The House of Lords (Industry and Regulators Committee) has issued a call for evidence for its new inquiry into the role of UK regulators in promoting economic growth. This follows the government's action plan on its new approach to ensure regulators and regulations support growth. The inquiry will explore how regulators contribute to economic growth, how implications of prioritising growth might impact their other duties and how regulators are responding to the action plan. The call for evidence includes a list of questions to consider and provide responses to. The deadline for submissions is January 9, 2026.

HM Treasury (HMT) has released its financial inclusion strategy, outlining a comprehensive national plan to remove barriers to financial participation and to build financial resilience. The strategy focuses on six main areas: (i) improving digital inclusion and access to banking through the roll-out of 350 in-person banking hubs and the launch of a pilot scheme enabling the opening of a bank account without standard ID; (ii) supporting savings by delivering regulatory clarity to enable employers to offer workplace savings schemes with confidence and driving uptake of the government's Help to Save scheme; (iii) ensuring the insurance market is supporting the financial wellbeing of households and vulnerable customers; (iv) increasing access to affordable credit; (v) strengthening debt advice provision; and (vi) introducing compulsory financial education in primary schools. HMT will review the strategy's implementation progress two years after publication and provide an update thereafter.

The House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee (the Committee) has issued a formal response to HM Treasury's (HMT) reply to its report "Growing Pains: Clarity and Culture Change Required" which evaluated the progress made by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in supporting growth and competitiveness in the financial services sector and the wider UK economy. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 introduced a secondary objective for the UK regulators focused on international competitiveness and growth. While welcoming initial steps taken by the UK government, the Committee notes that HMT did not engage with several key findings, critical to the success of the secondary objective and broader UK economic growth. The Committee uses this opportunity to restate some of its recommendations and raise further questions on the following themes as set out below.

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The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Mutual Recognition Agreement) (Switzerland) Regulations 2025 have been published, accompanied by an explanatory memorandum. The Regulations will make changes to UK legislation to implement the UK's commitments under the Berne Financial Services Agreement (BFSA), signed with Switzerland in December 2023. The BFSA is an outcomes-based mutual recognition agreement covering a range of wholesale financial services, including asset management, banking, investment services, insurance and financial market infrastructure, as well as the provision of investment services to sophisticated high net worth clients. The BFSA allows UK insurance companies to offer certain wholesale insurance services in Switzerland without needing Swiss authorisation, while Swiss firms can offer certain investment services to sophisticated clients in the UK without requiring UK authorisation.

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HM Treasury has published a consultation paper and call for evidence inviting views on a range of proposals aimed at enhancing the UK's Bank Referral Scheme (BRS) to improve its performance. The BRS requires lenders (designated banks) to refer small-and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers that they reject for finance, with the SME's permission, to finance platforms that can match the SME with alternative finance providers, to improve access to finance. The BRS operates under the Small and Medium Sized Business (Finance Platforms) Regulations 2015, which were made under powers in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Key proposals include:

• Expanding the scope to allow non-bank lenders (e.g. building societies) to be designated under the BRS.
• Introducing a voluntary opt-in mechanism for smaller lenders to participate in the BRS.
• Improving transparency and timing of information provided to SMEs during the application process, including minimum standards for how and when they are informed about the BRS.

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HM Treasury has announced the launch of a new Scale-up Unit in Leeds, designed to accelerate the growth of innovative financial services firms. Jointly led by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Unit will provide bespoke regulatory support to fast-growing firms across three distinct groups including banks and building societies, insurers and FCA solo-regulated firms. Support for fintech firms is expected to follow in early 2026.

The Unit aims to simplify regulatory navigation, remove barriers to investment and offer firms a clear point of contact for timely responses to regulatory queries and access to expert guidance. It is intended to complement, not replace, existing supervisory and support services. The FCA published a press release and new webpage outlining how the Unit will operate, who it is for and how it differs from existing support services. The PRA also published a new webpage describing the Unit's purpose and sector-specific support, including tailored pages for insurers and banks and building societies. This joint initiative forms part of the government's broader Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published Primary Market Bulletin 59 (PMB59). It begins with findings from a review of issuers' compliance with Article 17.4 of the UK Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) on delayed disclosure of inside information (DDII) under certain conditions. Notably, the FCA observed a 39% drop in DDII notifications, alongside an increase of approximately seven days in average delay periods compared to its previous review in November 2020. While this could be due to fewer instances of information being classified as inside information, or a reduced use of delayed disclosure rather than non-compliance, the FCA reminds issuers of their obligations under UK MAR, including timely DDII submissions and maintaining confidentiality.

