Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation Solutions | Pre-licensing Assessment | Financial Adviser FCA Application Management | Post-licensing Risk and Compliance Management

We offer a comprehensive set of solutions to help you obtain and maintain a Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority, tailored to:

• Your business goals and objectives
• Your client demographics
• Your countries of operation
• The size of your business
• The available human and technology resources
• Your risk appetite
• Your governance structure
• The products that you offer
• FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations covering risk and compliance management under financial laws and regulations, the applicable FCA authorisation requirements, AML/CFT laws, privacy laws, consumer protection laws, and more

We have designed our FCA authorisation solutions to help you navigate the complexities of the UK financial advice regulations in a commercially oriented and goal-focused manner, providing effective support for all stages of the UK financial advisers' authorisation process, including but not limited to the following aspects:

• Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation Guidance: Advising on a wide range of aspects associated with financial adviser FCA authorisation as it relates to your specific situation
• Pre-licensing assessment: Covering compliance gap analysis as well as risk and compliance assessment
• Pre-licensing support:
• Drafting the necessary policies and procedures to help you comply with the financial adviser FCA authorisation conditions and financial markets' regulations
• Developing internal controls to help you meet your obligations under the UK financial advice regulations
• Financial Adviser FCA Application Support: Covering the entire authorisation process
• Post-licensing Support: Covering
• Ongoing compliance advice
• Comprehensive second-line risk and compliance support, including leading the implementation of your risk management framework (RMF), compliance management framework (CMF), compliance monitoring program (CMP), compliance calendar and checklist, ongoing risk assessments, internal and external reporting, outsourced providers' management, and more
• AML/CFT advice
• AML/CFT compliance management
• Compliance assurance solutions, including compliance assurance program (CAP) development, implementation, and internal control testing

 

Service Coverage

This page is about UK Financial Advisers’ Authorisation from the FCA. The UK financial advisers must obtain Consumer Investment Firm Authorisation. An FCA authorisation allows your business to provide financial services to both retail and wholesale clients, subject to the specific permissions you hold. We offer comprehensive support for a wide range of FCA authorisation applications, tailored to the needs of the following businesses:

• Private financial advisers
• Wholesale financial advisers
• Retail financial advisers 
• Institutional financial advisers 
• Boutique financial advisers 
• Family Offices
• Robo-Advisors
• Cross-Border Investment and Tax Planning Advisors
• ESG-Focused financial advisers

You can find more information about our financial adviser FCA authorisation solutions below:

 

 

Non-Retail Financial Advisers’ Authorisation

Securing FCA authorisation for retail-facing activities may not align with your objectives if you focus on professional/wholesale clients.

Our solutions support financial advisers who provide services to non-retail clients, including professional investors, institutional clients, and high-net-worth individuals. This covers businesses that:

• Focus exclusively on wholesale markets by targeting sophisticated, eligible, and professional investors.
• Operate under FCA Part 4A permissions for advising/arranging/dealing, without seeking retail fund product authorisation.
• Align their operations with the requirements set for non-retail services while still meeting the complete set of regulated activities.

Our services help these firms comply with regulatory requirements that extend beyond the product authorisation itself, including:

• Financial promotions and advertising controls
• Fair dealing and client communications
• Risk management and outsourcing oversight
• Ensuring you don’t stray into retail distribution without the right categorisation and disclosures
• AML/CTF (MLRs) and data protection (UK GDPR/DPA 2018)

 

Preparing Your Financial Adviser FCA Application

Pre-licensing Compliance Assurance

Our financial adviser FCA authorisation solutions cover the following focus areas:

• Compliance Goals Analysis: We review your business-specific goals and resources against the suitability criteria for a financial adviser FCA authorisation
• Initial Consultation: We provide guidance on potential risk and compliance issues that may arise during the UK financial advisers' authorisation process
• Choosing the Right Jurisdiction: We assist in evaluating regulatory, risk, and compliance environments to determine the most suitable jurisdictions for your financial adviser FCA authorisation, tailored to suit your:

• business objectives,
• operational capacity,
• client base,
• markets of operations,
• and other relevant factors

