Financial Conduct Authority

Simplified advice should not be restricted to those who have cleared their debts and had other ‘priority needs' met if the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is serious about closing the advice gap, according to a law firm.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has pledged it will overhaul the way it issues attestations to firms - which put the onus on senior management to fix problems - by placing greater importance on clarity and transparency.

Some 97% of the £943m in fines collected by the financial regulator between 2010 and 2013 came from settlements, according to research from law firm Freshfields.

Advisers are increasingly imposing fees on customers who switch or cancel protection policies. Adviser Mark Sleaford is not impressed

Advisory firms have successfully adapted to the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) but the cost of regulation remains a massive barrier to development, the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) has said.

Technology giant's price comparison service being watched as part of wider review.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has uncovered widespread shortcomings in consumer credit promotions, such as payday loan advertisements.

Mortgage lenders must not rely solely on the Mortgage Market Review's affordability testing to prevent customers falling into arrears, a mortgage servicer has warned.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is considering ways it can make it clearer to consumers when they are buying products on a non-advised basis online, as more web-based advice solutions are developed.

Just 18 individuals were fined by the regulator for misconduct, breaches of the rules or failures in their duties in 2013, a fall of 40% from 30 three years' before.