What is the FCA website (fca.org.uk)?

fca.org.uk is the official website of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK regulator of financial services firms and markets. It is worth using as a source if you want to check whether a UK financial firm is authorised, read consumer guidance, look up regulatory rules, or see warnings about unauthorised and clone firms. It is a regulator's site, not a comparison or advice service, so it tells you about firms' status and rules rather than recommending products.

What the FCA is

The FCA describes its purpose as enabling "a fair and thriving financial services market, for the good of consumers and the economy." In practice it:

• Regulates financial services firms and markets in the UK
• Sets standards firms must meet and holds them to account if they don't
• Aims to support a healthy financial system so consumers get a fair deal

Its remit covers areas such as law, insurance, banking and policy work, and it publishes rules, consultations and news about its decisions.

Who the site is for

The homepage splits its content into two main audiences:

If you are neither — for example, a journalist or researcher — the publications and news sections are the most useful entry points.

Key tools and resources

FCA Firm Checker

The site highlights the FCA Firm Checker as "our new tool for consumers" that "makes it easier to check if financial services firms are authorised and have permission to sell you products and services." This is the main practical reason a consumer would visit: confirming a firm is allowed to offer what it is offering.

Warning list

The FCA maintains a warning list of unauthorised and clone firms. A clone firm is one that impersonates a legitimate authorised business, so checking this list alongside the Firm Checker helps you spot both unregulated operations and impostors.

Financial Services Register

The register is the underlying record of authorised firms and individuals. It is listed among the site's resources and is the authoritative reference behind firm checks.

My FCA

My FCA is a portal for firms. Signing in with existing details gives direct access to Connect, Online Invoicing and RegData tasks, with scheduled tasks showing a due date and status so firms can see what needs completing and when. This section is not relevant to ordinary consumers.

Other resources

• RegData — regulatory data reporting for firms
• FCA Handbook — the rules and guidance firms must follow
• Connect — the FCA's system for authorisation and other firm applications
• Online Invoicing System — fee invoicing for firms
• Authorisation guidance for firms new to regulation

When to use it — and when not to

Use fca.org.uk when you need to:

• Verify that a firm or individual is authorised to provide a financial service in the UK
• Check whether a firm has been flagged as unauthorised or a clone
• Read official consumer guidance on complaints or financial products
• Find the rules (Handbook) or live consultations that apply to firms

It is less suited to:

• Comparing products or getting personal recommendations — the FCA does not sell or endorse products
• Non-UK regulation — it covers UK financial services, so a firm authorised elsewhere may not appear
• Real-time complaint handling — complaints about firms generally go through the firm first and then the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is a separate body (the site's news section, for example, reports on Ombudsman appointments rather than handling cases)

Practical notes

The site also offers newsletters and email alerts covering FCA news, publications, events and unauthorised firm warnings, which is a way to keep up with warnings without checking manually. Content is published in English (en-GB), and the site does not present itself as a paid service — but nothing here should be read as confirming that every resource is free of login or access requirements; the firm-facing portals such as My FCA clearly require sign-in with existing credentials.