PERG 12.5 Financial promotion issues

Q25. Will the financial promotion restriction in section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 apply to promotions that invite or induce persons to become members of a personal pension scheme?

Yes, because they will be inviting or inducing persons to buy an investment in the form of the rights under the scheme that they would acquire by becoming a member.

Q26. Will the financial promotion restriction apply to a promotion of commercial property that is held out as being suitable for holding under a SIPP (but not any particular SIPP)?

Yes, if the promotion is an inducement to acquire the right to receive benefits derived from the performance of that property when it is held under a personal pension scheme. However, provided the promotion does not identify any particular scheme or scheme provider or person who can arrange or advise on the placing of the property into the scheme, the promotion should be exempt as a generic promotion under article 17 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the Financial Promotion Order).

Q27. Will any of the other exemptions in the Financial Promotion Order apply to promotions of a personal pension scheme?

Yes. All the usual exemptions that apply to the promotion of securities generally will apply. This includes the exemption for promotions made by an employer to their employees about a group personal pension scheme to which they are to contribute (article 72 of the Financial Promotion Order).

Q28. Can I find out more about the financial promotion restriction?

Yes. Chapter 8 of PERG has detailed guidance about the scope of the financial promotion restriction and the exemptions that are available.