FCA Website Compliance Checker

Financial adviser websites must display their FCA registration number, registered company name (as it appears on the FCA register), registered business address, and contact details. These details should be easily accessible, ideally in the header or footer of every page. The FCA registration number allows potential clients to verify your authorisation on the FCA register.

IFA websites must display appropriate risk warnings relevant to the services offered. For investments, you need warnings such as 'The value of investments can go down as well as up'. For mortgages, the exact wording 'Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage' is required. Pension transfer advice requires specific warnings about the risks of transferring out of defined benefit schemes.

Yes, FCA-authorised firms must make their complaints procedure easily accessible to clients. Your website should explain how clients can make a complaint, the timeframes for handling complaints, and include details of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) including their contact information for clients who remain dissatisfied after your internal process.

Your website should clearly explain your fee structure, including how you charge (hourly, fixed fee, or percentage-based), typical fee ranges, and whether you charge ongoing fees for ongoing services. Under Consumer Duty, clients should be able to understand the cost of your services before engaging with you. Transparency about fees helps build trust and meets regulatory expectations.

All content on your website that promotes your services is considered a financial promotion and must be fair, clear, and not misleading. This means presenting a balanced view of benefits and risks, including appropriate disclaimers with any past performance data, and ensuring all claims are accurate and verifiable. The FCA can take action against firms whose websites contain misleading promotions.

Yes, under GDPR and FCA requirements, your website must have a comprehensive privacy policy explaining what personal data you collect, how you use it, who you share it with, and individuals' rights regarding their data. You also need a cookie consent mechanism that allows visitors to accept or reject non-essential cookies before they are placed.

Yes, but testimonials must be genuine, verifiable, and present a balanced view of client experiences. Under Consumer Duty, you cannot cherry-pick only the most positive reviews while ignoring negative feedback. Any testimonials should not make claims about investment returns or imply guaranteed outcomes. Social media content is also subject to financial promotion rules.

You should review your website for FCA compliance at least annually, or whenever there are regulatory changes, changes to your services, or updates to your firm details. The FCA regularly updates its guidance, particularly around Consumer Duty, so staying current is essential. Many firms include website compliance in their quarterly compliance reviews.