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The Better Data Sharing Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2025/2088) has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ). The regulation introduces targeted amendments to certain reporting requirements in the fields of financial services and investment support. It amends seven foundational EU laws to streamline supervisory reporting and improve data sharing among EU financial authorities. Key features include: (i) a requirement for the European Supervisory Authorities, through the Joint Committee and in cooperation with other EU bodies, to deliver a feasibility report within five years on a cross-sectoral integrated reporting system. Based on its findings and a comprehensive impact assessment, the European Commission may, where appropriate, put forward a legislative proposal; (ii) calls for consistent application of the "report once" principle, whereby authorities should obtain information from other authorities that have already collected it, rather than requesting it again from reporting entities, provided this does not compromise the entities' ability to perform their tasks; (iii) a shift from biannual to annual reporting under the InvestEU Programme; (iv) clarification of the scope and conditions for both mandatory and voluntary data sharing; and (v) encouragement for authorities to enter into memoranda of understanding to support information exchange. The Regulation will enter into force on 10 November.

The European Commission (EC) has published a communication alongside a fact sheet outlining its 2026 work programme, which sets out a comprehensive legislative and policy agenda to strengthen the EU. The programme includes 38 new policy objectives across key areas including energy, defence and digital innovation, among others.

Key initiatives include the European Innovation Act, Cloud and AI Development Act and Quantum Act, which seek to accelerate technological progress and support the EU's digital transition. In the area of sustainable finance, the EC includes a package of measures for "the decade ahead" on climate and the Energy Union, aiming to strengthen the EU's climate and energy frameworks. These measures include revising national targets, updating the emissions trading system, and establishing new infrastructure and regulatory frameworks for CO₂ transport, energy efficiency and renewables. A notable focus of the programme is regulatory simplification, with over half of the legislative initiatives designed to reduce administrative burdens and deliver net cost savings, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. The annexes accompanying the work programme list the new initiatives, pending proposals and those the EC proposes to withdraw, among other elements.

HM Treasury has published a policy paper, setting out a six-month progress update to the UK Government's Regulation Action Plan, originally launched in March. It reflects on commitments it has delivered upon, including with UK regulators, and outlines a series of forward-looking initiatives aimed at reducing regulatory burdens and fostering economic growth in several key areas for financial services which are set out below.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published findings from its multi-firm review of client categorisation practices in corporate finance firms. The review assessed compliance with COBS 3 and COBS 4 requirements and identified both good practices and areas for improvement. While most firms conducted client categorisation assessments under COBS3, many were found to be superficial, lacking supporting records and relying on invalid criteria, particularly in elective professional categorisations. The FCA expects firms to use structured assessments to evaluate whether a client meets the specific criteria in COBS3.5.3R for the elective professional categorisation and to keep adequate supporting records.

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HM Treasury (HMT) has announced the launch of the "Office for Investment: Financial Services" a new free one-stop support service designed to make the UK more attractive to global financial services investors. The service operates through a partnership between HMT, UK financial regulators including the UK Financial Conduct Authority and the UK Prudential Regulation Authority, and the City of London Corporation. It aims to help international financial firms expand their operations in the UK, including in financial clusters such as Leeds, Liverpool, Belfast and Bristol, removing barriers to investment, offering regulatory assistance and providing broader business support. The launch delivers on commitments made in the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, Mansion House speech and forms part of the government's broader strategy to strengthen the UK's position as a global financial hub.

The Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities (comprising the European Banking Authority, European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and European Securities and Markets Authority) (ESAs) have published their 2026 work programme, setting out key priorities for cross-sectoral collaboration for 2026.

