Office of Fair Trading meaning

This tracker outlines the consultation papers issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in 2013, together with notice of any later rules and guidance published. For FCA consultation papers from different years, see: FCA consultation paper trackers. For Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Services Authority (FSA) consultation papers, see: PRA consultation paper tracker [Archived] FSA consultation paper tracker [Archived] Topic area: Consumer credit; Disclosure and transparency; Supervision; Funds CP13/18: Quarterly Consultation Paper No. 3 The FCA proposed to: make small changes associated with transferring consumer credit regulation from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the FCA (chapter 2) bring in an administrative fee to recover costs arising from listed issuers’ late publication of periodic financial statements under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules (DTRs) (chapter 3) broaden the ability of authorised fund managers and others to communicate with unit-holders electronically, including via website-based communications (chapter 4) revise the process for handling a waiver application...

In this issue A review of key cases in 2025 Decision to prosecute and alternatives to prosecution Criminal procedure and evidence Proceeds of crime Bribery, corruption, sanctions and export controls Environmental offences Financial services and pensions offences Health and safety and corporate manslaughter offences Local authority prosecutions Money laundering Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information A review of key cases in 2025 Headline corporate crime matters in 2025 included the UK Supreme Court overturning the convictions of two traders jailed for rate manipulation; the anti-fraud agency deploying a seldom‑used legal power to recover criminal cash; and the first conviction for sanctions breaches. See News Analysis: The biggest financial crime cases of 2025. Decision to prosecute and alternatives to prosecution SFO compliance guide highlights early remediation is key On 26 November 2025, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO)...

In this issue: UK antitrust UK merger control UK digital markets EU Digital Markets Act EU antitrust EU State aid Daily and weekly news alerts Caselex UK antitrust CMA launches consultation on proposed changes to the CMA’s published guidance on applications for leniency and no-action in cartel cases The CMA has opened a consultation on proposed revisions to its guidance for leniency and no-action applications in cartel cases. This guidance was first issued by the Office of Fair Trading in 2013 and adopted by the CMA in 2014 (the Current Guidance), together with the supporting quick guides. The Current Guidance sets out comprehensive direction on how the CMA’s leniency policy is applied. The consultation covers amendments to both the Current Guidance and the quick guides, which have now been retitled the Short Guides. The CMA’s leniency policy is central to its approach to deterring anti-competitive behaviour, by underpinning the efficient detection and robust enforcement of...

In this issue: Brexit headlines Brexit SIs Post-Brexit transition guidance Constitutional and administrative law State accountability and liability Equality and human rights Subsidy control and State aid Public procurement Management and strategic planning Other Public Law updates Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Brexit headlines Weekly round-up of EU-UK TCA Specialised Committees’ publications—27 February 2024. This summary lists documents issued by the Specialised Committees formed under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the period 21 to 27 February 2024. See: LNB News 27/02/2024 47. Brexit SIs Haiti (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/178: Made using powers in the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA 2018) linked to Brexit, these adjust UK secondary legislation on sanctions and take effect on 14 March 2024. See: LNB News 23/02/2024 1. Aviation Security (Air Cargo Agents)...

Note—to check whether notification thresholds in the Isle of Man and worldwide are satisfied, consult: Where to Notify. 1. Have there been recent developments regarding the regime? What are the main points of interest and are any further updates/developments expected? Are there any other ‘hot’ merger control issues in the Isle of Man? The Competition Act 2021 (Act 2021) established, for the first time, a merger control framework within Isle of Man law. Although the Act 2021 is now in force, drafts of several significant items of secondary legislation under it—covering matters such as the notification thresholds—were rejected by the local legislature in January 2025; accordingly, the thresholds for notification remain unknown. Under the Transfer of Competition Functions (OFT to CURA) Order 2025, responsibility for enforcing the Act 2021—including merger control—shifted in the spring of 2025 from the Office of Fair Trading to the Communications and Utilities Regulatory Authority (CURA). The precise criteria for notification have therefore not yet been confirmed. This transfer includes merger control...

Law firms may fall within the consumer credit regime: by entering into a consumer credit agreement as a lender, eg in relation to their fees by carrying on ancillary consumer credit activities, such as debt adjusting This Practice Note outlines how the SRA’s consumer credit framework applies to law firms. It reflects the SRA's Consumer credit toolkit and the SRA’s requirements in the SRA Financial Services (Scope) Rules and the SRA Financial Services (Conduct of Business) Rules (COB Rules). Who regulates consumer credit? Before 1 April 2014: consumer credit activities (including entering into consumer credit agreements) were overseen by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) law firms benefited from a group licence for consumer credit work issued by the OFT to the SRA and therefore did not need an individual licence to enter into consumer credit agreements with clients or engage in ancillary consumer credit activities On 1 April 2014, the Financial Conduct Authority...

On 1 April 2014, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) took over responsibility for consumer credit regulation from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which then closed. From that point, the FCA became the conduct supervisor for all regulated businesses in the consumer credit space, including (among others) consumer lenders, credit card providers, debt management firms and intermediaries. This Practice Note outlines the key components of the FCA’s regulatory framework for the consumer credit sector and directs readers to further detailed Practice Notes and principal legislative materials. Scope, perimeter and exemptions What is ‘consumer credit’ and when is it regulated? To fall within the UK consumer credit regime, a lender must be party to a ‘regulated credit agreement’. A ‘regulated credit agreement’ is determined by reference to a ‘credit agreement’. A ‘credit agreement’ is an arrangement between an individual or relevant recipient of credit (A) and any other person (B) under which B provides A with credit of any amount. Section 9(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (CCA...

This [ Agreement OR DEED ] is entered into on [ insert day and month ] 20[ insert year ] Parties [ insert name of buyer ] [ of [ insert address ] OR trading as [ insert trading name ] of [ insert address ] OR a firm with its principal place of business at [ insert address of firm ] OR [ an LLP OR a company ] incorporated in [ insert place of incorporation, eg England and Wales ] with registered number [ insert registered number ] whose registered office is at [ insert address ] ] (the Buyer); and [ insert name of seller ] [ of [ insert address ] OR trading as [ insert trading name ] of [ insert address ] OR a firm with its principal place of business at [ insert address of firm ] OR [ an LLP OR a company ] incorporated in [ insert place of incorporation, eg England and Wales ] with...

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Before using the wi-fi hotspot, please review these important terms and conditions together with our Privacy Policy [ insert link to policy ] and our Fair Use Policy [ insert link to policy ]. They explain key information about both your rights and obligations, and ours. If you do not accept these terms, you must not use or access the wi-fi hotspot service. You must be at least [ 18 ] years of age and a UK resident to use the wi-fi hotspot service. 1 About us We are [ insert hotspot provider’s full legal name ] [(trading as [ insert trading name ])], a company incorporated in England and Wales with company number: [ insert details ]. Our registered office address is: [ insert details ]. Our VAT registration number is: [ insert details ]. 2 How to contact us You can reach us by emailing [ insert email address ] or by calling [ insert phone number ]. You can also get in touch...