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.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates financial services firms and markets in the UK. It sets the standards firms must meet and holds them to account when they don't, with the stated aim of supporting a healthy and successful financial system so that consumers get a fair deal. If you want to know whether a firm is legitimate, complain about a financial product, or understand the rules a firm must follow, the FCA's website (fca.org.uk) is the starting point.

What the FCA is responsible for

According to its own description, the FCA's purpose is to "enable a fair and thriving financial services market, for the good of consumers and the economy." In practice that means two broad jobs:

• Regulating firms and markets — setting standards for financial services firms operating in the UK.
• Holding them to account — taking action when firms fail to meet those standards.

The FCA also describes its overall goal as supporting a healthy and successful financial system in which consumers are treated fairly. Its work spans sectors including law, insurance, banking, policy and technology services, reflecting the range of firms and activities it oversees.

How the FCA helps consumers

The consumer-facing side of the site groups the tools and information most useful to the public:

Checking a firm with the FCA Firm Checker

The FCA Firm Checker is described as a new tool for consumers that makes it easier to confirm whether a financial services firm is authorised and permitted to sell you products and services. This matters because dealing with an unauthorised firm means you generally lose access to protections such as the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

To use it, you go to the checker on the FCA site, enter the firm's details, and review whether the firm appears as authorised with the relevant permissions. If it doesn't appear, or the permissions don't cover what you're being offered, treat that as a warning sign.

The Warning List

The FCA maintains a Warning List of unauthorised and clone firms. "Clone firms" are fraudulent operations that copy the details of genuine authorised firms to appear legitimate. Checking the Warning List alongside the Firm Checker helps you spot both firms that were never authorised and impostors using a real firm's identity.

How the FCA supports firms

The FCA also provides a dedicated area for firms, covering:

• Motor finance complaints — firm-specific information on handling these complaints.
• Consumer Duty — the standards firms must meet in delivering good outcomes for retail customers.
• FCA support services for firms — practical help with regulatory obligations.

My FCA: the portal for firms

My FCA is a portal that lets firms sign in with their existing details for direct access to three systems:

• Connect — the FCA's system for applications and notifications.
• Online Invoicing — for managing fees.
• RegData — for regulatory data returns.

Within the portal, scheduled tasks show a due date and status, so firms can see what needs to be completed and when. This is a working tool for regulated firms rather than something consumers need.

Other resources on fca.org.uk

Beyond the consumer and firm sections, the site hosts:

• The Financial Services Register — the official record of authorised firms and individuals.
• The FCA Handbook — the rules and guidance firms must follow.
• Publications and consultations — where you can have your say on live consultations or browse final rules and other resources.
• News and press releases — for example, announcements on appointments and new rules, such as rules to make long-term investment funds clearer.
• Newsletters and email alerts — sign-up for FCA news, publications, events and unauthorised firm warnings.

When to use which part of the site

• Before handing money to a firm: use the FCA Firm Checker, then cross-check the Warning List.
• If you think you've been contacted by an impostor: check the Warning List for clone firms and see the consumer information on fake FCA communications.
• If you have a complaint about a financial product: start with the consumer information section, which covers complaints and relevant schemes.
• If you run a regulated firm: use My FCA for Connect, Online Invoicing and RegData, and check the firm information on Consumer Duty and sector-specific complaints handling.

The FCA's role is to set the rules, check who is allowed to operate, and act when firms fall short — and its site gives consumers and firms the tools to check authorisation, report concerns and understand the standards that apply.

My FCA is the FCA's portal for firms. According to the FCA website, firms sign in using their existing details for direct access to Connect, Online Invoicing and RegData tasks. Once inside, scheduled tasks show a due date and status, so a firm can see what needs to be completed and when. If you work for an authorised or applicant firm and need to submit filings, pay fees or manage regulatory data, My FCA is the entry point to start from.