The programme focuses on joint efforts in relation to:

• Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) – the ESAs will concentrate on the effective operation of the new oversight framework and work related to supervisory convergence of DORA. The ESAs will designate third-party providers critical (CTPPs) to the EU financial sector by the end of 2025 and will conduct risk assessments to outline individual annual oversight plans for each CTPP, complemented by a strategic multi-annual oversight plan.
• Consumer protection and financial innovation – in 2026, the ESAs expect to work on drafting regulatory technical standards based on the empowerments in the proposed amendments to the PRIIPs Regulation in the European Commission's (EC's) Retail Investment Strategy. Work on consumer confidence and protection will consider the EC's strategy to develop a Savings and Investment Union.

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The European Banking Authority (EBA) has released its 2024 annual report on the convergence of supervisory practices across the EU. The report outlines the EBA's ongoing efforts to strengthen the alignment of supervisory approaches across Member States and across key areas of its activities, including prudential, resolution, digital finance, consumer protection and until the end of this year anti-money laundering/counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT). In the area of prudential regulation, the report reflects on findings from its 2024 European Supervisory Examination Programme focused on liquidity and funding risk, interest rate risk and hedging, and recovery operationalisation. The report notes that risk levels in these areas remain stable, though challenges persist around data quality, stress testing scenarios and modelling assumptions. The EBA will continue monitoring risks related to online deposit platforms and compliance with Supervisory Outlier Tests in 2025.

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The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published a report on white labelling, accompanied by a fact sheet. In the report, the EBA considers the use of white labelling as a business model by the firms that are under its mandate, including credit institutions, e-money institutions, payment institutions, non-bank issuers of asset-referenced tokens and non-bank lenders. The report defines white labelling as a business model in which a financial institution (the provider) enters into an agreement with another entity (the partner, who may or may not be a financial institution) to distribute and offer one or more financial products and services under the partner's own brand only. The EBA finds that white labelling is being widely used, with 35% of surveyed banks employing the model to distribute a broad range of financial products and services, both domestically and cross-border, including account and payment services, credit provisioning and open banking services.

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The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has published a letter from its Chair, Andrew Bailey, to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors ahead of their meeting on 15-16 October, alongside an interim report from the G20 strategic review of the FSB implementation monitoring work. In the letter, Mr Bailey highlights the importance of global standards and co-operation in preventing crises and supporting sustained growth. The letter also emphasises the urgent need for full, timely and consistent implementation of financial reforms, warning that incomplete efforts leave the global financial system vulnerable to shocks. To address this, the FSB confirms it will enhance its surveillance of vulnerabilities in the financial system and pivot from policy development to monitoring and facilitating the implementation of agreed reforms.

The accompanying interim report provides an initial assessment of progress across several key reform areas including too-big-to-fail policy measures, non-bank financial intermediation, over-the-counter derivatives market reforms, Basel III and crypto-asset markets and activities. The initial assessment of implementation status shows that full, timely and consistent implementation has not been completely achieved. This is despite the active programme of implementation monitoring by the FSB and standard-setting bodies. The next phase of the G20 strategic implementation monitoring review will reflect on why implementation gaps exist. The final report will make specific recommendations to strengthen the FSB's monitoring and implementation processes.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its 2026 annual work programme, guided by its 2023-2028 strategy.

Key priorities include: (i) continuing to build on existing priorities under the savings & investments union (SIU) strategy particularly by aligning supervisory practices across Member States, enhancing market data capabilities and contributing to upcoming reforms designed to create a more integrated and globally competitive EU financial system; (ii) continuing support for key legislative files such as the revised European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR 3) and the European Single Access Point. Other legislative files that may warrant ESMA's involvement include the Retail Investment Strategy, along with the reviews of the Packaged Retail and Insurance-Based Investment Products Regulation, Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and the Securitisation Regulation; and (iii) driving data innovation and market integration through the rollout of the ESMA Data Platform and the development of AI-powered supervisory tools. ESMA will also continue to focus on the effective implementation of the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation, particularly on the authorisation and supervision of crypto-asset service providers and coordinate closely with market participants on the T+1 settlement cycle towards the agreed implementation date of 11 October 2027.

