Module |
Relevance to Credit Unions |
The Principles for Businesses (PRIN) |
The Principles for Businesses (PRIN) set out, high-level requirements, some of which are imposed by the FCA and some by the PRA.12 They provide a general statement of regulatory requirements. The Principles apply to all12credit unions. In applying the Principles to credit unions, the appropriate regulator12 will be mindful of proportionality. In practice, the implications are likely to vary according to the size of the credit union. 121212 |
Senior Management Arrangements, Systems and Controls (SYSC) |
SYSC 1 and SYSC 4 to 10 apply to all credit unions in respect of the carrying on of their regulated activities and unregulated activities in a prudential context. SYSC 18 applies to all credit unions without restriction. |
Threshold Conditions (COND) |
In order to become authorised under the Act all firms must meet the threshold conditions. The threshold conditions must be met on a continuing basis by credit unions. Failure to meet one of the conditions is sufficient grounds for the exercise by the appropriate regulator12 of its powers. 1212 |
Statements of Principle and Code of Practice for Approved Persons (APER) |
The purpose of the Statements of Principle contained in APER 2 is to provide guidance to approved persons in relation to the conduct expected of them in the performance of a controlled function. The Code of Practice for Approved Persons sets out descriptions of conduct which, in the opinion of the appropriate regulator12, do not comply with a Statement of Principle and, in the case of Statement of Principle 3, conduct which tends to show compliance within that statement. 12 |
The Fit and Proper test for Approved Persons (FIT) |
The purpose of FIT is to set out and describe the criteria that the appropriate regulator12 will consider when assessing the fitness and propriety of a person in respect of whom an application is being made for approval to undertake a controlled function under the approved persons regime. The criteria are also relevant in assessing the continuing fitness and propriety of persons who have already been approved. 12 |
General Provisions (GEN) |
GEN contains rules and guidance on general matters, including interpreting the Handbook, statutory status disclosure, the appropriate regulator's12 logo and insurance against financial penalties. |
Fees manual (FEES) |
This manual sets out the fees applying to credit unions. |
Conduct of Business sourcebook (COBS) |
A credit union which acts as a CTF provider or provides a cash-deposit ISA will need to be aware of the relevant requirements in COBS. COBS 4.6 (Past, simulated past and future performance), COBS 4.7.1 R (Direct offer financial promotions), COBS 4.10 (Systems and controls and approving and communicating financial promotions), COBS 13 (Preparing product information) and COBS 14 (Providing product information to clients) apply with respect to accepting deposits as set out in those provisions, COBS 4.1 and BCOBS. |
Banking: Conduct of Business sourcebook (BCOBS) |
BCOBS sets out rules and guidance for credit unions on how they should conduct their business with their customers. In particular there are rules and guidance relating to communications with banking customers and financial promotions (BCOBS 2), distance communications (BCOBS 3), information to be communicated to banking customers (BCOBS 4), post sale requirements (BCOBS 5), and cancellation (BCOBS 6). BCOBS 5.1.13 R (Value dating) does not apply to credit unions. The rules in BCOBS 3.1 that relate to distance contracts for accepting deposits are likely to have limited application to a credit union. This is because the Distance Marketing Directive only applies where there is "an organised distance sales or service-provision scheme run by the supplier" (Article 2(a)). If, therefore, the credit union normally operates face to face and has not set up facilities to enable customers to deal with it at a distance, such as facilities for a customer to deal with it purely by post, telephone, fax or the Internet, the provisions will not be relevant. |
Supervision manual (SUP) |
The following provisions of SUP are relevant to credit unions: 13SUP 1A13 (The appropriate regulator's12 approach to supervision), SUP 2 (Information gathering by the appropriate regulator12 on its own initiative), SUP 3.1 to SUP 3.8 (Auditors), SUP 5 (Skilled persons), SUP 6 (Applications to vary or cancel Part 4A12permission), SUP 7 (Individual requirements), SUP 8 (Waiver and modification of rules), SUP 9 (Individual guidance), 13SUP 10A and SUP 10B13 (Approved persons), SUP 11 (Controllers and Close links), SUP 15 (Notifications to the appropriate regulator12) and SUP 16 (Reporting Requirements). Credit unions are reminded that they are subject to the requirements of the Act and SUP 11 on controllers and close links, and are bound to notify the appropriate regulator12 of changes. It may be unlikely, in practice, that credit unions will develop such relationships. It is possible, however, that a person may acquire control of a credit union within the meaning of the Act by reason of holding the prescribed proportion of deferred shares in the credit union. In relation to SUP 16, credit unions are exempted from the requirement to submit annual reports of controllers and close links. 1212121212 |
Decision, Procedure and Penalties manual (DEPP) |
DEPP is relevant to credit unions because it sets out: (1) the FCA's12 decision-making procedure for giving statutory notices. These are warning notices, decision notices and supervisory notices (DEPP 1.2 to DEPP 5); and (2) the FCA's12 policy with respect to the imposition and amount of penalties under the Act (see DEPP 6). 1212 |
Dispute Resolution: Complaints (DISP) |
DISP sets out rules and guidance in relation to treating complainants fairly and the Financial Ombudsman Service. |
Compensation (COMP) |
COMP sets out rules relating to the scheme for compensating consumers when authorised firms are unable, or likely to be unable, to satisfy claims against them.12 |
The Enforcement Guide (EG) |
The Enforcement Guide (EG) describes the FCA's12 approach to exercising the main enforcement powers given to it by the Act and by regulation 12 of the Unfair Terms Regulations. 12 |
Financial crime: a guide for firms (FC) |
FC provides guidance on steps that a firm can take to reduce the risk that it might be used to further financial crime. |
Related provisions for BIPRU 12.5.20
61 - 80 of 94 items.
