UK Financial Regulation
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End-to-end FCA authorisation support from application to approval. Get authorised faster with our proven process and free regulatory technology tools.
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Launching a regulated firm or adding permissions? Scope what you need and build an application that gets approved.
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Already authorised? Keep your obligations evidenced and your controls audit-ready, without a large in-house team.
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Firms Authorised
FCA-regulated firms trust our expertise
Submission-Ready
Typical MEMA prep from kickoff to FCA submission. The FCA's own determination then takes 6–12 months.
Ongoing Compliance Managed
Continuous monitoring and regulatory oversight
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Free Compliance Tools
Professional regulatory tools used by UK financial services firms. Free to use, no registration required.
Regulatory Perimeter Assessment
Discover your FCA regulatory requirements instantly with interactive assessment mapping.
- PERG/RAO mapping
- Sourcebook explainers
- Artefact templates
FCA Fee Calculator
Calculate your annual FCA regulatory fees instantly with our wizard-style calculator.
- Instant calculations
- Pre-defined firm types
- Accurate estimates
SM&CR Navigator
Build your SM&CR framework step-by-step with our comprehensive navigator tool.
- Six-step wizard
- SMF library
- F&P tracking
Consumer Duty Outcomes Checker
Rapid structured assessment against the four Consumer Duty outcomes.
- Four outcomes assessment
- Board report export
- Evidence tracking
Financial Promotions Quick Guidance
Media-neutral pre-clearance aid for financial promotions compliance.
- All channels covered
- Product-specific rules
- Prominence guidance
Vulnerability Support Checker
Proportionate adjustments for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
- Journey-specific prompts
- FCA's 4 drivers
- MI requirements
Complaints Checker (DISP)
Stay on track with DISP timelines, mandatory letter content, and root-cause analysis.
- Timeline calculator
- Letter templates
- Root cause tags
Financial Crime Assessment
Self-assess your AML/CTF controls against Dear CEO letter themes.
- Dear CEO aligned
- RAG scoring
- Expert recommendations
RegActions Enforcement Database
Search and analyse FCA enforcement actions and penalties, plus regulators worldwide.
- 10+ years of data
- Advanced filters
- Trend analysis
FOS Complaints Database
Financial Ombudsman Service complaints data by firm and sector.
- FOS case data
- Firm comparisons
- Sector analysis
Regulatory Perimeter Assessment
Discover your FCA regulatory requirements instantly with interactive assessment mapping.
- PERG/RAO mapping
- Sourcebook explainers
- Artefact templates
FCA Fee Calculator
Calculate your annual FCA regulatory fees instantly with our wizard-style calculator.
- Instant calculations
- Pre-defined firm types
- Accurate estimates
SM&CR Navigator
Build your SM&CR framework step-by-step with our comprehensive navigator tool.
- Six-step wizard
- SMF library
- F&P tracking
Consumer Duty Outcomes Checker
Rapid structured assessment against the four Consumer Duty outcomes.
- Four outcomes assessment
- Board report export
- Evidence tracking
Financial Promotions Quick Guidance
Media-neutral pre-clearance aid for financial promotions compliance.
- All channels covered
- Product-specific rules
- Prominence guidance
Vulnerability Support Checker
Proportionate adjustments for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
- Journey-specific prompts
- FCA's 4 drivers
- MI requirements
Complaints Checker (DISP)
Stay on track with DISP timelines, mandatory letter content, and root-cause analysis.
- Timeline calculator
- Letter templates
- Root cause tags
Financial Crime Assessment
Self-assess your AML/CTF controls against Dear CEO letter themes.
- Dear CEO aligned
- RAG scoring
- Expert recommendations
RegActions Enforcement Database
Search and analyse FCA enforcement actions and penalties, plus regulators worldwide.
- 10+ years of data
- Advanced filters
- Trend analysis
FOS Complaints Database
Financial Ombudsman Service complaints data by firm and sector.
- FOS case data
- Firm comparisons
- Sector analysis
Regulatory Perimeter Assessment
Discover your FCA regulatory requirements instantly with interactive assessment mapping.
- PERG/RAO mapping
- Sourcebook explainers
- Artefact templates
FCA Fee Calculator
Calculate your annual FCA regulatory fees instantly with our wizard-style calculator.
