framework and rules for the new consumer...

This Checklist sets out core topics for firms entering consumer credit, addressing essential management and compliance matters within the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) framework. It organises themes such as authorisation, threshold conditions, the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR), systems and controls, business planning, FCA Principles, the Consumer Duty and continuing regulatory duties, including adherence to the Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) and the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (CCA 1974). For fuller guidance, including how the application process works, see Practice Note: FCA authorisation of consumer credit firms. Scope and regulatory status Do the firm’s activities amount to regulated consumer credit activities under section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000), and the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, SI 2001/544 (RAO)? See Practice Notes: The general prohibition and implications of its breach and Regulated activities relating to consumer credit Does the firm offer (or plan to offer) buy now pay later (BNPL)/deferred payment credit (DPC) style products?...

Where a scheme of arrangement, restructuring plan, company voluntary arrangement or individual arrangement is put forward in respect of a regulated firm (defined below), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) should be engaged at the earliest possible stage. The FCA serves as the conduct regulator for both financial services firms and for the financial markets across the United Kingdom. Under section 1B of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000), it is tasked with pursuing specified objectives, including one centred on consumer protection in practice. The FCA states its statutory aims as securing an appropriate level of protection for consumers and safeguarding and strengthening the overall integrity of UK financial markets, with the intention of limiting the volume of proposed compromises it deems unsuitable (see FG22/4 para 1.2). On 5 July 2022, the FCA issued guidance on compromises by regulated firms (FCA Guidance FG22/4 July 2022, updated January 2024), prompted by serious concerns that these mechanisms were being advanced and deployed by firms to sidestep redress due to customers...

Aim of this flowchart Under section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, anyone who carries on a regulated activity in the UK in the course of business, without an applicable exclusion or exemption, must hold authorisation from the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and/or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This requirement is referred to as the general prohibition. For further detail on the general prohibition and the scope of regulated activities, consult the Practice Notes: The general prohibition and implications of its breach, and What are regulated activities? This flowchart is intended to assist in deciding whether a person is undertaking the regulated activities of effecting and carrying out contracts of insurance as principal, pursuant to article 10(1) and (2) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (SI 2001/544) (RAO). Any references here to PERG are to the FCA’s Perimeter Guidance Manual, which provides regulatory guidance within the FCA Handbook. It serves as a guide to the FCA Handbook...

The defined terms in the flowchart shall have the following meaning: Appointed Representative Regulations — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Appointed Representatives) Regulations 2001, SI 2001/1217 Business Order — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Carrying on Regulated Activities by Way of Business) Order 2001, SI 2001/1177 Exemption Order — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Exemption) Order 2001, SI 2001/1201 Non-Exempt Activities Order — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Professions) (Non-Exempt Activities) Order 2001, SI 2001/1227 PRA-regulated activities — denotes regulated activities designated as PRA‑regulated activities under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (PRA‑regulated Activities) Order 2013, SI 2013/556 RAO — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, SI 2001/544 UCITS qualifier — carries the meaning attributed to it in the Glossary of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook To determine whether an activity is regulated, follow the flowchart below. Click below to view or print...

In this issue: Spring Budget 2024 The Pensions Regulator Pensions taxation The Pension Protection Fund Investment Scheme governance Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers Spring Budget 2024 Key pensions announcements and views from the market In the Spring Budget 2024, delivered on 6 March 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, outlined the government’s central objective: to stimulate growth by funnelling more capital into UK equity markets, improving the UK’s standing as a listing venue, and building on the Mansion House reforms announced in the Autumn Statement 2023. Key pensions measures include: expanding the regulatory remit of the Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to enable the closure or winding-up of poorly performing defined contribution (DC) schemes, aligned with the reformed Value for Money (VFM) framework requiring DC funds to publish, by 2027, a public breakdown of...

In this issue: UK, EU and international regulators and bodies Acountability, culture and social governance Authorisation, approval and supervision Prudential requirements Financial crime and sanctions Investigations, enforcement and discipline Dispute resolution for financial services lawyers Banks and mutuals EU MiFID II Consumer credit, mortgage and home finance Regulation of insurance FSMA regulated pensions activity Payment services and systems Financial Services Enforcement Database Daily and weekly news alerts Intraday news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary UK, EU and international regulators and bodies Regulation to prioritise UK growth over risk-aversion in 2025 Law360, London: Financial watchdogs have vowed, firmly in line with new government objectives, to elevate economic growth above risk-aversion in 2025 — a recalibration that might cut across the recent stress on safeguarding consumers. See: Regulation to prioritise UK growth over risk-aversion in 2025. Acountability, culture and social governance UK...

In this issue: Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Equity capital markets Environmental, social and governance issues Members Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Companies House announces mandatory ID verification timeline starting November 2025 Companies House confirms that identity checks required by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 will begin on 18 November 2025. New directors must be verified for incorporation or appointment; existing directors will verify at their next confirmation statement. People with significant control (PSCs) have a 12‑month transition window. Around 6–7 million individuals must complete verification by November 2026. Verification will run via GOV.UK One Login or through Authorised Corporate Service Providers, and acting as a director without verification will become an offence once the regime starts. See: LNB News 05/08/2025 29. Equity capital markets FCA publishes Handbook Notice No 132 The...