If a firm makes an offer to a consumer2 with a view to entering into a regulated mortgage contract which is a distance contract, it must provide the consumer2 with the following information with the offer document:232(1) the EEA State or States whose laws are taken by the firm as a basis for the establishment of relations with the customer prior to the conclusion of the regulated mortgage contract;(2) any contractual clause on law applicable to the regulated mortgage contract
(1) A firm must communicate to a consumer2 the distance marketing information in a durable medium available and accessible to the consumer2 in good time before the consumer2 is bound by any distance contract or offer to enter into a home purchase plan.222(2) If the distance contract or offer has been concluded at the consumer's2 request using a means of distance communication2 which does not enable providing the information in accordance with (1) then it must be communicated no
(1) The FCA3 will determine a figure which will be based on a percentage of an individual’s “relevant income”. “Relevant income” will be the gross amount of all benefits received by the individual from the employment in connection with which the breach occurred (the “relevant employment”), and for the period of the breach. In determining an individual’s relevant income, “benefits” includes, but is not limited to, salary, bonus, pension contributions, share options and share schemes;
1Paragraph 1A of Schedule 6 to the Act(1) "assets" includes contingent assets;"consolidated supervision" has the same meaning as in section 3M(a);"consumer" has the meaning given by section 425A(b);"financial crime" is to be read with section 1H(3)(c);"functions", in relation to either the FCA or the PRA, means the functions conferred on that regulator by or under this Act;"liabilities" includes contingent liabilities; "relevant directives" has the same meaning as in section 3M;
For the purpose of DISP 1.10.2 R, DISP 1.10.2-A R618 and DISP 1.10.2A R,4 when completing the return, the firm should take into account the following matters.(1) If a complaint could fall into more than one category, the complaint should be recorded in the category which the firm considers to form the main part of the complaint.(2) Under DISP 1.10.2R (3)(a) or DISP 1.10.2-A R618, a firm should report any complaint to which it has given a response 1which upholds the complaint,
The FCA4 will consider the full circumstances of each case when determining whether or not to take action for a financial penalty or public censure. Set out below is a list of factors that may be relevant for this purpose. The list is not exhaustive: not all of these factors may be applicable in a particular case, and there may be other factors, not listed, that are relevant.4(1) The nature, seriousness and impact of the suspected breach, including:(a) whether the breach was deliberate
For the purpose of CREDS 9.2.1 R, and upon completing the return, the credit union should note that:(1) where a complaint could fall into more than one category, the complaint should be recorded against the category that the credit union considers to form the main part of the complaint;(2) where a complaint has been upheld under CREDS 9.2.1R (3)(a), a credit union should report any complaints to which it has given a final response which accepts the complaint and, where appropriate,
Where a firm identifies (from its complaints or otherwise) recurring or systemic problems in its sales practices for a particular type of payment protection contract, either for its sales in general or for those from a particular location or sales channel, it should (in accordance with Principle 6 (Customers' interests) and to the extent that it applies), consider whether it ought to act with regard to the position of customers who may have suffered detriment from, or been potentially
(1) This chapter helps in achieving the statutory objective of protecting consumers by laying down minimum standards for the investments that may be held by an authorised fund. In particular:(a) the proportion of transferable securities and derivatives that may be held by an authorised fund is restricted if those transferable securities and derivatives are not listed on an eligible market; the intention of this is to restrict investment in transferable securities or derivatives
