2018/19 saw the FCA receive a record number of reports to its unauthorised business department about potential unauthorised activity.

This is according to the regulator’s latest enforcement annual performance report, released this week.

What is driving this increase, and how can firms ensure their o..

On 25 May, it was a year since the General Data Protection Regulation came into force.

When it came into effect, GDPR was anticipated to change marketing compliance dramatically.

But in year since its introduction, how has GDPR really impacted your financial promotions? What’s different for financia..

This week the Financial Conduct Authority published its first ‘Perimeter Report’. What is it all about, and why does it matter to Compliance teams?

What is the FCA perimeter?

It is the term used for the boundary between what the FCA does and does not regulate. The perimeter determines which firms re..

This week, the Financial Conduct Authority issued a response to the CMA’s update on the Citizens Advice super-complaint about customer loyalty pricing.

What was the complaint about, and what have the CMA and the regulator said in their updates?

In less than six months – on 9 December 2019 – the Senior Managers and Certification Regime will be extended to apply to solo-regulated firms.

What does the new regulation mean, and if you are a solo-regulated firm, what do you need to do to comply?

This week, the Financial Conduct Authority published a Dear CEO letter to claims management firms. The letter reminds firms of their obligations under FCA regulation and flags a number of areas where the regulator has found practices falling short of its standards.

This week, FCA visits were back in the spotlight as it emerged that the regulator has paid visits to 11 SIPP firms.

A Freedom of Information request from Professional Adviser magazine found that the Financial Conduct Authority visited the 11 firms following its ‘Dear CEO' letter to the SIPP market ..

Earlier this month, the Financial Conduct Authority announced that it was planning to review the financial advice market.

The review will look at how the market has changed since the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) and the Financial Advice Market Review (FAMR) were introduced, and consider whether ..

This week, the Financial Ombudsman published its Annual Review. The Review, available on the Ombudsman’s website, outlines the nature and number of complaints the Ombudsman receives relating to financial services.

The world of the regulatory Compliance professional is a complex one.

Legislation is constantly changing, best practice evolves and new approaches take effect. Keeping up with the demands of your role can be a constant challenge.

You need to maintain an understanding of the regulations and guideline..

 That’s the question posed by FCA acting chief economist, Robin Finer, in a speech this week. Finer looked at the relationship between consumers, regulators and data – and how this might evolve.

We review what he said and how regulatory approaches need to adapt to match a changing landscape.

This week (9 May), the Financial Conduct Authority published Decision Notices against three firms and five individuals for ‘acting without integrity’ in relation to their pension advice business and for ‘misleading the FCA’.

What happened, and what lessons can other firms take from the regulator’s ..

On 17 April, the Financial Conduct Authority published its 2019/20 Business Plan.

The regulator publishes a plan every year; it outlines key priorities for the next 12 months, and usually gives regulated firms a good indication of the areas where the Authority will be focusing its attention.

In this..

 On 18 April, the FCA published its latest complaints figures, covering the second half of 2018.

The data shows that complaints for regulated firms decreased by 5% in the second half of last year, falling from 4.13m to 3.91m. This is the first fall in the number of complaints since firms were requir..

On 11 April, the Financial Conduct Authority issued a stern letter to CEOs about repeated failings in financial promotions approvals.

It follows an initial letter sent to CEOs in January this year flagging similar issues, which we covered in an earlier blog.

The crux of the issue is the potential co..