This Resource Note spotlights commentary, analysis and materials to aid interpretation and give practical guidance on applying Chapters 1, 1A, 1B and 1C of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules: DTR 1, DTR 1A, DTR 1B and DTR 1C respectively. Materials referenced here include, where pertinent: the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook FCA Knowledge Base guidance—Procedural notes and Technical notes (constituting formal guidance and binding on the FCA) FCA consultation papers, discussion papers, policy statements, feedback statements and warnings Primary Market Bulletins and other FCA publications former UKLA technical and procedural notes and the UKLA newsletter List!, where still relevant to interpreting or applying a provision assimilated EU legislation EU Directives and EU Regulations, where relevant to interpreting a provision Lexis+ UK analysis and resources Setting the scene What it covers: DTR 1 sets out the Disclosure guidance, explaining its scope and purpose; DTR 1A sets out the transparency rules with their scope and purpose;...

This Practice Note examines core aspects of the UK framework for money market funds (MMFs) that stems from Regulation (EU) 2017/1131 (the EU MMF Regulation). It also looks at suggested changes to the framework, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), HM Treasury and the Bank of England (BoE) working jointly to bolster its resilience and align it with post‑Brexit regulatory objectives. For background on the EU MMF Regulation, see Practice Note: EU MMF Regulation—essentials. What is an MMF? Money market funds (MMFs) are investment funds that invest in short‑term debt instruments and so play a significant role in the short‑term financing of the economy. In particular, MMFs are open‑ended, liquid investment funds that invest in fixed income through short‑term debt, for example money market instruments issued by banks, governments or companies (including treasury bills, commercial paper and certificates of deposit) which pay interest. They therefore form an important connection between demand for, and the supply of, short‑term debt. Further information on the eligible assets of an MMF is...

Scope of this Practice Note This Practice Note addresses matters linked to technology used to help firms comply with their regulatory duties—often referred to as ‘regtech’. It reviews how the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England (BoE) (including the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)) engage with regtech, highlights industry activity, and records both the proposal and subsequent withdrawal of an FCA ‘Robo Handbook’. It examines these facets of what has come to be known as ‘regtech’: what is regtech? the FCA’s approach FCA TechSprints digital sandbox other regulator-side developments towards a Robo Handbook industry-side developments other initiatives What is regtech? Regtech is a broad label for the use of technology to help firms discharge regulatory requirements more efficiently and effectively than legacy systems allow—and, at times, for the use of technology by regulators to support their own supervisory responsibilities. The expression is used either in contrast to, or as a subset of, fintech....

VERIFICATION NOTES These verification notes concern the prospectus (the Prospectus ) to be issued in connection with the proposed [ placing OR placing and open offer OR rights issue ] ( Capital Raising ) of [ up to ] [ insert number ] new [ insert class ] shares of [ insert nominal value ] each (the Shares ) of [ insert name of the Company ] together with the admission of the Shares to listing on the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA ) and to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange ( Main Market ). These Verification Notes (the Notes ) have been prepared by [ insert details of Company's solicitors ] for the purposes of protecting the Company, the directors of the Company (the Directors ) [ , the Proposed Directors of the Company (the Proposed Directors ) ] and others involved with the Capital Raising and the drafting of the Prospectus, which relates to the application for the...

Private and confidential [ Insert company name ] (Company) Introduction Director's questionnaire To be completed by [ insert date ] This questionnaire is issued in relation to the intended [ placing OR open offer OR rights issue ] of [ insert amount ] ordinary shares of [ insert nominal value ] pence each in the capital of the Company ( Ordinary Shares ), and the intended application for admission of the Ordinary Shares to [ listing on the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the market for listed securities operated by London Stock Exchange plc OR trading on AIM ] ( Admission ). This document is important and you must respond to all questions honestly and without omission. Please complete every question in full and, if the space available is not sufficient, include any additional details on a separate sheet of paper, duly signed, dated and attached to this questionnaire. If the correct response is in the negative, please state...

To: [ insert company's name ] (the Company) [ insert company's address ] and [ insert sponsor's name ] (the Sponsor) [ insert sponsor's address ] [ insert date ] Dear [ insert text ] Proposed [placing of [ insert number ] ordinary shares of [ insert number ] pence each in the capital of the Company (the Placing) and proposed] application for the admission of the issued [and to be issued] ordinary shares of the Company to listing on the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority (the FCA) (the Official List) and to trading on the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange (the LSE) (the Main Market) (the Admission) I, [ insert name and address of director or proposed director ], a [ proposed ] director of the Company, acknowledge that, in respect of the Admission, a prospectus (the Prospectus), drafted in accordance with the UK Listing Rules and the Prospectus Regulation Rules of the FCA, together with...

The regulation of consumer credit Under section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000), no one may perform a regulated activity, or even hold themselves out as doing so, within the UK unless they are an authorised person—authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and/or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)—or an exempt person, for example as an appointed representative. For a high-level outline of the UK regulated activities regime, see Practice Note: What are regulated activities? An activity is regulated where it is of a ‘specified kind’—that is, specified in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (RAO), SI 2001/544—and is carried on by way of business...

What is the regulatory regime under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000) Under section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the general prohibition applies: a person must not carry on a regulated activity in the UK, or even purport to do so, unless they are within one of the permitted categories below. An authorised person (that is, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and/or the Financial Conduct Authority) An exempt person (for example, an appointed representative) For an outline of the UK regime governing regulated activities, see Practice Note: What are regulated activities? An activity is regulated if it is of a ‘specified kind’—as listed in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (RAO 2001), SI 2001/544—and it is carried on by way of business. For further detail on what amounts to carrying on a regulated activity ‘by way of business’ in the UK, refer to Practice Notes: What does ‘by...