Alongside the work programme, ESMA has published its simplification and burden reduction document, outlining upcoming publications expected in Q1 and Q2 2026 aimed at streamlining regulatory requirements and reducing compliance burdens.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a research note examining the potential applications of quantum computing within UK financial services, and exploring how firms can prepare for their emergence. Points of particular interest include: (i) the UK is well-positioned to benefit from quantum computing in financial services, but coordinated action across industry, government, academia and regulators is required to realise this potential; (ii) leading firms are already building quantum readiness strategies, focusing on optimisation, machine learning and stochastic modelling through hybrid quantum classical methods; (iii) regulatory change is not immediately required, though future quantum applications may intersect with existing themes of explainability and operational resilience which are already central in regulatory frameworks (iv) regulatory awareness among quantum computing vendors remains limited, presenting an opportunity to build early relationships with regulators, which can help provide technical and regulatory clarity; and (v) regulators could evolve existing innovation tools to better support quantum development, including sandboxes, which could be expanded to offer firms safe environments for experimentation.

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published its 2026 work programme, setting out its key priorities and planned initiatives. The programme is driven by three overarching priorities: (i) developing a rulebook to foster a resilient and efficient financial single market, with proposals to simplify rules, improve public sector coordination and assess the framework's impact. This includes continuing work on the EU banking package and advancing proposals on the forthcoming revised Payment Services Directive 3, the Payment Services Regulation and the Financial Data Access Act; (ii) strengthening risk assessment capabilities through improved data, methodologies and oversight under the Digital Operational Resilience Act (for critical ICT third-party providers), Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (for supervision of crypto-asset issuers) and European Market Infrastructure Regulation (for validation of initial margin models); and (iii) advancing innovation and technological capacity across the financial sector, with a focus on AI and machine learning, including its contribution to the implementation of the EU AI Act. In parallel, the EBA has published a report (EBA/REP/2025/26) proposing ways to streamline the EU's regulatory and supervisory framework, following a comprehensive review earlier this year of four key areas: level 2 and 3 measures, reporting burdens on financial institutions, the EBA's role in the prudential framework and its internal processes. The review resulted in 21 recommendations which are set out in the report.

HM Treasury (HMT) has launched a consultation and call for evidence to assess potential enhancements to the UK's Commercial Credit Data Sharing (CCDS) scheme. CCDS, established under the Small and Medium Sized Business (Credit Information) Regulations 2015, mandates that designated banks share SME credit data with designated credit reference agencies (CRAs) to improve access to finance. The consultation sets out specific proposals aimed at improving CCDS operations, including a standardised data format, enhancing data amendment processes, tightening deadlines for data submission and exploring expansion of the scope of CCDS to include a wider range of finance providers. HMT is also seeking views on several related areas, including whether CRAs should set up online data amendment portals (similar to those used under the consumer credit data sharing scheme) and the costs and benefits of them doing so; whether changes are needed to the CCDS regime to improve the timely amendment of data by CRAs and/or lenders, which could potentially be supported through legislative changes or guidance; and the status quo for amending data and what challenges may arise to help formulate a position. The deadline for comments is 11:59am on 20 November. The consultation will help determine whether changes should be made to the existing CCDS regulations or whether policy objectives can be achieved through non-legislative means.

HM Treasury has announced the formation of a "Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future", jointly established by UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The Taskforce aims to strengthen collaboration between the UK and U.S. financial systems, particularly in capital markets and digital assets. Reporting back with recommendations to both ministries through the UK-U.S. Financial Regulatory Working Group (FRWG), the Taskforce will explore short- and long-term opportunities on digital assets while legislation and regulatory regimes are still developing, and in wholesale digital markets innovation. It will also assess ways to reduce cross-border capital-raising burdens and enhance market competitiveness in both UK and U.S. markets. The Taskforce is expected to deliver its recommendations within 180 days.

The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Bank of England (including the UK Prudential Regulation Authority) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under Article 14 of the Berne Financial Services Agreement (BFSA). The MoU establishes a framework for supervisory cooperation and information sharing between the UK and Switzerland in the insurance and investment services sectors. It sets out procedures for mutual assistance, the exchange of confidential information, and sector-specific cooperation, including notification, reporting and the maintenance of public registers for covered financial services suppliers. The general provisions of the MoU are complemented by annexes and an appendix, which further specify aspects of cooperation.

