Vicky Pearce and Rachel MacRae unpack the FCA’s latest operational resilience observations, from mapping and testing to embedding resilience into wider risk frameworks and board decision-making. They also look at what recent cloud outages, cyber incidents and third-party risks mean for firms now, plus a quick update on the FSCS MELL for 2026-27.

This episode unpacks the FCA’s proposals to simplify pensions and investment advice rules, including a more proportionate suitability framework, shorter reports, and more flexible ongoing reviews. It also covers proposed fees for 2026/27, operational incident and third-party reporting guidance, targeted support segmentation, and the FCA’s criticism of BSPS transfer advice.

Vicky and Rachel discuss the FCA and FOS proposals and guidance set out in the source text, including complaints handling reform, consumer harm and redress expectations, operational incident reporting, third-party arrangements, and wholesale market priorities.The episode stays strictly within the provided text and keeps the conversation professional, with a light touch of sarcasm.

In this episode of B-Compliant Podcast, Vicky Pearce and Rachel MacRae unpack the latest FCA developments affecting advisers, wealth managers and compliance teams. The discussion covers the FCA’s pensions and mortgages regulatory priorities, the regulator’s findings on consumer understanding under Consumer Duty, and the practical risks highlighted in Vicky’s recent Money Marketing article on the “thin grey line” between factual explanation and complaints handling.Expect a practical, professional roundup focused on what firms should be reviewing now, including governance, testing, record-keeping, vulnerable customer support, fair value, suitability and internal boundaries when handling historic advice conversations.FCA pensions supervisory priorities and the role of Consumer DutyConsumer understanding: testing, evidence and governance expectationsMortgage and second charge themes including advice quality, affordability and feesThe compliance risks in straying from facts into complaints or claims activity

In this episode of the B-Compliant Podcast, Rachel and Vicky unpack a busy period of regulatory and policy developments for advisers and wealth managers. They start with the FCA’s consumer investment priorities for the year ahead, exploring expectations around clearer communications, stronger investment culture, governance, Consumer Duty outcomes and financial crime controls. They then turn to the FCA’s latest Quarterly Consultation Paper No. 51 and practical supervision topics, including the expanding CCR009 RegData return and recent changes to the FCA authorisation application process. Finally, they look at the opening of the authorisation gateway for targeted support and key messages from the 2026 Spring Statement and OBR forecasts on inheritance tax, including the growing importance of IHT receipts and the evolving treatment of pensions, agricultural and business property reliefs. Throughout, they consider what these developments mean for firms reviewing their compliance frameworks, client communications and regulatory reporting over the coming months.

In this episode of the B-Compliant Podcast, Rachel MacRae and Vicky Pearce unpack a recent FCA Raising Standards seminar for compliance consultants and explore what it signals for firms in the year ahead. They discuss the regulator’s growing engagement with compliance consultants, the shift away from Dear CEO letters toward published examples of good and poor practice, and why firms may need to be more proactive in monitoring FCA updates.

Rachel and Vicky then look at the new CCR009 regulatory return and the FCA’s Credit Information Market Study consultation, highlighting what credit‑permitted firms should be preparing for over the coming weeks and months. They also break down the FCA’s new sector-based Regulatory Priorities reports, focusing on the insurance report and its implications for advice firms involved in protection and insurance distribution, including links to Consumer Duty, fair value, and vulnerable customers.

Finally, the conversation turns to the FCA’s good and poor practice paper on SDR fund labelling, the four SDR label types, and why firms should revisit their pre‑contractual disclosures. They wrap up by pointing listeners to B‑Compliant’s latest blog on whether compliance is “beating the joy” out of advice and flag an upcoming industry survey designed to capture what firms really want from their compliance partners.

In this episode of the B-Compliant Podcast, Rachel MacRae and Vicky Pearce unpack a series of recent regulatory and supervisory developments, using only the FCA, HM Treasury, Upper Tribunal and FOS updates provided. They explore the FCA’s shift towards an outcomes-based approach under Consumer Duty, HM Treasury’s proposed reforms to the Appointed Representatives regime, and a significant Upper Tribunal decision upholding FCA bans and penalties over unsuitable pension investments. They also discuss the Financial Ombudsman Service’s warning about increasingly sophisticated financial scams and what this means for advisers. The conversation remains professional yet lightly sarcastic, highlighting the practical implications for firms seeking to evidence good consumer outcomes, maintain robust governance and protect clients in a fast-evolving risk landscape.

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In this episode, we unpack a series of recent UK regulatory developments affecting advisers and wealth managers. Rachel and Vicky discuss the FCA’s latest messages to insurers on innovation and consumer trust, explore the regulator’s practical expectations around fair value across financial services, and reflect on the lessons from the restrictions imposed on Advantage Wealth Management. They also look at the latest complaint statistics from the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Bank of England’s decision to hold the base rate at 3.75%, drawing out what these changes mean for firms’ Consumer Duty obligations, systems and controls, and day-to-day client communications.

Explore key findings from the FCA's market study on pure protection products, revealing gaps in consumer understanding despite high claims acceptance. Hear insights on distribution models under scrutiny and get updates on FCA initiatives including AI impact reviews and UCITS compliance extensions.