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Financial Services UK

Exterior of the financial regulator's offices in London

FCA Kick-Starts New 'Name And Shame' Enforcement Tactic

The Financial Conduct Authority has begun 2026 with a clear sign that it will use its newly won power to "name and shame" companies under investigation for suspected misconduct as it seeks to bolster protection for consumers.

The Top Non-SFO Financial Crime Trials To Watch In 2026

A major corruption trial against Nigeria's former oil minister, a tax fraud case against a prominent barrister and the prosecution of two men over a cyberattack on London's transport network are among the biggest white-collar cases in 2026 not brought by the Serious Fraud Office.

FCA Expected To Boost Fines, Name More Companies In 2026

The Financial Conduct Authority is likely to step up its enforcement action in 2026 with higher fines and more readiness to name companies under investigation, bolstered by a landmark High Court rejection of a challenge to such a naming decision.

What To Expect From The Competition Appeal Tribunal In 2026

With a new president at the helm, potential government reform and a crowded trial calendar, lawyers say the next 12 months will see a Competition Appeal Tribunal with a more disciplined judicial culture.

January 20, 2026
Court Backs HMRC Over Healthcare Co.'s Late VAT Appeal

A private healthcare company has to meet strict conditions to appeal HM Revenue & Customs' value-added-tax assessments and a penalty of over £1 million ($1.3 million) after filing its appeal late, a London court ruled.
January 20, 2026
UK Launches Service To Combat Cyber Crime And Fraud

The U.K. has launched a national reporting and intelligence service for fraud and cyber crime intended to help protect victims and tackle billions of pounds lost each year, a police force announced Tuesday.
January 20, 2026
Ex-Entain Execs Lose Privacy Claim Against Watchdog

Two former executives at the predecessor of betting giant Entain have lost their claim that Britain's gambling regulator wrongly published private and confidential information about them in its announcement of regulatory review.
January 20, 2026
BoE Chief Warns Of Financial Fallout If AI Bubble Bursts

The governor of the Bank of England cautioned Tuesday the U.K. economy could get swept up in market turmoil if there is a major correction in artificial intelligence tech stock.
January 20, 2026
Gov't Scraps Long-Awaited UK Audit Sector Reforms

The government said on Tuesday that it would not push ahead with long-awaited audit and governance reforms designed to improve trust in the sector after a string of high-profile accounting scandals.
January 20, 2026
UK Regulators Sideline Probes Into Open Banking Fees

U.K. finance watchdogs said Tuesday they will not prioritize competition law investigations into future bank fees on varying regular bill payments, opting to avoid uncertainty in open banking operations.
January 20, 2026
'Mortgage Prisoners' Fight To Revive Core Of £800M TSB Case

Hundreds of former customers of Northern Rock suing TSB for £800 million ($1.1 billion) challenged on Tuesday a ruling that TSB did not breach their mortgage contracts by charging higher interest rates for loans the lender took over after Northern Rock's collapse.
January 20, 2026
Chubb Rejects Investor's Negligent Property Advice Claim

Chubb has denied that it must pay out around £259,000 ($348,200) to cover a now-insolvent conveyancing firm accused of negligence by a Saudi investor, arguing the dissolved business acted within its legal remit during the purchase of student accommodation in the U.K.
January 20, 2026
Osborne Clarke Pro Overturns SDT's Zahawi SLAPP Ruling

An Osborne Clarke partner has overturned a disciplinary tribunal's finding of misconduct over his attempts to prevent a blogger from disclosing a defamation threat by former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, as a London court found on Tuesday the decision lacked sufficient reasons and was "unfair."
January 19, 2026
Lax AI Policy In UK Finance Sector Risks Harm, MPs Warn

The absence of clear guidance from the government and regulators on the use of artificial intelligence by finance companies could cause "serious harm" to consumers and the financial system, lawmakers warned on Tuesday as they set out the steps needed to erect guardrails.
January 19, 2026
Slaughter And May Guides Zurich's £7.7B Bid For Beazley

Swiss insurance giant Zurich said Monday that it has made a £7.7 billion ($10 billion) proposed offer for London-listed Beazley PLC after the British rival rejected a lower offer earlier in January.
January 19, 2026
Pensions Provider TPT Picks New Chief Compliance Officer

British pensions provider TPT Retirement Solutions said Monday that it has hired Helen Taylor as its new chief legal, risk and compliance officer.
January 19, 2026
Nomura Denies Overcharging Investor $3.8M To Cover Tax