The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs, comprising the European Banking Authority, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, and the European Securities Markets Authority) have published the Joint Committee's Autumn 2025 report, highlighting global risks to the EU financial system and recommending policy actions amid instability. The risks, attributed to ongoing geopolitical tensions including the U.S.'s imposition of widespread tariffs and continued conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, are said to have led to downward revisions in global and EU growth forecasts and divergence in monetary policy between the EU and U.S.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a new webpage highlighting good practices and areas of improvement it has observed in firm applications for authorisation and registration. These cover three key areas:

• Staff with the appropriate skills, experience and capacity to provide the relevant financial service. The FCA observed that some firms overly rely on compliance consultants and fail to show independent understanding of regulatory obligations. Others do not adequately explain how individuals with multiple roles will manage their responsibilities, and some lack sufficient evidence of UK-based operations or staff eligibility to work in the UK. Examples of good practice include firms submitting their own internal suitability assessments, identifying gaps in staff resources and clearly explaining how and when these should be addressed and providing clear ownership structure charts.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority has published its quarterly consultation paper No 49, accompanied by a new webpage, inviting key feedback on proposed amendments to its Handbook.
Key proposals include:

• Broadening the scope of the FCA's Decision Procedure and Penalties Manual on penalties policy to include the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES).
• Removing most statutory declarations from mutuals registration function forms to reduce the time and expense involved for mutual societies submitting applications to the FCA.

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HM Treasury (HMT) has published a formal response letter dated 2 September to the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee's June report on the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and UK Prudential Regulation Authority's (PRA) secondary international competitiveness and growth objectives. The letter welcomes the Committee's recommendations and notes their alignment with the UK government's Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, announced in July, reaffirming its commitment to regulatory reform. HMT's response outlines ongoing efforts that directly address the Committee's recommendations, including reforms to the UK Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to restore its original role as a swift and impartial dispute resolution body, a review of the consumer duty's application to wholesale firms, with the FCA due to report back to the Chancellor by the end of September, and the prioritisation of the Advice Guidance Boundary Review to tackle the advice gap. Appendix A of the letter provides further detail on the government's response to each of the Committee's recommendations, including ongoing work and future priorities.

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The Better Data Sharing Regulation (Position (EU) No 5/2025), formally adopted by the Council of the EU on 8 July, has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ), together with the Council's Statement of Reasons. The Regulation amends seven foundational EU laws to streamline supervisory reporting and improve data sharing among EU financial authorities. Key features include: (i) a requirement for the European Supervisory Authorities, through the Joint Committee and in cooperation with other EU bodies, to deliver a feasibility report within five years (i.e., by 18 September 2030) on a cross-sectoral integrated reporting system. Based on its findings and a comprehensive impact assessment, the European Commission may, where appropriate, put forward a legislative proposal; (ii) calls for consistent application of the "report once" principle, whereby authorities should obtain information from other authorities that have already collected it, rather than requesting it again from reporting entities, provided this does not compromise the entities' ability to perform their tasks; (iii) a shift from biannual to annual reporting under the InvestEU Programme; (iv) clarification of the scope and conditions for both mandatory and voluntary data sharing; and (v) encouragement for authorities to enter into memoranda of understanding to support information exchange. The Regulation enters into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the OJ, being 18 September.

The European Commission (EC) has published two draft regulations which aim to modernise and reinforce the transparency and integrity of the EU's wholesale energy markets under Regulation (EU) No 1227/2011 on Wholesale Energy Market Integrity and Transparency (REMIT). The proposals follow the recent revision of REMIT by Regulation (EU) 2024/1106, which entered into force in May 2024, to address growing volatility in energy markets, geopolitical disruptions, and the emergence of new trading technologies. REMIT IR (Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1348/2014) sets out the principles and technical details for reporting transactional and fundamental data to the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). To align with the revised REMIT, its revision is now required.

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HM Treasury (HMT) has published five new webpages, each with a collection of joint statements from key international financial partnerships reflecting their shared commitments and the outcomes they are seeking to achieve. These include:

• UK-U.S. Financial Regulatory Working Group – joint statements from the biannual UK-U.S. Financial Regulatory Working Group held between HMT, U.S. Treasury and representatives from their respective supervisory authorities.
• UK-U.S. Financial Innovation Partnership (FIP) – joint statements from the annual FIP held between HMT and the U.S. Treasury on emerging trends in financial services innovation.

