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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Get Authorised
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.
Explore Stay CompliantRespond to the FCA
Facing a query, VREQ or supervisory intervention? Respond confidently with evidence-led remediation.
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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.
Looking at how we interact with whistleblowers
**What changed** – The FCA announced a review of its whistle‑blower handling after the death of long‑term whistle‑blower Simon Andriesz. The review, led by new independent non‑executive director Lea Paterson, will examine how the FCA interacts with whistle‑blowers, especially vulnerable individuals, and will identify any procedural improvements. **Who is affected** – All current and future FCA whistle‑blowers, FCA staff who manage whistle‑blowing reports, and firms regulated by the FCA that may be the subject of those reports. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. **Map existing whistle‑blower contact points** – Document how staff receive, record, and respond to whistle‑blower communications. 2. **Check empathy and vulnerability protocols** – Ensure staff have clear guidelines for handling vulnerable or distressed whistle‑blowers. 3. **Audit feedback loops** – Verify that each closed report (1,252 in the last year) includes documented feedback to the whistle‑blower, noting any legal constraints. 4. **Prepare for upcoming FCA guidance** – Anticipate recommendations from Lea Paterson’s review; set internal timelines to adjust policies accordingly. 5. **Monitor reporting trends** – Track the 22 % rise in whistle‑blowing submissions and the 42 % that led to direct action to gauge impact of any changes. **Key deadline** – The FCA expects to publish the review’s lessons and any resulting policy updates **early 2025** (the “early next year” timeframe referenced). **Source** – FCA RSS feed, “Looking at how we interact with whistleblowers.” Document type: RSS.
Reforming UK capital markets to ensure they work well for our economy
**What changed** – The FCA announced the completion of the first phase of its multi‑year capital‑markets reform programme and set out the next wave of rule changes. The focus will shift to emerging areas such as token‑isation of assets, the use of artificial intelligence in trading, and the creation of regulated markets for private‑company shares. The FCA also confirmed it will continue reviewing EU‑derived rules under the Wholesale Markets Review and will work with the Treasury and the Bank of England on further wholesale‑market reforms. **Who’s affected** – - UK‑based issuers and investors in listed and private‑company securities. - Market intermediaries (brokers, custodians, clearing houses) that will need to adapt systems for tokenised assets and AI‑driven trading. - FinTech firms developing platforms for private‑share trading. - Existing regulated entities that must comply with updated wholesale‑market rules. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. Map current product and service lines against the emerging tokenisation and AI use‑cases identified by the FCA. 2. Conduct a gap analysis of existing systems versus the forthcoming regulatory expectations for private‑share markets. 3. Engage with the FCA’s consultation process on the next set of rules (e.g., submit comments, attend stakeholder workshops). 4. Update internal policies and controls to incorporate the new trust‑preserving principles the FCA will embed in the reforms. 5. Prepare a timeline for system upgrades or new technology adoption to meet the anticipated compliance dates. **Key deadlines** – The FCA will publish its detailed consultation papers on tokenisation, AI, and private‑share market reforms by **Q1 2027**, with final rulemaking expected **mid‑2028**. Entities should have their initial impact assessments completed **by 30 June 2027** to allow sufficient time for stakeholder engagement. **Source** – FCA speech “Reforming UK capital markets to ensure they work well for our economy” (RSS).
Firms’ confidence, satisfaction and trust in the FCA rise
**What changed** - The FCA‑Practitioner Panel annual survey shows a rise in firm‑level sentiment: highly‑satisfied firms increased from **74% to 79%**, and firms rating the FCA as a highly effective regulator rose from **69% to 76%**. - Trust levels are now at **75%**. Understanding of the Consumer Duty is at **88%**, up from the previous year. - Awareness of the FCA’s “Secondary International Competitiveness and Growth Objective” jumped **27 pp**, and confidence in its delivery rose **25 pp**. - The FCA has removed outdated or duplicated data returns for **90 %** of firms, aiming to cut reporting burden. **Who is affected** - All FCA‑regulated firms (banks, insurers, investment firms, consumer credit providers, crypto‑asset firms, etc.) that submit regular data returns and are subject to the Consumer Duty. **Actions to consider (process steps only)** 1. **Review the latest FCA guidance** on Consumer Duty implementation to confirm your firm’s understanding aligns with the 88 % benchmark. 2. **Map current data‑return obligations** against the FCA’s “outdated/duplicate” removal list; identify any returns that may be retired. 3. **Update internal reporting calendars** to reflect any reduced or altered filing requirements. 4. **Document evidence of compliance** with the Secondary International Competitiveness and Growth Objective where relevant (e.g., growth‑focused product development). 5. **Monitor FCA communications** for further simplification updates and upcoming reforms (e.g., BNPL, crypto‑asset regime). **Deadlines** - No formal deadline is attached to the survey results; however, firms should complete the above steps **within the next regulatory reporting cycle** (typically by the end of the current financial year) to benefit from the reduced reporting burden. **Source** - FCA RSS feed – “Firms’ confidence, satisfaction and trust in the FCA rise” (RSS). *This summary is factual and non‑advisory; it does not constitute legal or 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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