FCA website compliance checker.
An FCA-regulated firm's website should carry the statutory status disclosure and Firm Reference Number, give a fair and prominent picture of risks, explain how to complain and mention the Financial Ombudsman Service, and meet the Consumer Duty's standard for clear communication. Answer the questions below, one section at a time, to see which areas look good and what to check next.
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What the checker covers
The questions are grouped into nine sections, each linked to the rules or guidance it's based on:
- Firm details and status disclosure: the statutory status disclosure (GEN 4 Annex 1), your Firm Reference Number and the details COBS 5.2.2R asks for, and appointed representative wording.
- Consumer Duty: consumer understanding (PRIN 2A.5), price and value (PRIN 2A.4), and customers in vulnerable circumstances (FG21/1).
- Risk warnings: investment risk, pension transfers, mortgages and past performance (COBS 4.5A, COBS 4.6, MCOB 3A).
- Financial promotions: balance, claims, approvals and records, and the section 21 approver gateway.
- Social media: the FCA's finalised guidance on financial promotions on social media (FG24/1).
- Complaints: publishing your complaints process and Financial Ombudsman Service details (DISP 1.2).
- Privacy and cookies: UK GDPR and the cookie rules, which apply to every website.
Answers you mark as not applicable are left out, so they don't lift or lower a result. Each area gets a simple rating (looks good, needs attention or needs work) and, for anything that isn't fully in place, a note on what to change and why. The results end with what to do next.
Why your website matters to the FCA
For a regulated firm, the website is a financial promotion and often the first thing a potential client reads. The Consumer Duty raised the bar for communications: it isn't enough for information to be technically present somewhere on the site. People should be able to find it, understand it and use it to make a decision.
Most of the points here are simple to fix, and fixing them usually makes the site clearer for clients as well as for your compliance file.
Gaps worth checking first
- The Firm Reference Number missing, or the status disclosure shortened to "FCA regulated"
- Risk warnings only in the footer, far from the content they relate to
- No complaints page, or no mention of the Financial Ombudsman Service's website
- Fees described only as "competitive" or "transparent", with no idea of the cost
- Social media posts that rely on a link or "see more" for their risk warning
- A privacy policy copied from a template that doesn't describe what the firm does
What this checker can't do
It can't see your website, and it's based on your own answers and a summary of the rules. It doesn't cover every rule that might apply to your products, clients or network, and a "looks good" rating isn't a sign-off. It isn't compliance advice, and it doesn't replace a review by your compliance adviser, network or principal, who should sign off your website and any changes to it. If anything in your results worries you, start there: they'll know your firm and the wording your network expects.
I build websites for financial advisers, so these are the points I plan for from the start. If you're thinking about a new site, see my page on websites for financial advisers.
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Questions people ask
What FCA information must be on a financial adviser website?
The statutory status disclosure ('[Firm name] is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority'), a statement that you're on the Financial Services Register with your Firm Reference Number, your firm's name, the geographic address you're established at and contact details including an email address. COBS 5.2.2R asks for these to be easily, directly and permanently accessible, so most firms put them in the footer of every page. Appointed representatives also name their principal firm.
What risk warnings are required on an IFA website?
Whenever the site mentions potential benefits, it must give a fair and prominent indication of the relevant risks (COBS 4.5A.3R, or COBS 4.5.2R for non-MiFID business). For investments that's usually a warning that their value can fall as well as rise. The rules no longer set compulsory wording for a mortgage repossession warning, but most mortgage pages still carry one and many networks require it, and past performance needs a prominent warning that it isn't a reliable indicator of future results (COBS 4.6.2R). Put warnings next to the content they relate to, not only in the footer, and check the exact wording with your compliance adviser or network.
Do I need a complaints procedure on my financial services website?
You need to publish information about how you handle complaints (DISP 1.2.1R) and tell people about the Financial Ombudsman Service, including its website address, on your website (DISP 1.2.1R(4)). A short complaints page explaining how to complain, what happens next and when someone can go to the ombudsman covers both.
What fee information should be on a financial adviser website?
The rules require you to disclose your charging structure in writing before you give advice (COBS 6.1A.17R), so the website isn't the only place it must appear. But showing how you charge, with typical amounts, helps people judge value before they get in touch, which fits the Consumer Duty's price and value outcome. If you charge ongoing fees, say what the ongoing service includes and how a client can cancel it.
What are the financial promotion rules for IFA websites?
Your website is a financial promotion, so it must be fair, clear and not misleading (COBS 4.2.1R), with benefits and risks balanced. New pages and changes should be approved through your firm's financial promotions process before they go live, and you need to keep records of them (COBS 4.11.1R).
Do the FCA's rules apply to social media posts?
Yes. A post that promotes your services is a financial promotion. The FCA's social media guidance (FG24/1, March 2024) expects each post to be compliant on its own, with risk warnings visible without clicking 'see more', and makes clear that firms are responsible for promotions they ask others, such as influencers or introducers, to share.
Does my financial adviser website need a privacy policy?
Yes, although that comes from data protection law rather than the FCA. UK GDPR requires you to tell people what personal data you collect, why, who you share it with, how long you keep it and what their rights are. If your site uses non-essential cookies, such as for advertising, you'll usually need consent before setting them. My privacy policy generator is a starting point.
Can I use client testimonials on my financial services website?
You can, as long as they're genuine and the overall picture isn't misleading. Don't edit reviews to change their meaning or use them to suggest particular investment returns. Fake reviews are banned outright under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Check with your compliance adviser before adding them, because they form part of your financial promotion.
How often should I review my website for FCA compliance?
I'd suggest at least once a year, and whenever your services, fees, firm details or the rules change. Approving each change as it's made, rather than only reviewing the whole site now and then, keeps small edits from slipping through.
Want a second pair of eyes?
The tool gives you a start. If you'd like honest advice on your website, tell me what you're working on. No obligation.