Financial Conduct Authority

The authority that regulates financial services in the UK

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the body that regulates financial services firms and markets in the UK. Its role is to set the standards that supervised entities must meet and to hold them accountable when they fail to do so. The organisation itself summarises its purpose as enabling a fair and thriving financial services market, for the good of consumers and the economy.

Supervision, authorisation and rules

The FCA's regulatory activity covers several areas of work: authorising entities, ongoing supervision, enforcement of regulations and the development of a handbook of rules and guidance. It also deals with international standards and regulations, and areas such as primary markets, regulatory disclosures, the sponsor regime, securitisation, regulated markets, benchmarks, central securities depositories and market abuse.

Among the groups it supervises are regulated firms in general, claims management companies, consumer credit firms, electronic money and payment institutions, and funeral plan providers and intermediaries. The FCA also maintains an Innovation Hub and works with mutual societies.

Key focus areas

The organisation identifies a series of work focuses: artificial intelligence applied to financial services, the Consumer Duty, cryptoassets, support services for firms, financial crime, open banking and open finance, and the Senior Managers and Certification Regime. It also publishes annual Regulatory Priorities reports with specific priorities for each sector.

Information and tools for consumers

The FCA offers consumers resources to understand their rights regarding financial services, make complaints and understand how to claim compensation when a firm fails. It has a warning list of firms and individuals operating without authorisation or carrying out scams, and warns about fake communications that impersonate its identity. It also addresses specific areas such as car finance claims, high-risk investments, loan fee fraud, pension scams and crypto scams.

One of its standout tools for the public is the FCA Firm Checker, which allows you to check whether a financial services firm is authorised and has permission to sell products and services. The organisation also allows you to report firms, misleading financial promotions, payment services or e-money firms and unfair contracts.

Services and procedures for regulated firms

Supervised entities have their own section with information on authorisations, cancelling authorisations or registrations, approved persons, changes in control, fees and levies, and keeping your firm's information up to date. It also includes guidance on principals and appointed representatives.

The My FCA portal centralises tasks such as Connect, the Online Invoicing System and RegData, with due dates and the status of pending tasks. The FCA also publishes open consultations to gather feedback on its rules, along with final rules and other resources.

Publications, news and engagement

The organisation publishes news, press releases, statements, warnings, insights, blogs, speeches and a media library with images, infographics, podcasts and video. It offers subscriptions to daily alerts on the warnings it issues and to newsletters with updates, publications, events and notices about unauthorised firms.

Its public agenda includes the 2026 Annual Public Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 6 October at Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, with in-person and online attendance. The FCA also publishes its strategy for the period 2025-2030, with its vision and priorities for the next five years.

Structure and organisation

The FCA has a Chair, a Chief Executive, an FCA Board and executive committees. Its staff work in areas such as law, insurance, banking, policy, technology services and other fields. The organisation has its head office in London and is registered in England and Wales.

Location and contact

12 Endeavour Square, London E20 1JN