The U.K. securities brokering arm of Nomura has rejected a claim that it owes an India-based asset manager more than $3.8 million, denying that it deducted too much money from trades to cover capital gains tax.
January 19, 2026
Tribunal Upholds FCA Ban, £2M Fine For 'Dishonest' Adviser

The Financial Conduct Authority said Monday that a court has upheld its decision to ban and fine a financial adviser more than £2 million ($2.7 million) for misconduct it described as the worst it has seen over the British Steel Pension Scheme scandal.
January 19, 2026
Trethowans Advises Property Franchise Firm On Acquisition

The Property Franchise Group PLC said Monday that it has bought an 85% stake in mortgage advice company Smart Advice Financial Solutions Ltd. as it seeks to expand in southwest England.
January 16, 2026
Lars Windhorst Must Pay Broker $519M To Settle Debt

A London court on Friday ruled that Lars Windhorst owed a broker more than $519 million, concluding that the German financier had accepted he owed the money but had failed to pay the debt.
January 16, 2026
Lenders Seek To Halt $68M Nigerian Debt Proceedings

The International Finance Corp. and Ninety One have asked a London court to block a Nigerian real estate company from pursuing proceedings in the west African country that say the lenders agreed to settle a roughly $68.6 million debt for less than half that amount.
January 16, 2026
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London saw the David Lloyd gym chain file an intellectual property claim against its founder, security company Primekings reignite a long-running dispute with the former owners of an acquired business, and a pair of Belizean developers sue a finance executive they say shut them out of a cruise port project.
January 16, 2026
EU Pensions Watchdog To Tighten Single Market Integration

The European Union has launched its long-term strategy to strengthen and streamline the bloc's insurance and retirement sectors through to 2030, amid rising geopolitical, economic, environmental and technological turbulence.
January 16, 2026
Abraaj Loses Claim To $37M Debt In Fight With UAE Bank

A subsidiary of collapsed private equity giant Abraaj Group lost its claim on Friday to $37 million of a disputed debt of $41.5 million after a court ruled that the unit's parent company assigned the $37 million chunk to a bank.
January 16, 2026
Consultant Hit With Fine For Insider Trading In Oil Shares

The finance watchdog said Friday that it has fined an oil rig consultant for breaching market abuse rules by using inside information about the discovery of oil and gas to pocket almost £130,000 ($174,000).
January 15, 2026
Revolut, Mastercard, Visa Lose Challenge To Fee Cap

Mastercard, Visa and Revolut lost their fight on Thursday to block regulators from enforcing a price cap on some transaction fees after a London court rejected their case that the watchdog didn't have the power to impose limits.
January 15, 2026
Real Estate Investor Sues Insurance Broker Over Unpaid Loan

A real estate investment company and an affiliate firm have sued an insurance broker and its sole director for their alleged failure to repay a loan worth almost £227,000 ($304,000) and breaches of obligations linked to the businesses.
January 15, 2026
Gov't Drops Planned Probe Into UK Pensions Ombudsman

The government confirmed it has dropped a pledge to carry out a review of the U.K.'s pension arbitration body, in the wake of the Atomic Energy Agency Technology retirement fund scandal.
January 15, 2026
Pensions Watchdog Hires Treasury Mandarin As Policy Chief

The Pensions Regulator said Thursday it has appointed as its new policy chief one of the leading architects behind the government's push for retirement funds to invest more in the economy.

Editor's Picks

5 Questions For Spencer West Partner Karl Foster

The Financial Conduct Authority's approach to enforcement and consumer protection has come up against government economic growth priorities and resistance from the sector to its proposals to "name and shame" companies early on during regulatory probes.
UK Draft Pay Fraud Rules Open Tricky Legal Liabilities

The government's new draft legislation, which will give banks longer to investigate suspicions of fraud before they send payments instructed by customers, will create a wave of new legal liabilities and lead to regulatory hurdles, according to lawyers.
FCA Fires Warning Shot Over City's Consumer Duty Failings

The Financial Conduct Authority has sent out a fresh warning to financial services companies highlighting how some of them are failing to comply with its Consumer Duty regime. But experts have told Law360 that the expectations are unclear.