• Gap Analysis: We identify gaps between your existing operations and regulatory requirements and help you align them in a commercially oriented manner
• Financial Advisers’ FCA Authorisation Plan: We help you establish a roadmap to effectively meet the financial adviser FCA authorisation requirements

 

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation Guidance

Selecting the right compliance model is crucial not only for navigating the financial adviser FCA authorisation process but also for maintaining ongoing compliance and avoiding potential breaches. Our UK financial advisers' authorisation solution covers:

• Compliance Model Selection: To help you best comply with the UK financial advice regulations and related risk and compliance obligations.
• Corporate Governance Model Selection: We offer practical guidance on establishing effective corporate governance practices that support your risk and compliance oversight.
• Operations Model Advisory: We advise you on optimising your operational and governance models to help you efficiently comply with the authorisation requirements for broking firms and other applicable FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations, keeping in mind your specific circumstances, available resources and business goals.

 

Entering FCA Authorisation Environment for Financial Advisers

We help businesses transition from an unregulated environment to operating under the UK financial advice regulations, helping them meet their FCA authorisation obligations.

We also assist already regulated businesses in aligning their existing risk and compliance management structures with the UK financial advice regulations requirements.

Our focus areas for this service include:

• New businesses
• Existing booking businesses operating in unregulated markets
• UK-regulated financial advisers expanding into foreign jurisdictions
• Financial institutions and/or service providers with established risk and compliance frameworks seeking to introduce regulated broking services trading as a new product.

 

Multi-Jurisdictional Compliance

With years of experience managing risk and compliance obligations for businesses operating under multiple financial licences across various jurisdictions, we help businesses remain compliant with regulated financial advisers' obligations globally.

 

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation and Wholesale Markets

Getting a financial adviser FCA authorisation may not always be the best fit for all. For example, a retail market expansion may not always align with your goals or the products you offer.

Operating in the wholesale environment can sometimes be a more suitable option. We offer a wider range of risk and compliance management solutions to assist financial advisers that:

• Operate in the wholesale markets
• Operate under exemptions from the UK financial advice regulations
• Offer services to sophisticated, eligible, and wholesale investors

 

We help them comply with the regulatory compliance obligations that are not caught by the UK financial advice regulations, but that still have to be addressed and handled, including:

• Advertisement Rules
• Fair Dealing Regulations
• Risk Management
• Outsourced Providers' Oversight
• Restrictions on offering services to retail investors without a licence (an integral part of the UK financial advice regulations)
• Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) laws and regulations
• Data Management Laws and Regulations

 

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation Process

We assist with your FCA authorisation application through ongoing engagement in the UK financial advisers' authorisation process:

• Document Compilation and Review: We compile and review all required supporting documents to support your financial adviser's FCA application.
• Application Form Completion: We help you complete the forms so that all material information is accurate and complete.

• Pre-Submission Review: We can arrange a pre-submission review session with key stakeholders to ensure all parts of your application are understood and agreed upon. This session aligns application details with the actual situation, removing ambiguity.
• Regulatory Liaison: We manage the end-to-end submission process, maintaining clear and effective communication channels throughout the regulated UK financial advisers' authorisation.
• Timeline Management: We closely monitor and adhere to all necessary deadlines, providing timely updates and adjustments to keep the application process on track.

 

Resolving Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation Issues

Having competent compliance advisors is crucial when licensing issues arise. Therefore, our financial adviser FCA authorisation solutions include a range of services to address and resolve these issues effectively:

• Remediation Solutions for Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation Applicants: We address and remediate risk and compliance issues identified by regulators, helping your operations align with the requirements of the UK financial advice regulations.
• Specific Licence Conditions Compliance: We can help you manage additional conditions imposed on your financial adviser FCA authorisation, developing a tailored action plan to maintain compliance and facilitate the eventual removal of these conditions with minimal disruption to your business operations.

• Licensing Issues Handling: We address common licensing issues encountered during the UK financial advisers' authorisation process, providing you with solutions to navigate and resolve these challenges efficiently.
• Further Information: You can visit our Compliance Remediation Solutions page for more information.