What My FCA gives firms access to

The FCA describes My FCA as a single sign-in route to several firm-facing systems rather than a separate regulatory regime. The systems named on the FCA site are:

• Connect – the FCA's system for applications and notifications (for example, authorisation and approved person applications).
• Online Invoicing System – where firms handle their FCA fees and invoices.
• RegData – the FCA's regulatory data collection platform, used for submitting the returns and data the FCA requires from firms.

The practical benefit is that you use your existing sign-in details instead of managing separate credentials for each system, and you reach all three from one portal.

Seeing what you need to do and when

The FCA states that within My FCA, scheduled tasks have a due date and status. That means a firm user can open the portal and see:

• which tasks are outstanding,
• when each one is due, and
• the current status of each task.

For a compliance or finance team, this is the quickest way to confirm nothing is about to be missed before a deadline, rather than checking each underlying system separately.

Who it is for

My FCA is for firms, not consumers. The FCA separates its site into "For consumers" and "For firms" sections, and My FCA sits under the firm-facing side. If you are an individual trying to check whether a firm is authorised, that is a different tool — the FCA Firm Checker, which the FCA describes as its tool for consumers to check if financial services firms are authorised and have permission to sell products and services.

Where to find it and related firm resources

The FCA lists My FCA alongside other firm resources, including the Financial Services Register, RegData, the FCA Handbook, Connect, the Online Invoicing System, and authorisation guidance for firms new to regulation. The FCA also offers support services for firms and publishes firm information such as updates on motor finance complaints.

To get started, go to the FCA website (fca.org.uk), open the "For firms" section, and select My FCA. Sign in with your existing details. If you are new to regulation, the FCA's authorisation pages for firms new to regulation are the sensible starting point before you need portal access.

Common points to check

• Use your existing credentials. The FCA's wording is that you sign in "using your existing details" — there is no indication you need to create a separate My FCA account.
• Check task status, not just task lists. The due date and status fields are what tell you whether something still needs action.
• Don't confuse it with consumer tools. My FCA is for firms; the Firm Checker and the Warning List of unauthorised and clone firms are for consumers and the public.
• Confirm current access and login requirements on the FCA site itself, since portal arrangements and system names can change over time.

The FCA Firm Checker is a consumer tool on fca.org.uk that lets you check whether a financial services firm is authorised and has permission to sell you products and services. Use it before you hand over money or personal details to any firm, and cross-check the result against the FCA's Warning List of unauthorised and clone firms.

What the FCA Firm Checker does

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates financial services firms and markets in the UK, sets standards for firms, and holds them to account if they don't meet those standards. The Firm Checker is the consumer-facing entry point into that system: it tells you whether a firm appears in the FCA's records as authorised, and whether its permissions cover the activity you are considering.

It is not a rating, a recommendation, or a guarantee of how a firm will behave. It answers one question: is this firm authorised for this activity?

How to check a firm

1. Go to fca.org.uk and open the For consumers section.
2. Select FCA Firm Checker.
3. Enter the firm's name or reference details as prompted, and review the result.
4. If the firm is authorised, confirm that its permissions cover the specific product or service you are being offered — authorisation for one activity does not mean authorisation for all of them.
5. Check the Warning List of unauthorised and clone firms for the same name or similar details.

The expected result is a clear indication of whether the firm is authorised and permitted for the activity in question. If it is not, or if the details do not match, treat that as a stop signal.

Why the Warning List matters as much as the checker

Clone firms are a specific risk: they use the name, address, or firm reference number of a legitimately authorised firm to appear genuine. This is why a positive result on the Firm Checker is not enough on its own. Compare the contact details you were given — phone number, website, email — against the details the FCA holds for the authorised firm. If they differ, you may be dealing with a clone.

The FCA publishes warnings about unauthorised and clone firms, and you can sign up for FCA newsletters and email alerts to be notified of new warnings.

What to do with the result

Related FCA resources

Beyond the Firm Checker, the FCA site provides:

• Financial Services Register — the underlying record of authorised firms and individuals.
• Consumer information — guidance pages including current consumer issues such as car finance complaints.
• Fake FCA communications — guidance on messages pretending to come from the FCA itself.
• My FCA — a portal for firms, not consumers, covering Connect, Online Invoicing, and RegData tasks.