Expert Analysis

What To Expect From UK Prospectus Regime Changes

The new U.K. prospectus regime for trading on regulated markets, effective Jan. 19, aims to streamline processes and reduce costs, but a significant shift in structuring and disclosure obligations will increase pressure on practitioners to manage risk under tighter timelines, say lawyers at Baker Botts.
10 Financial Regulatory Changes To Prepare For In 2026

A number of changes in the financial regulatory sphere are due this year, from targeted support to payment safeguarding and a new consumer composite investments regime, and firms should plan to address the policies and regulatory strategies relevant to them, say lawyers at Womble Bond.
How Gov't AML Supervision Reform Will Affect Law Firms

In confirming that the Financial Conduct Authority will become the single supervisor for professional services, HM Treasury’s planned reform of the U.K.’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing supervision regime marks a significant change for the legal profession, signaling a greater emphasis on evidence and accountability, says Harriet Holmes at Thirdfort.
EU Financial Regulation Trends Cos. Need To Watch In 2026

An ever-increasing number of initiatives on the European Union regulatory agenda, with simplification and consistent implementation being priorities, means financial services businesses with a footprint in the EU or seeking to establish one will face significant challenges and strategic opportunities, say lawyers at Taylor Wessing.
What To Expect From UK, EU Crypto Regime Changes In 2026

With 2025 marking the first operational year of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation and the U.K.’s rules reaching their final legislative form, the two jurisdictions are converging in focus, but structural design differences mean firms active in both markets will require dedicated documentation to ensure compliance, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.
What Cos. Can Expect From CMA Consumer Protection Drive

The Competition and Markets Authority’s recently launched consumer protection drive targeting banned online sales practices focuses on supporting compliance rather than on enforcement, although firms should expect this to change once businesses have had time to adapt to the regulator's new regime, say lawyers at Baker Botts.
Preparing For UK's New Tax Fraud Whistleblower Program

With the U.K. government introducing a U.S.-style whistleblower incentive scheme to tackle high-value tax avoidance and evasion, companies should take proactive steps and establish clear protocols to mitigate the potential increase in tax investigations, say lawyers at Skadden.
Key Trends Shaping ESG And Sustainability Law In 2026

2025 saw a chaotic regulatory landscape and novel litigation around environmental, social and governance issues and sustainability — and 2026, while perhaps more predictable, will likely be no less challenging, with more lawsuits and a regulatory tug-of-war complicating compliance for global companies, say attorneys at Crowell.
Digital Regulation In EU And UK: The Enduring 2025 Themes

With EU and U.K. digital regulation becoming an operational reality in 2025 and no sign of slowing in 2026, organizations need to embed content moderation, cybersecurity and data access obligations into their compliance structures, although legislative divergences mean that multinational businesses must also consider parallel and sometimes conflicting expectations, say lawyers at Morrison & Foerster.
FCA Enforcement Trends In 2025 And Expectations For 2026

The Financial Conduct Authority’s clear intention in 2025 to conduct fewer, faster investigations and reinforce transparency is likely to continue in 2026, with a dual-pronged approach of targeted enforcement and assertive supervision to fight crime, support growth and help consumers as its priorities, say lawyers at WilmerHale.
Judicial AI Guidance Update Shows Caution Still Prevails

The judiciary’s recently updated guidance on the use of artificial intelligence warns judges and tribunal members about misinformation and white text manipulation, providing a reminder that AI tools cannot replace direct engagement with evidence and reflecting a broader concern about their application when handling confidential material, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.
Freezing Orders Maintain Their Impact 50 Years On

Freezing orders, created in Mareva v. International Bulk Carriers 50 years ago, are now a fundamental part of English and Welsh law and a significant weapon in the litigator's armory, considered indispensable by practitioners seeking to obtain enforceable judgments and interlocutory relief on behalf of their clients, say lawyers at Trowers and Hamlins.
EU Businesses Face Uncertainty Amid Sustainability Reforms

The European Commission’s sustainability omnibus, due to be approved this month, has brought a year of regulatory upheaval for European businesses, and although the long-awaited scaled-back obligations will provide clarity, a balance between not overburdening reporting companies and the need for data to make sustainable investments must be found, say lawyers at Peters & Peters.
How Russia Sanctions Trajectory Is Affecting UK Legal Sector

The proliferation of U.K. and European Union sanctions targeting Russia has led to a vast increase in legislative provisions, and lawyers advising affected businesses should expect a complex and evolving legal landscape for the foreseeable future, says Rob Dalling at Jenner & Block.
Tracking Crypto-Asset Tax Rules In 2025 And Beyond

The past year has seen an increasing amount of regulation in the crypto-asset space, with a range of novel and complex taxation challenges for regulators, and taxpayers can expect a marked increase in HM Revenue & Customs' compliance activity in the year ahead, says Liam McKay at RPC.