Articles by author
Motor finance: the FCA’s powers, and what the future might hold
The recent redress reforms from HM Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) were first raised in a Call for Input in November 2024, followed by consultations on specific proposals in July 2025. These reforms aim to bring greater consistency to the redress system, including enabling earlier intervention by the FCA and closer alignment to its rules. Both of the Chancellor’s Mansion House speeches to date highlight the uncertainty the current redress framework creates which poses a risk to economic growth. An acute live example of this is motor finance commission. This article examines how the FCA has used its statutory powers under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) in its proposed motor finance redress scheme, published in October 2025, and considers how these powers might be affected by the proposed reforms to the redress framework.
22 NOV 2025When “simplification” is anything but simple: a slimmer FCA Handbook but the website continues to grow
A common observation about the FCA Handbook is that, with over 13,000 pages across more than 3,000 chapters, it is enormous.1 For comparison, that’s more pages than ten copies of War and Peace. This In Practice article considers the impact of the FCA’s shift towards an “outcomes focus” on the content of the Handbook and how material is shifting to the FCA’s website.
28 JUL 2025Modernising the redress system: exploring the need for alternative processes
Following the announcement in the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) on 15 November 2024 published a joint Call for Input (CFI) seeking views from stakeholders on “how to modernise the redress framework, so it better serves consumers and provides greater stability for firms to invest and innovate”. With the CFI response deadline having just passed and the FCA and FOS now reviewing responses, we outline the key issues to be addressed.
6 FEB 2025Beware of regulators bearing gifts
Offering credit for co-operation in enforcement is a consistent message on both sides of the Atlantic. But as regulators dangle the co-operation carrot of speedier resolution, reduced fines, and public statements of commendation, are there pitfalls for firms?
31 JUL 2024More than meets the eye: a new UK regime for critical third parties: what does it mean for regulated firms?
Financial services regulators across the globe are considering how to regulate in some way cloud providers and other information and tech service companies (critical third parties (CTPs)) which many banks and other financial institutions rely on heavily for critical services. While the European Union’s new Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) imposes new requirements on both CTPs and the regulated firms which use their services, the UK has started the ball rolling on a new CTP regime aimed only at the CTPs themselves. The UK regulators’ proposals for their part in the new regime are out for consultation. We take a look at some key areas of the proposals which remain unclear from the financial sector’s perspective.
1 FEB 2024