If you are checking on behalf of a firm rather than as a consumer, the For firms section and My FCA portal are the relevant starting points.

The FCA Warning List is a public page on fca.org.uk that names firms the Financial Conduct Authority believes are operating without authorisation, including "clone firms" that impersonate legitimate authorised businesses. You use it to check a firm before you hand over money or personal details. It is one input into a decision, not a guarantee: a firm's absence from the list does not by itself prove it is authorised, so the Warning List is best used alongside the FCA Firm Checker and the Financial Services Register.

What the Warning List covers

The FCA describes the list as covering "unauthorised and clone firms." Two distinct problems sit under that heading:

• Unauthorised firms — businesses that appear to be offering financial services or products without the permission the FCA requires. The FCA's stated role is to regulate financial services firms and markets in the UK, set standards, and hold firms to account when they fall short.
• Clone firms — operations that copy the identity of a genuine, authorised firm. They may use a real firm's name, address, registration details, or website design to make you believe you are dealing with the authorised business.

The practical risk is the same in both cases: you may be dealing with an entity that is not subject to FCA rules or the protections that come with authorisation.

How to use it before you commit

The FCA positions the Warning List as part of its consumer information, alongside the FCA Firm Checker. A workable sequence:

1. Identify the firm precisely. Get the legal name, any trading name, the firm reference number if one is quoted, and the website or contact details you were actually given — not the ones on a search result.
2. Check the Warning List. Look for the firm's name and any aliases. Clone entries often flag that the details match a real firm, which is the signal that someone is impersonating it.
3. Check the FCA Firm Checker. The FCA describes this as a tool that makes it easier to check whether financial services firms are authorised and have permission to sell you products and services.
4. Cross-check the Financial Services Register. The Register is listed among the FCA's resources and is the underlying record of authorised firms and permissions.
5. Verify contact details independently. If a firm claims to be authorised, contact the genuine firm using details you sourced yourself, not details supplied by the party you are checking.

Expected result: you either find the firm on the Warning List (treat that as a strong reason to stop), or you confirm an authorised entry whose permissions actually cover what you are being offered.

Why "authorised" alone is not enough

A firm can be authorised for one activity and not another. The FCA Firm Checker is described as checking both authorisation and permission to sell you particular products and services. So a firm that appears on the Register may still not be permitted to do what it is proposing. Check the specific permission, not just the name.

Clone firms exploit exactly this gap: they borrow a real firm's authorisation status while offering something that firm does not sell, or while using contact details the real firm does not use.

Common points where people get caught

• Trusting the name match. A clone uses the real firm's name, so a search that returns the genuine entry can feel like confirmation. Compare the contact details, not just the name.
• Skipping the Warning List because the Register looked clean. The two checks answer different questions.
• Acting on unsolicited contact. The FCA publishes warnings about fake FCA communications, which is a related risk: someone claiming to be from the FCA itself.
• Assuming absence from the list means safe. The list reflects firms the FCA has identified and published; it is not a complete register of everything that exists.

Where the Warning List sits on fca.org.uk

The FCA homepage groups its content into For consumers and For firms. The Warning List of unauthorised and clone firms, the FCA Firm Checker, and consumer information sit under the consumer side. Firm-facing resources — My FCA, the Financial Services Register, RegData, the FCA Handbook, Connect, and the Online Invoicing System — sit under the firm side. If you are a consumer checking a firm, the consumer section is the right starting point.

The FCA also offers newsletters and email alerts covering news, publications, events, and unauthorised firm warnings, which is one way to receive warning updates without revisiting the page manually.

What this means for your decision

Treat the Warning List as a stop signal, not a clearance certificate. If a firm appears on it, the FCA has publicly identified it as unauthorised or a clone — that is enough to walk away. If it does not appear, complete the Firm Checker and Register checks, confirm the permission matches the product, and verify contact details through a channel you chose yourself.