(1) 1A firm must, as soon as a customer expresses an interest in becoming a SRB agreement seller, ensure that the 2disclosures and warnings set out in (1A) are 2made to the customer2, both orally and confirmed in writing, and he is given an adequate opportunity to consider them. The firm must not demand or accept any fees, charges or other sums from the customer, or undertake any action that commits the customer in any way to entering into a specific agreement, until:2222(a) 2the
(1) The FCA expects that the majority of requests it will receive for the winding up of an authorised fund (under regulation 21(1) of the OEIC Regulations or under sections1 256 or 261W1 of the Act) or termination of a sub-fund will be from authorised fund managers and depositaries who consider that the AUT, ACS1, ICVC or sub-fund in question is no longer commercially viable.(2) It is in consumers' interests to minimise, as far as possible, the period between which the FCA receives
(1) The general purpose of this sourcebook is to contribute to the FCA meeting its statutory objectives of the protection of consumers. It provides a regime of product regulation for authorised funds, which sets appropriate standards of protection for investors by specifying a number of features of those products and how they are to be operated.(2) In addition, this sourcebook implements part of the requirements of the UCITS Directive to meet EU law 2 obligations relevant to authorised
1Activity |
Products/Sectors |
Is there an appropriate qualification4requirement? 4 |
|
Designated investment business carried on for a retail client |
|||
Providing basic advice |
1. |
Stakeholder products excluding a deposit-based stakeholder product |
No |
Advising |
2. |
Securities which are not stakeholder pension schemes, personal pension schemes7 or broker funds |
Yes |
3. |
Yes2 |
||
4. |
Packaged products6Retail investment products6 which are not broker funds |
Yes2 |
|
5. |
Friendly Societylife policies where the employee is not reasonably expected to receive a remuneration of greater than £1000 a year in respect of such sales |
No2 |
|
6. |
Friendly Society tax-exempt policies (other than Holloway sickness policies where the Holloway policy special application conditions are met)5 |
Yes2 |
|
7. |
Yes2 |
||
8. |
Investments in the course of corporate finance business |
Yes2 |
|
9. |
Yes2 |
||
Undertaking the activity in column 2 |
10. |
Yes |
|
11. |
Yes2 |
||
Advising and dealing |
12. |
Securities which are not stakeholder pension schemes, personal pension schemes7 or broker funds |
Yes |
13. |
Yes2 |
||
4Dealing |
13A.8 |
Securities which are not stakeholder pension schemes, personal pension schemes7 or broker funds |
No |
No |
|||
13C. |
No |
||
Managing |
14. |
Yes |
|
Overseeing on a day-to-day basis |
15. |
Operating a collective investment scheme or undertaking the activities of a trustee or depositary of a collective investment scheme |
Yes |
16. |
Safeguarding and administering investments or holding client money |
Yes2 |
|
17. |
Administrative functions in relation to managing investments |
Yes2 |
|
18. |
Administrative functions in relation to effecting or carrying out contracts of insurance which are life policies |
Yes2 |
|
19. |
Administrative functions in relation to the operation of stakeholder pension schemes |
Yes2 |
|
Regulated mortgage activity and reversion activity carried on for a customer |
|||
Advising |
20. |
Regulated mortgage contracts for a non-business purpose |
Yes |
21. |
Yes2 |
||
Designing scripted questions for non-advised sales |
22. |
Yes |
|
Overseeing non-advised sales on a day-to-day basis |
23. |
Yes |
|
Non-investment insurance business carried on for a consumer |
|||
Advising |
24. |
No |
|
3Regulated sale and rent back activity carried on for a customer |
|||
Advising |
25. |
No |
|
Overseeing non-advised saleson a day-to-day basis |
26. |
No |
|
Notes: |
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1. |
In the Appendix the heading and types of business specified in the headings are to be read in conjunction with the paragraphs appearing beneath them. |
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2. |
Thus, for example, paragraph 24consistent with the heading above it3, refers only to advice on non-investment insurance contracts given to a consumer. 3 |
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The disclosure rules in MCOB place particular emphasis on the description of borrowing. Where the regulated mortgage contract is for a business purpose, a firm should reflect this emphasis in any disclosure by first describing any borrowing before addressing the other facilities provided under the regulated mortgage contract.