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HM Treasury (HMT) has published a policy statement on the appointed representatives regime, setting out how it proposes to adjust the appointed representative (AR) legislative framework to provide further needed protection for consumers of AR firms. First, a new gateway for authorised firms will be implemented which will require an authorised firm that intends to use ARs to obtain permission from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) before doing so. The FCA's role will be to assess whether an authorised firm has the appropriate resources and expertise to properly oversee ARs. HMT states that it is already working with the FCA on a detailed proposal for designing and implementing the permission gateway. The intention is that the new gateway will not require existing principal firms to apply for the new permission and firms seeking a new authorisation will be able to apply for the permission during the authorisation process. The FCA will have powers to limit, vary, or revoke a permission to act as principal.

Secondly, HMT intends to mitigate consumer harm by closing a gap in the complaints redress system.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its third annual report of the Wider Implications Framework (WIF) for the 2024/25 period, covering 1 April 2024 to 31 March. The report summarises coordinated efforts and actions taken by the FCA, Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the Money and Pensions Service and the Pensions Regulator to address cross-cutting and systemic issues in financial services. The report highlights joint work conducted on motor finance commission complaints, embedding the consumer duty and implementation of the mandatory reimbursement requirements for authorised push payment fraud. The report also offers insight into how collaboration has been enhanced by updating the WIF's Terms of Reference and the FCA and FOS signing a refreshed Memorandum of Understanding. Alongside the report, the July 2025 Wider Implications Framework Issues Log was also published which provides a detailed overview of the key issues currently under consideration by the FCA and the other regulatory bodies, demonstrating how these matters are being addressed collaboratively.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced the appointment of Liam Coleman as interim Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), effective from 10 October. Mr Coleman will chair in this position until a permanent appointment is made, following an initial recruitment campaign that proved unsuccessful. He will step down as a non-executive director of the FCA to assume his new position. His appointment comes as the FCA continue work to modernise the redress system and support prevent delays to compensation.

The UK government has announced the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India, agreed in May this year. According to the government’s press release, for financial and professional services the deal provides locked-in market access and legal certainty and ensures UK firms are treated on par with domestic suppliers. Separately, the UK government has also renewed the Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership with India, enhancing cooperation on defence, education, climate and technology. Both countries also agreed to strengthen collaboration in tackling serious fraud, organised crime and illegal migration. This includes agreeing to finalise a new criminal records sharing agreement to support proceedings, maintain accurate watchlists and enforce travel bans.

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/904) have been made and published. The Regulations bring certain key provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) into force from 20 August. The DUAA is a UK law that updates existing data protection regulations, aiming to promote innovation and economic growth while maintaining strong data protection standards. It introduces changes to how personal and non-personal data is managed. Last week, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Information Commissioner's Office discussed the importance to the UK's open finance vision of secure, consent-driven data sharing, supported by the UK's Smart Data framework and the newly enacted Data Use and Access Act.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its latest edition of its newsletter for primary market participants, Primary Markets Bulletin 56. The bulletin covers three key areas: (i) the FCA's recent success in optimising data and technology to strengthen its ability to identify failures to report positions and market abuse; (ii) the upcoming expiry of certain transitional provisions under the UK Listing Rules on 29 July; and (iii) the FCA's desire to improve primary markets datasets so that they can be used more efficiently by markets participants. In terms of the transitional provisions expiring on 29 July, the FCA notes that these include transitional provisions for eligibility requirements for inflight applicants, and certain transitional provisions for shell companies under UKLR 13, UKLR 4 and UKLR 24.

​The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) have published a joint article through the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), outlining their collaborative efforts and next steps to shape the future of open finance and smart data. Open finance seeks to extend open banking principles to a wide range of financial products, empowering consumers with greater control over their data while promoting innovation and competition. The article emphasises the importance of secure, consent-driven data sharing, supported by the UK's Smart Data framework and the newly enacted Data Use and Access Act, to be integral to the vision for open finance. The ICO will play a key role in ensuring that data protection and consumer rights remain central to the development of open finance. 

