Motor finance revs up City watchdog’s PR spend June 22, 2026 The motor finance scandal has helped rev up the financial watchdog’s spend on public relations agencies as it fought to warn consumers of the risks of using claims management firms. The car mis-selling saga – where City banks have been put on the hook for billions in compensation over the use of ‘secret’ car deals [...]
If the advice is free, who is really paying for it? June 22, 2026 There is an old line from Silicon Valley: If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product. It was originally used to describe the internet economy. Free search. Free social media. Free platforms. Free tools. Services that appeared to cost the user nothing, but were monetised elsewhere through advertising, data, attention or influence. [...]
House of Lords lashes out at Labour for ‘eliminating’ its oversight of financial watchdogs June 18, 2026 An influential group of peers have hit out at the government for ditching the Lords’ oversight of financial watchdogs as part of legislation passed in the King’s Speech. Writing in her capacity as chair of the Lords’ Financial Services Regulation Committee, Baroness Noakes said the government had “eliminated” an “integral” part of the regulatory system. [...]
Banks ‘not ready’ for motor finance scheme, says City watchdog June 9, 2026 The City watchdog has warned that motor finance lenders are “not as ready as we would expect” for the introduction of its long-awaited redress scheme. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has written to the Treasury Committee following inquiries around the legal challenges to its car mis-selling scheme. The regulator published [...]
London Stock Exchange boss accuses FCA of ‘playing fast and loose’ as she warns government may have to ‘step in’ June 8, 2026 The boss of the London Stock Exchange has taken aim at the financial watchdog over its plans to introduce greater market transparency in signs of a major fallout between the two City institutions. Julia Hoggett, chief executive of the exchange, has accused the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of “playing fast and loose” with the market, [...]
Revolution Beauty shares glitter after it emerges from FCA probe June 5, 2026 London-listed cosmetics firm Revolution Beauty told investors this morning that it is no longer under investigation by the City’s main market watchdog. The Financial Conduct Authority has notified the firm that it will “take no further action”, meaning the probe was over, Revolution said in an announcement to the stock exchange. The FCA’s scrutiny of the Camden-based [...]
Number of claims management firms halves after FCA clampdown June 1, 2026 The number of claims management firms authorised by the UK’s financial watchdog has nearly halved since the beginning of the decade after the regulator “raised the bar” for firms in the sector. A Freedom of Information request by financial services consultancy Broadstone revealed 483 claims management companies (CMCs) operate in the sector, compared with 942 [...]
Cryptoasset approvals surge as FCA softens stance May 26, 2026 The approval rate for cryptoasset firm registrations has surged, City AM can reveal, in signs the UK’s financial watchdog is softening its stance towards the crypto industry. As many as 13 cryptoasset firm registrations were approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the year to April 2026, a more than doubling compared to 2024, [...]
Middle East conflict revs up costs for young drivers May 21, 2026 Costs for drivers under the age of 25 are rising despite a drop in insurance premiums, largely driven by fuel hikes from the fallout of the Middle East conflict. Fuel costs for young drivers rose by 18 per cent in 2026 compared to 2025, with the average annual bill spiking from £833 to £981, according [...]
‘Sounds too good to be true?’ City watchdog clamps down on social media insurance scams May 20, 2026 The Financial Conduct Authority is cracking down on insurance scams advertised on social media and messaging platforms after finding half of young drivers have purchased illegitimate insurance premiums this way. The regulator said nearly 40 per cent of drivers aged 17-25 are “unconfident” in spotting the signs of a fake insurance policy, meaning “thousands could [...]