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Contact the PRA for prudential queries about banks, building societies, credit unions, insurance firms.Financial services firm - Firms must be authorised to provide regulated products and services, including banking, investments, insurance, mortgages and other financial products and services in the UK.
Individual - Individuals (and some firms) must be ‘approved’ to perform certain tasks in an authorised firm. We describe these as ‘approved persons’ and the tasks as ‘controlled functions’.
Payment services firm - Firms must be authorised or registered to provide payment services, including issuing credit cards and money transfer operations.
Consumer Credit Interim - A consumer credit firm that held an Office of Fair Trading licence and wanted to continue its consumer credit activities had to apply for interim permission. This will last until it has to apply for authorisation or a variation of permission.
EMoney - Firms must be authorised or registered to issue electronic money (e-money), which includes pre-paid cards such as travel money cards and some gift cards.
Unauthorised firm - Some firms provide products and services without the required authorisation, or is knowingly running a scam. We strongly suggest you avoid dealing with unauthorised firms.
Collective investment scheme - Some collective investment schemes (CIS) are regulated by us, including investment companies with variable capital (‘open ended investment companies’), some unit trusts, and recognised offshore schemes.
Exempt professional firm - Some firms (such as solicitors, accountants and chartered surveyors) can perform limited regulated financial activities as part of their normal professional services, without being authorised or an agent of an authorised firm.
Exchange - We recognise and supervise certain investment exchanges.
Not-for-profit body - Not-for-profit bodies may be covered by a group licence to provide financial services, debt management services and credit information services.
Exchange – DIE - This is an investment exchange which does not operate a regulated activity in the UK and is not a regulated market.
Exchange – RM - This is a multilateral system operated and/or managed by a market operator, which brings together or facilitates the bringing together of multiple third-party buying and selling interests in financial instruments.
Clone - This is an unregulated firm that uses the details of a FCA regulated firm when offering products and services. This makes the unauthorised firm appear as if it is regulated.
EEA Branch -This is a firm that is primarily authorised and regulated by another regulator within the European Economic Area and has been registered so that it can operate within the UK under the permissions it holds. This firm would also have a branch in the UK.
Active Individual - An individual (and some firms) that can perform certain tasks in an authorised firm. We describe these individuals and firms as ‘approved persons’ and the tasks as ‘controlled functions’.
Appointed representative - A firm or individual that can act on behalf of another firm (its principal) that is authorised in the UK or regulated in another EEA country. The principal is responsible for the appointed representative's activities.
Appointed representative – former - An appointed representative that can no longer provide regulated products and services, but previously could act on behalf of another firm (its principal).
Appointed representative – introducer - A firm that can introduce customers to another firm or members of the firm’s group, and/or give out certain kinds of marketing material. It must be a representative of a firm authorised by the FCA or PRA, or regulated in the EEA.
Approved - An individual (and some firms) that can perform certain tasks in an authorised firm. We describe these individuals and firms as ‘approved persons’ and the tasks as ‘controlled functions’.
Authorised firm - A firm that is given permission to provide regulated products and services.
Authorised firm – applied to cancel - A firm that has applied to cancel its authorisation but must still meet our standards in dealing with its customers.
Authorised firm – in administration - A firm that has stopped taking on new business but is still authorised and has to continue to meet our standards in dealing with its customers.
Authorised firm – in liquidation - A firm that has stopped taking on new business but is still authorised and has to continue to meet our standards in dealing with its customers.
Authorised firm – suspended - A firm that has to stop providing regulated products and services for a period of time.
Authorised electronic money institution - A firm that we have given permission to issue electronic money (e-money) and provide payment services.
Authorised payment institution - A firm that we have given permission to provide payment services.
EEA authorised firm - A firm regulated in another European Economic Area a (EEA) country that can offer certain products or services in the UK. The firm must meet minimum standards agreed across all EEA countries.
Electronic money agent - A firm that can issue electronic money (e-money) and provide payment services on behalf of an e-money institution.
Inactive individual - An individual (and some firms) that was previously approved to perform certain tasks in a regulated firm. These individuals and firms would have been described as ‘approved persons’ and the tasks as ‘controlled functions’.
No longer authorised firm - A firm that can no longer provide regulated products and services, but previously was authorised by the PRA and/or FCA.
Payment services agent - A firm that can provide payment services on behalf of a payment institution.
Small electronic money institution - A firm that can issue electronic money (e-money) and provide payment services. These firms are ‘registered’ (rather than ‘authorised’), which affects how we regulate the firm.
Small payment institution - A firm that can provide payment services. These firms are ‘registered’ (rather than ‘authorised’), which affects how we regulate the firm.
Unauthorised firm - Some firms provide products and services without the required authorisation, or is knowingly running a scam. We strongly suggest you avoid dealing with unauthorised firms.
No longer Authorised - This is a firm that can no longer provide regulated products and services, but was previously authorised by the PRA and/or FCA.
Cancelled - The firm has cancelled its interim permission to undertake consumer credit business.
Previously IP Registered - This firm previously had interim permission to perform certain consumer credit activities for the period indicated in this record. It has since applied for and been authorised to carry out credit activities in its main permission, replacing the interim permission. You should refer to the authorisation record for this firm for the permissions since the interim permission ended.
Fully Authorised apart from 2nd charge - This firm is authorised to run consumer credit business. You should refer to the authorisation information for this firm rather than its interim permission, except for its second charge mortgage business which still comes under its interim permission.
Interim Permission Granted - The firm has interim permission to undertake consumer credit business.
IP issued - The firm has interim permission to undertake consumer credit business.
IP provisionally issued - The firm has interim permission to undertake consumer credit business.
IVOP issued - This firm has interim permission to run consumer credit business and was already authorised to provide financial products and services.
IVOP provisionally granted - The firm has interim permission to undertake consumer credit business and was already authorised to provide financial products and services.
Lapsed - The firm no longer has interim permission to undertake consumer credit business.
Revoked - This firm has had its interim permission to run consumer credit business withdrawn. See the disciplinary and regulatory action section for more information.
Suspended - This firm has had its interim permission to undertake consumer credit business suspended by the FCA and/or PRA. See the Disciplinary and regulatory action about the firm for further information.
Financial services firm - Firms must be authorised to provide regulated products and services, including banking, investments, insurance, mortgages and other financial products and services in the UK.
Individual - Individuals (and some firms) must be ‘approved’ to perform certain tasks in an authorised firm. We describe these as ‘approved persons’ and the tasks as ‘controlled functions’.
Collective investment scheme - Some collective investment schemes (CIS) are regulated by us, including investment companies with variable capital (‘open ended investment companies’), some unit trusts, and recognised offshore schemes.
Authorised firm - A firm that is given permission to provide regulated products and services.
Unauthorised firm - Some firms provide products and services without the required authorisation, or is knowingly running a scam. We strongly suggest you avoid dealing with unauthorised firms.
Active Individual - An individual (and some firms) that can perform certain tasks in an authorised firm. We describe these individuals and firms as ‘approved persons’ and the tasks as ‘controlled functions’.
Authorised CIS - This is a fund set up in the UK that is available for investment.
Recognised CIS - This is a fund set up in another country that can be marketed to investors in the UK and is available for investment.
De-recognised CIS - This is a fund set up in another country that can no longer be marketed to investors in the UK.