Treasury reforms to banks ombudsman threaten independence, MPs warn Regulation The Treasury’s reforms to the banks ombudsman threaten to upend the body’s independence, a group of influential MPs have warned. The government revealed its overhaul proposals for the financial ombudsman service (FOS) on Tuesday in a bid to curb concerns it had behaved as a “quasi-regulator”. But a fresh letter to City minister Lucy Rigby [...]
Government overhauls FOS to curb ‘quasi-regulator’ role Banking The government has announced the most significant overhaul of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) since its inception. Following a public consultation held last year that sought views on how to address concerns, it was found that in a small but significant minority of cases, the FOS has acted as a ‘quasi-regulator’. As part of the [...]
Banks ombudsman complaints slump after Treasury overhaul Banking Complaints to the banks ombudsman fell to the lowest level in two years in the last quarter of 2025 as changes from regulators and Treasury ease the caseload. Between October and December the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) received 47,300 complaints – a major drop from the 68,400 lodged the year prior. It also maintains a [...]
Banks to pay ombudsman more as Treasury crackdown costs £8m November 27, 2025 Banks will pay more to the Financial Ombudsman Service in the next year as the body strums up cash for its bill to meet the Treasury’s clampdown. Financial services will pay the FOS £86m in the 2026/27 financial year – an increase of £16m – under new proposals, which aim to beef up the Compulsory [...]
Banks ombudsman fights for relevance amid Treasury crackdown August 18, 2025 The Financial Ombudsman Service is battling against a litany of obstacles as the government looks to “fundamentally” change its regulatory makeup. The organisation was rocked earlier this year by a leadership crisis following the abrupt departure of chief executive Abby Thomas in February. A Treasury Committee report, published in July, revealed Thomas had been dismissed [...]
FOS complaints tumbled ahead of motor finance ruling August 7, 2025 Complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) fell to their lowest in more than a year ahead of the motor finance ruling. The FOS received 68,000 new cases in April to June, down from 74,600 complaints in the same period of 2024. Motor finance complaints remained the highest grievance but dropped to 21,500 cases from [...]
Vanquis swings to profit with recovery ‘on track’ August 7, 2025 Bradford-based lender Vanquis swung back into profitability for the first half of the year following on from a bruising period in the last 12 months. The bank recorded a profit before tax of £6.2m, compared to a £91.9m loss for the second half of 2024. Net interest income remained stable with one per cent growth [...]
FCA names interim FOS chair after abrupt leadership shake-up July 28, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has named a new interim chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service after its initial recruitment campaign “proved unsuccessful”. The City regulator appointed Liam Coleman as the watchdog’s temporary chair, which comes as controversy surrounds the departures of former leadership. Coleman will replace Baroness Zahida Manzoor who abruptly announced in February she [...]
Rachel Reeves launches major fintech push to galvanize listings July 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves has laid out the government’s plans to make the UK the world leader in fintech in the Chancellor’s latest effort to attract a fleet of listings from the industry. Reeves today unveiled the Treasury’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, in which she laid out her vision to make the UK the “world’s [...]
Rachel Reeves accelerates deregulation push in Leeds Reforms July 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves has laid out plans to “rewire” the financial services system in a deregulation push as part of her Leeds reforms package. The Chancellor said the plans will make the UK the number one destination for financial services businesses by 2035 as the government “doubles down on the UK’s global strengths”. The Leeds Reforms [...]