Insights on Financial Services & Regulation
Regulatory News - Financial Services & Regulation
See allHMT: Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum
HMT has published a note of the meeting held on 11 March 2026. Topics included: policy and macroeconomic/financial stability outlooks; banking; digital finance; markets reform, and sustainable finance.
FCA: Regulatory priorities – retail banking
FCA’s first annual regulatory priorities report for the retail banking sector sets out its priorities for the coming year: access to cash and essential banking services; good outcomes from products and services ; fighting fraud and other financial crime; operational resilience and data security. The report also notes other areas of focus. FCA has included an indicative timeline for specific workstreams.
For more information
FCA: Second charge mortgages – improving outcomes for consumers
This FCA review has found that weaknesses in some firms’ practices could put borrowers, particularly those consolidating debt, at increased risk of financial harm. Although it found examples of good practice across the sector, the review raised a number of concerns, including: affordability assessments that appeared to overlook key living expenses; advice that steered customers towards debt consolidation when it was not clear if it was appropriate; inadequate record keeping, and unclear fees.
FCA: Regulatory priorities – mortgages
FCA’s first annual regulatory priorities report for the mortgages sector sets out its priorities for the coming year: improving consumer outcomes under the Mortgage Rule Review; encouraging responsible lending and supporting mortgage borrowers in financial difficulty, and ensuring the quality of advice. The report also notes other areas of focus. FCA has included an indicative timeline for specific workstreams, including details of the Mortgage Rule Review.
For more information
FCA: UK MiFID transparency calculations
FCA has updated its webpage with the latest results of the annual transparency calculations for equity and equity-like instruments for the UK.