fca bank of england - prudential regulation authority

Provided by the Financial Conduct Authority

The Financial Services Register

Search the Financial Services Register

1. Type of business

2. Current status


Recognised Investment Exchanges
Recognised Overseas Investment Exchanges
Recognised Auction Platforms
Designated Investment Exchanges
Regulated Markets
Prohibited Individuals

The Financial Services Register is a public record that shows details of firms, individuals and other bodies that are, or have been, regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and/or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It also has information on firms regulated by the Financial Services Authority that had cancelled or stopped being regulated before April 2013.

Why search the Register?
You can search the Register to find out whether a firm you are using, or plan to do business with, is authorised or registered by the PRA and/or FCA, or is exempt. You can also see if a consumer credit firm has interim permission to provide consumer credit.

Other information you can see about a firm or individual includes:

  • the main contact details, trading names and other basic information
  • the 'status' of a firm or individual, e.g. whether they are authorised or approved
  • the name and basic details of some firms and individuals that are providing products or services in the UK or abroad without the required authorisation, approval or exemption from regulation
  • Under the new Senior Managers and Certification Regime, effective from 7 March 2016, which covers banks, building societies, credit unions and PRA designated investment firms, only Senior Managers are pre-approved. Firms now assess other functions such as Customer Functions (CF30s) (including retail investment advisers). Individuals will show a current status of ‘Inactive’ on the register in these firms if they used to be approved by the FCA.
  • If an adviser is not listed, or shown as ‘inactive’, and you would like to check their status, you should confirm this directly with the firm the adviser is currently working with.

If you deal with a firm (or individual) that is not regulated you may not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go wrong.

You can also search the Register for individuals that work in an authorised firm and perform some important tasks that have been  approved  by the FCA or PRA.

Other registers
The Mutuals Register is a public record of building societies, credit unions and other registered societies under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.

The Regulated Covered Bonds Register is a public record of all regulated covered bonds and their issuers. Covered bonds are a type of secured bond usually backed by mortgages or public sector loans.

The FCA regulates and supervises the conduct of more than 50,000 firms in the UK that provide financial products and services to both UK and international customers.

The PRA is responsible for the ‘prudential regulation’ and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment firms.

The FCA also regulates the prudential standards of firms not covered by the PRA.

Other organisations that can help

Companies Companies House has further information on companies in the UK, including some financial services firms.

Complaints The Financial Ombudsman Service is the free, independent service in the UK for settling disputes between businesses that provide financial products and services, and their customers.

The Ministry of Justice regulates companies that offer a service to claim compensation from a firm - you should contact it for complaints about claims handlers (also known as ‘claims management companies’).

Compensation The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) may be able to compensate certain eligible individuals (and some small businesses) that are, or were, customers of an authorised firm that has been declared ‘in default’.

Firms and individuals can only offer most financial products and services in the UK if they are authorised, registered or approved to do so, or are otherwise exempt.

Yet some act without our authorisation or registration, or without being exempt, and some knowingly run scams.

If you deal with a firm (or individual) that is not regulated you may not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go wrong. Search for a firm or individual to find out how you are protected.

Protect yourself from scams Find out how to check you are dealing with a regulated firm.

You can see what to do if you have been scammed, are concerned about an investment or have been contacted by fraudsters.

You can also help us protect other people if you report a scam or unauthorised firm.

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