 

Post-Licensing Support

We offer a full range of ongoing risk and compliance solutions for FCA authorised financial advisers. Our services include but are not limited to:

Ongoing Risk and Regulatory Compliance

• FCA Regulated Financial Advisers’ Obligations Guidance: We can advise your risk, compliance, management and other teams on meeting the requirements of the UK financial advice regulations and other regulatory compliance obligations. You can visit our Compliance Advisory page for more information.
• Regulatory Risk and Compliance Management: We provide dedicated compliance managers to manage your overall compliance. For more information, visit our Specialised Compliance Management Solutions page for Financial Advisers.
• Compliance Assurance Solutions: As part of our compliance assurance solutions, we offer:
• Compliance Assurance Program (CAP) development and testing options
• Internal Controls Design option
• Internal Controls Testing option
• Internal AML/CFT Review option
• Statutory AML/CFT Audit option
• Compliance Training Solutions: We offer training programs to different teams on complying with:
• FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations for risk and regulatory compliance management. You can visit our Compliance Training page for more information.
• Financial advice related AML/CFT obligations and operational best practices for fraud prevention. You can visit our AML/CFT Training page for more information.
• Crisis Management Planning: We can develop proactive strategies to manage potential compliance crises effectively.
• Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Terrorist Financing Solutions: We provide a full range of AML/CFT solutions for financial advisers. For more information, visit our Specialised AML/CFT Solutions page for Financial Advisers.
• Advanced Compliance Technologies: We can assist you with selecting and integrating advanced technology solutions, such as compliance automation tools and regulatory technology (RegTech), to streamline compliance processes without disrupting operations.
• Risk and Compliance Framework Adjustments: Including adjustments to risk management frameworks (RMFs), compliance monitoring programs (CMPs), compliance management frameworks (CMFs), and other core procedures and policies to align them with:
• new business goals
• regulatory changes
• changes in your operations
• evolving market conditions
• changes in stakeholders’ risk appetites (your banking partners, insurance companies, liquidity providers, etc.).

 

 

Risk and Compliance Obligations for FCA Authorised Financial Advisers

FCA authorised financial advisers are subject to various obligations set out in applicable laws and regulations. They are also expected to uphold standards for their conduct and internal operations, as outlined in regulatory guidance or accepted industry practices.

We can help you address these obligations and expectations through comprehensive support in the different areas. The list below is not exhaustive:

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation and Regulatory Compliance Obligations

• Compliance Management Systems: We can help you establish effective compliance programs, compliance monitoring plans, controls testing methodologies, compliance calendars and more (as required under the SYSC 6.1).
• Risk Management Frameworks: We can help you develop comprehensive risk management frameworks to fulfil FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations for identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational, regulatory, strategic, financial and other types of risks (as required under the SYSC 7.1).
• Policy and Procedure Development: We can help you draft and implement policies and procedures aligned with the financial adviser regulatory requirements (as required under the SYSC 4.1).
• Compliance Monitoring Plans: We can oversee the execution of your CMPs, covering ongoing monitoring of your compliance obligations under the UK financial advice regulations.
• Internal Control Testing and Compliance Assurance: We can conduct internal reviews and audits of your controls to test their effectiveness and compliance with the applicable regulatory standards.

 

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation and Operational Oversight Obligations

• Oversight of Outsourcing: We can establish a set of effective controls to comply with FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations for overseeing outsourced services, also covering related obligations under AML/CFT compliance, ISO requirements, and more.
• Structures for Governance: We can help you establish effective governance structures to comply with FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations and develop an effective approach to overseeing your risk exposure and compliance status across different functions of your business.
• Senior Management Accountability: We can help you comply with FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations for senior management and key staff conduct and competence (as required under the Senior Managers & Certification Regime, SYSC 5).
• Maintaining Operational Resilience: We assist in developing continuity plans to meet FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations for operational resilience, helping critical business services withstand disruptions.
• Managing Technology Risks: We provide guidance on technology risk management obligations under the UK financial advice regulations.