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HM Treasury (HMT) has published its consultation paper on cross-cutting reforms in the UK regulatory environment in relation to key performance indicators, principles and strategies to be applied by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the UK Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA). For application determinations, HMT proposes shortening the statutory timeframes for new firm authorisations and variations of permission from: (i) 6 months to 4 months for complete applications; (ii) from 12 months to 10 months for incomplete applications; and (iii) for SMCR approved persons applications from 3 months to 2 months. The consultation also covers the UK government's intention to consult on a proposal for streamlined authorisation conditions for innovative start-ups (also referred to as giving provisional licences or "L-plates") and to legislate to require the FCA and PRA to set out long-term strategies in line with an amended "have regard" framework in relation to regulatory principles and the relevant remit letter. The deadline for responses is 9 September.

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The UK government has published its Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, a ten-year plan to drive growth and competitiveness in the UK financial services sector. The strategy follows a call for evidence issued in November 2024 and has been published in tandem with the Leeds Reforms and the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer's speech, delivered at Mansion House on 15 July. The strategy covers five areas of focus: (i) delivering a competitive regulatory environment; (ii) harnessing the UK's global leadership of financial services; (iii) embracing innovation and leveraging the UK's fintech leadership; (iv) building a retail investment culture and delivering prosperity through UK capital markets; and (v) setting the UK′s financial services sector up with the skills and talent it needs. The strategy encompasses a wide range of proposals and initiatives announced on 15 July, with key take-aways for the financial sector covered in our webinar delivered on 16 July.

HM Treasury has published a press release confirming a significant package of measures aimed at making the UK the prime destination for financial services by 2035, referred to as the "Leeds Reforms". The Leeds Reforms cover a broad range of financial services sub-sectors, and include proposals and initiatives to unlock retail investment, remove frictions to investment activity in the UK, free capital for investment in the UK, and promote innovation. The Reforms formed the foundation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's speech delivered at Mansion House on 15 July, in conjunction with the UK's Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness strategy.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published the 2025 outcomes report of the open finance sprint, held in March. The Sprint brought together stakeholders to develop practical data-sharing use cases across four key areas: financial wellbeing, financial growth, financial resilience, and digital identity and verification. The report captures participants outputs and does not represent the FCA's official position. Key themes for a trusted and effective open finance ecosystem included:

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority has announced plans to review its client categorisation rules to unlock more investment opportunities for wealthy investors and support capital markets. The review will focus on maintaining proportionality and supporting economic growth by modernising the client classification regime, providing greater clarity and confidence for firms and forming part of a broader strategy to enhance the competitiveness of the UK's financial services sector. The FCA will consult on the elective professional client categorisation later this year.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its 2024/25 report on the secondary competitiveness and growth objective (SCGO), outlining the progress made since July 2024 and setting out its forward-looking priorities for the remainder of the reporting period. The SCGO, introduced under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, requires the FCA to publish annual reports for the first two years following the objective's introduction. This is the second such report and is accompanied by two annexes. Annex 1 provides a six-month progress update on the FCA's response to the Prime Minister's letter of December 2024, which called on UK regulators to identify actions that could unlock economic growth. In its response, the FCA outlined around 50 initiatives aimed at supporting innovation, streamlining regulation to reduce regulatory burden and boosting market access. The annex tracks progress against those commitments, several of which align with pledges made in the UK Government's March policy paper. Annex 2 presents the FCA's performance against a suite of published metrics designed to assess how its rules and guidance have contributed to advancing the SCGO. The FCA also published its response to the HM Treasury's (HMT) 2024 remit letter, reaffirming its commitment to embedding the SCGO into its five-year strategy. The letter outlines the FCA's efforts in strengthening the UK's capital markets, supporting innovation and technology and ensuring that regulatory reform is aligned with sustainable growth and consumer protection.

The Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee (FPC) has published its July financial stability report alongside the record of its 27 June meeting. After assessing the risks to the UK financial system, the FPC reports that global financial markets remain vulnerable, with elevated risks stemming from geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation and sovereign debt pressures.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced the launch of its new and improved FCA Handbook website. The website, currently in a beta version, retains all existing features but seeks to offer improved navigation, facilitates better understanding of rule connections and make it easier to compare different versions of FCA Handbook text to determine what has been added or deleted over time. While in beta phase, the FCA will continue to test and refine the website, with both the current and new websites accessible during the testing phase. The full rollout is expected later this year, ensuring continuous updates to rules and guidance throughout the transition. The FCA has also published a how-to guide and FAQs.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a consultation paper CP25/17 (CP) accompanied by a press release and updated webpage, proposing a new regulatory framework for "targeted support" in pensions and retail investments. The CP forms part of the Advice Guidance Boundary Review and the FCA's five-year strategy to support growth and help consumers navigate their financial lives. The deadline for comments is 29 August and a policy statement is expected by the end of the year, subject to the volume of feedback received.

The CP proposes the introduction of a new regulated activity of targeted support, which would allow firms to provide ready-made suggestions on investment products or courses of action to groups of consumers with common characteristics, making it clear that such support does not constitute fully personalised financial advice. The UK Government has announced that it will consult on amending the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 accordingly to introduce the new regulated activity. A draft statutory instrument is expected to be published alongside the Mansion House speech on 15 July. The targeted support framework would not impact the existing regulatory framework for activities that can currently be delivered as guidance without FCA authorisation.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published final policy statement PS25/7, alongside an updated webpage, on data decommissioning. Following the FCA's consultation in April, it has proceeded with:

• Removing the requirement for data collection relating to: (i) FSA039—Client money and assets, (ii) Section F of the Retail Mediation Activities Return (RMAR) and (iii) Form G—The Retail Investment Adviser Complaints Notifications Form.
• Simplifying the FCA Handbook to remove guidance about data collections that have already been decommissioned.
• Entirely removing forms that are already included in the Annexes to SUP 16.

These changes support the FCA's five-year strategy to become a smarter, more data-driven regulator. The changes are implemented through the Data Decommissioning Instrument 2025, effective from 27 June. The FCA states it will continue to review and streamline data collections to maintain effective supervision while reducing regulatory burdens.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced its plan to launch a new and improved FCA Handbook website as part of its five-year strategy to enhance regulatory efficiency. The updated website will retain all existing features but will offer improved navigation, facilitate understanding of rule connections and make it easier to compare different versions of Handbook text. A beta version will be available soon, with both the current and new websites accessible during the testing phase. The full rollout is expected later this year, ensuring continuous updates to rules and guidance throughout the transition.

The Bank of England (BoE) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) have published a series of annual reports, which are set out below.

• BoE Annual Report and Accounts. The BoE has set out its strategic investment priorities for 2025–2028, which include: monetary policy transformation, in the context of the Bernanke Review recommendations; modernising the BoE's central banking operations and streamlining data collections; supporting greater innovation in retail and wholesale payments in the UK and internationally; supporting growth in the economy; reviewing the BoE's activities for efficiency and effectiveness; and completing transformation agendas.

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The UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has published its 2024/25 competitiveness and growth report, setting out how it has advanced its secondary competitiveness and growth objective (SCGO). The SCGO was introduced under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (FSMA 2023) and requires the PRA to advance the international competitiveness and growth of the UK economy, particularly in financial services. The regulators are required to publish two annual reports, in 2024 and 2025, on SCGO implementation. The PRA also comments on its secondary competition objective (SCO), which requires the PRA to facilitate effective competition in the markets for services provided by PRA-authorised firms. Earlier this month, the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee published a report on the regulators' progress in supporting growth and competitiveness, finding a prevailing culture of risk aversion by the regulators which undermines the objective.

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The UK Government has published a policy paper outlining its industrial strategy. The strategy centres around eight priority sectors (the IS-8), including financial services. The UK government's ambition is to establish the UK as the world's most innovative full-service financial centre by 2035. A dedicated sector plan is expected to be published alongside the mansion house speech on 15 July.

Key measures to achieve this objective include:

• Ensuring financial services enables growth across the real economy, with retail banks and wholesale markets providing credit and liquidity.
• Mobilising pensions capital into the UK.

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