Regulatory

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is proposing that firms offer a new 'default' investment option to help non-workplace pension customers save for their retirement. Currently, non-workplace pension customers have to choose their own investments from an increasingly wide range of options. This co

The Annual Review of Corporate Governance published today by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) found that there was a general improvement in reporting against the UK Corporate Governance Code. The report highlights areas of high-quality reporting, however, there is still room for further improve

UK auditors are showing poor professional judgment in a number of cases and must improve their standards, according to a new report published by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). In the latest Developments in Audit 2021 report, the FRC revealed that for the third year running around 30% of audi

A new report from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has set out the key elements required by audit firms to ensure they are delivering high quality audit. The FRC’s report, What Makes a Good Audit?, highlights the six key attributes that contribute to the running of high-quality audit prac

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed banning debt packager firms from being paid to refer customers on to other firms. Debt packagers are regulated providers of debt advice, who refer customers on to other providers of debt solutions. They rely on income from referral fees paid by thes

Accountancy firm Grant Thornton has been slapped with a financial sanction of nearly £720,000 in connection with failings in its audits of Interserve. Interserve, a major outsourcing company, went into administration in 2019 after financial restructuring plans drawn up by the company’s l

Sophisticated investors and pension funds are among those who will have access to new types of investment opportunities following changes made by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA has confirmed that it will be taking forward proposals to create a new type of open-ended investment fund w

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned that social media is encouraging young people to invest in risky cryptocurrencies. The financial regulator warned that “hype” on social media platforms and in the news is driving new investors to channel their money into high-risk investme

Charles Randell has asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to commence the process to appoint his successor as chair of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Payment Systems Regulator (PSR). Mr Randell plans to step down in Spring 2022.

David Costley-Wood, the former head of KPMG Manchester restructuring, "advanced an untruthful defence" at a disciplinary hearing into KPMG's misconduct in the sale of Silentnight, according to the Financial Reporting Council's (FRC) Independent Disciplinary Tribunal. Last month, KPMG was fined

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has said that listed companies must be more transparent about their use of alternative performance measures such as "underlying profits" and "core operations." This comes after a new review by the watchdog which revealed that listed firms needed to be more open

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has fined accountancy firm Grant Thornton more than £2.3 million for failings and a 'serious lack of competence' in its audits of restaurant chain Patisserie Valerie. Patisserie Valerie collapsed in January 2019 as allegations of fraud encompassed the comp

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published the findings of its review of companies’ viability and going concern disclosures which found there were several areas where viability and going concern reporting could be improved.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and The Pensions Regulator (TPR) have published a joint discussion paper on developing a common framework for measuring value for money (VFM) in defined contribution (DC) pension schemes. The aim of the two regulators is to drive a long-term focus on VFM across

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a new strategy aimed at giving consumers the confidence to invest, supported by a high-quality, affordable advice market, which should lead to fewer people being scammed or persuaded to invest in products too risky for their needs. The consumer inv