 

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation and Market Integrity/Transparency Requirements

• Standards for Market Conduct: We can help you implement controls for FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations to maintain fair and transparent market conduct, including preventing manipulation and insider trading.
• Principles for Fair Treatment: We can help you implement controls to comply with expectations that cover adherence to principles of fair treatment and transparent communications with clients (as required under PRIN 2.1 and FG21/1).
• Standards for Conduct and Disclosure: We can help you comply with the UK financial advisers' regulatory standards for conduct and disclosure.
• Product Suitability and Governance: We can establish tailored controls to help FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations comply with product suitability and governance obligations, including risk management and governance arrangements across the product life cycle.
• Resolution of Disputes: We can help you establish effective mechanisms for dispute resolution and complaints management, particularly for retail clients.
• Suitability and Appropriateness Assessments: We can help you develop procedures to conduct suitability and appropriateness assessments for investment advice.
• Disclosure of Adviser Charging and Remuneration: We can help you implement controls for clear disclosure of adviser charging structures and any remuneration.
• Automated Advice Controls: We can help you implement controls for robo-advice services to meet FCA expectations under FG16/5 and PROD rules, including governance of algorithms, periodic model reviews, suitability assessments, and transparent disclosure to clients on the automated nature of advice.
• Ongoing Suitability Reviews: We can help you design processes for ongoing suitability reviews of advised portfolios, as required for ongoing service clients.

 

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation and Resource Management Obligations

We can help you comply with the following requirements of the UK financial advice regulations:

• Adequacy of Resources: Covering financial, technological, human and other resources.
• Competence of Professionals: Covering key personnel, their necessary skills, knowledge, and professional competence.
• Our focus areas include:

• Assessment and Gap Analysis: We can help you evaluate the adequacy of your financial, technological, and human resources against the requirements of the licensing regime.
• Resource Allocation Plans: We can help you develop strategies to optimise resource allocation, covering sufficient capacity for compliance, trading, operations, banking, customer support and other functions and departments.
• Technological Solutions: We can recommend and implement RegTech tools to streamline compliance processes, such as transaction monitoring, reporting, and audit trails.
• Key Personnel Assessment: We can help you assess the skills, qualifications, and experience of key personnel to identify areas for improvement.
• Training and Development Programs: We can design and deliver targeted compliance training programs to upskill personnel in compliance, risk management, and compliance regulations.
• Competence and Accreditations of Advisors and Representatives: We can advise you on certifications and continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for compliance professionals and senior management.
• Representative Vetting: We can help establish a framework for assessing the competence and suitability of advisors and representatives prior to their appointment.
• Compliance Monitoring: We can help develop controls to monitor representatives' adherence to conduct and disclosure obligations.
• Ongoing Training: We can help you establish a framework to support continuous education for advisors and representatives, covering licensing obligations, market integrity, and client interaction standards.

• Regulator Liaison: We can act as an intermediary with regulators to address queries and help you demonstrate compliance with resourcing obligations.

 

Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation and Reporting

• Regulatory Reporting: We can help you prepare and submit periodic and ad-hoc reports covering:
  • UK financial advisers' regulatory obligations
  • UK financial advisers’ AML/CFT obligations (SMRs, STRs, SARs, cross-border transaction reports, cash transaction reports, and other reporting obligations)
  • FCA regulated financial advisers' obligations under financial market conduct regulations
• Compliance Documentation: We can assist you in developing and maintaining the necessary documentation to fulfil record-keeping obligations under various laws and regulations.
• Audit Readiness: We can prepare you for audits and reviews to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, the provisions of the UK financial advice regulations, and applicable operational standards.

 

Related Services

We assist in obtaining Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation equivalents in the following jurisdictions:

• Australia: For more information on the Australian equivalent of a Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation, the Financial Adviser AFSL, you can visit our Financial Adviser AFSL page.
• Singapore: For more information on the Singaporean equivalent of a Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation, the Singaporean financial adviser’s licence, please visit our Singaporean Financial Advisers’ Licence page.
• New Zealand: For more information on the New Zealand equivalent of a Financial Adviser FCA Authorisation, the FMA FAP licence, please visit our FMA FAP Licence page.
• Prominent Financial Centres and Offshore Tax Havens: We also offer licensing solutions for financial advisers in the prominent financial centres and offshore tax havens.