- Instant calculations
- Pre-defined firm types
- Accurate estimates
SM&CR Navigator
Build your SM&CR framework step-by-step with our comprehensive navigator tool.
- Six-step wizard
- SMF library
- F&P tracking
Consumer Duty Outcomes Checker
Rapid structured assessment against the four Consumer Duty outcomes.
- Four outcomes assessment
- Board report export
- Evidence tracking
Financial Promotions Quick Guidance
Media-neutral pre-clearance aid for financial promotions compliance.
- All channels covered
- Product-specific rules
- Prominence guidance
Vulnerability Support Checker
Proportionate adjustments for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
- Journey-specific prompts
- FCA's 4 drivers
- MI requirements
Complaints Checker (DISP)
Stay on track with DISP timelines, mandatory letter content, and root-cause analysis.
- Timeline calculator
- Letter templates
- Root cause tags
Financial Crime Assessment
Self-assess your AML/CTF controls against Dear CEO letter themes.
- Dear CEO aligned
- RAG scoring
- Expert recommendations
RegActions Enforcement Database
Search and analyse FCA enforcement actions and penalties, plus regulators worldwide.
- 10+ years of data
- Advanced filters
- Trend analysis
FOS Complaints Database
Financial Ombudsman Service complaints data by firm and sector.
- FOS case data
- Firm comparisons
- Sector analysis
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Expert Regulatory Support
End-to-end compliance services for UK financial services firms.
FCA Authorisation
Be ready to submit to the FCA in ~6 weeks.
Learn moreCompliance Outsourcing
Your external compliance team.
Learn moreSMCR Implementation
Senior Managers Regime expertise.
Learn moreConsumer Duty
Meet FCA's new standards.
Learn moreFinancial Crime
AML, CTF and sanctions controls for regulated firms.
Learn moreSelected client work
Examples of how we’ve helped firms get authorised, stay compliant, and respond to the FCA.
Our winning partners
FCA Authorisation, Explained in 2 Minutes
What the application actually involves, what the FCA is looking for, and where most firms lose time.
Supporting firms across 11 FCA sectors, from payments to pensions.
What Our Clients Say
Trusted by 100+ UK financial services firms for FCA authorisation and compliance.
During our payment services authorisation, we faced unexpected challenges with our case handler. MEMA advocated for us professionally, secured a case handler change, and supported us through personnel transitions. They even prepared our COO for the FCA interview. Authorised in 9 months despite the complexity - they went above and beyond.
Our compliance resource suddenly left, leaving us exposed to regulatory risk. MEMA stepped in immediately, conducted a full compliance review, and stabilised our operations over 6 months while we recruited. They prevented potential FCA scrutiny and got us back to a strong compliance footing.
We had compliance position issues flagged by the FCA during our investment authorisation. MEMA navigated the regulatory concerns with us, provided detailed supplementary evidence, and worked directly with the FCA to satisfy all queries. Their ex-regulator perspective was invaluable - we're now successfully authorised.
Regulatory Updates
Rapid intelligence on FCA policy statements, Dear CEO letters, and enforcement priorities, curated by the MEMA regulatory team.
Firms’ confidence, satisfaction and trust in the FCA rise
**What changed** - The FCA‑Practitioner Panel annual survey shows a rise in firm sentiment: high satisfaction with the FCA increased from 74% to 79%; rating the FCA as a highly effective regulator rose from 69% to 76%; and high trust grew to 75%. - Understanding of the Consumer Duty is now reported by 88% of firms (up from previous year’s unspecified level). - Awareness of the FCA’s Secondary International Competitiveness and Growth Objective jumped 27 percentage points, and confidence in its delivery rose 25 points. - The FCA has removed outdated or duplicated data‑return requirements for 90% of firms, aiming to cut reporting burden. **Who is affected** - All FCA‑regulated firms (banks, insurers, investment firms, consumer credit firms, crypto‑asset firms, etc.) that submit regulatory data and must comply with the Consumer Duty. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. Review the latest FCA guidance on embedding the Consumer Duty and confirm internal policies meet the 88%‑firm understanding benchmark. 2. Map current data‑return obligations against the FCA’s “outdated/duplicated” list; discontinue any returns identified for removal. 3. Update internal reporting calendars to reflect the reduced data‑return schedule for the 90% of firms affected. 4. Document any remaining reporting requirements and ensure they are aligned with the FCA’s simplification roadmap. **Deadlines** - No formal deadline is set in the survey release; however, firms should complete the above reviews within the next regulatory reporting cycle (typically Q3 2024) to benefit from the simplified reporting regime. **Source** - FCA RSS feed – “Firms’ confidence, satisfaction and trust in the FCA rise.” **Document type**: RSS feed summary.
FCA Authorisations operating service metrics 2026/27 Q1
**What changed** – The FCA released its Q1 2026/27 Authorisations operating service metrics (April‑June 2026). Seven metrics are now “green”, two “amber” and three “red”. A new “Adjacent Variations of Permission” category is reported for the first time, with a voluntary target of completing full applications within 3 months and incomplete ones within 6 months (performance 94.2 % – amber). Overall, 97.9 % of cases met their deadlines, up from 97.5 % in Q4 2025/26. The 3/4 MLD and 5 MLD metrics for 2025/26 were corrected to use calendar‑day rather than working‑day time‑frames. **Who is affected** – All solo‑regulated firms applying for FCA authorisation (new firms, variations, 3/4 MLD, 5 MLD, payment‑services and e‑money authorisations). Dual‑regulated firms are covered by PRA metrics. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. Review internal timelines against the new targets (3 months for complete adjacent variations, 6 months for incomplete). 2. Compare your firm’s current processing times to the published lower‑quartile, median and upper‑quartile figures. 3. Identify any applications that may fall into the “red” categories (new firm authorisations, certain MLD and payment‑services authorisations) and prioritize resources to meet the tighter deadlines. 4. Update internal reporting to capture calendar‑day rather than working‑day metrics, reflecting the FCA correction. **Deadline** – No external filing deadline; the FCA’s quarterly metrics will be published each quarter, with the next update due 31 July 2026 (Q2 2026/27). **Source** – FCA RSS feed, “Authorisations operating service metrics 2026/27 Q1” (PDF).
CP26/34: Preparing for the new transaction reporting regime
**What changed** - The FCA is consulting on new guidance, handbook amendments and transitional provisions to support the upcoming **transaction‑reporting regime** that will replace the current MiFIR rules. - Draft schema and validation rules for the new reporting format have been released, and a **Transaction Reporting User Pack** will be developed. **Who is affected** - Investment firms, trading‑venue operators, approved reporting mechanisms, trade associations and any market participant that submits transaction reports, instrument reference data or order‑book data. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. Review the draft schema and validation rules on the Market Data Processor (MDP) site. 2. Assess current reporting systems against the proposed changes (MAR 13‑15 references, new user‑pack format). 3. Update internal procedures and IT mappings to align with the draft schema. 4. Prepare a comment response (online form, email or post) addressing any gaps or clarification needs. 5. Monitor the FCA’s Q1 2027 consultation on the Transaction Reporting User Pack and plan for implementation before the final pack is published (by 3 April 2027). **Key deadlines** - **6 Nov 2026** – Submit comments on the consultation (online form, email cp26‑34@fca.org.uk, or post). - **3 Apr 2028** – New transaction‑reporting rules (PS26/15) come into force. **Source** - FCA Consultation Paper CP26/34 – “Preparing for the new transaction reporting regime” (CP). *This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute regulatory advice.*
FCA Explainers
Plain-English guides to FCA Handbook requirements, compliance frameworks, and regulatory decisions.
DISP Complaints Handling
What the FCA expects from your complaints process, timelines, and root cause analysis.
Read guideHandbookConsumer Duty Outcomes
The four outcomes your firm must deliver under PRIN 2A and how to evidence them.
Read guideGovernanceSM&CR Responsibilities Map
Building an effective responsibilities map with prescribed responsibilities and gap analysis.
Read guideImplementationFinancial Crime Controls
Implementing an effective AML/CTF framework covering BWRA, CDD, monitoring, and SARs.
Read guideCompareDIY vs Consultant: FCA Authorisation
Side-by-side comparison of self-managing vs using a specialist for FCA applications.
Read guideDecisionSection 166 Readiness
How to prepare for and respond to an FCA skilled person review.
Read guideReady to Get Started?
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