Related provisions for CASS 7A.3.9
1 - 20 of 55 items.
A firm must
not hold money other than client money in a client
bank account unless it is:(1) a
minimum sum required to open the account, or to keep it open; or(2) money temporarily in the account in accordance
with CASS 5.5.16 R (Withdrawal of commission and mixed remittance); or(3) interest
credited to the account which exceeds the amount due to clients as
interest and has not yet been withdrawn by the firm.
A firm,
when acting in accordance with CASS
5.3 (statutory trust), must ensure
that the total amount of client money held
for each client in any of the firm'sclient
moneybankaccounts is positive and that no payment
is made from any such account for the benefit of a client unless
the client has provided the firm with cleared funds to enable the payment
to be made.
A firm can
hold client money in either
a general client bank account (CASS 5.5.38 R) or a designated client bank account (CASS 5.5.39 R). A firm holds all client money in general
client bank accounts for its clients as
part of a common pool of money so
those particular clients do
not have a claim against a specific sum in a specific account; they only have
a claim to the client money in
general. A firm holds client money in designated
client bank accounts for those clients who
requested
A firm which
takes advantage of CASS
5.5.14 R will need to consider whether its permission should include the permitted activity of managing
investments. If the firm is
granted a power to manage with discretion the funds over which it is appointed
as trustee under the trust deed required by CASS
5.4 then
it will be likely to need a permission to manage investments. It is unlikely to need
such a permission, however, if it is merely granted a power to invest but
the deed stipulates
(1) Subject
to (4), a 2firm must
in relation to each of its appointed representatives, field representatives and other agents comply
with CASS 5.5.19 R to CASS
5.5.21 R (Immediate segregation) or with CASS 5.5.23 R (Periodic
segregation and reconciliation).(2) A firm must in relation to each representative or other agent keep a record
of whether it is complying with CASS 5.5.19 R to CASS 5.5.21 R or
with CASS 5.5.23 R.(3) A firm is, but without affecting the application
of CASS
(1) A firm must, on a regular basis, and at reasonable
intervals, ensure that it holds in its client
bank account an amount which (in addition to any other amount
which it is required by these rules to
hold) is not less than the amount which it reasonably estimates to be the
aggregate of the amounts held at any time by its appointed
representatives, field representatives,
and other agents.(2) A firm must, not later than ten business days following the expiry of each
period in
(1) In
relation to consumers5, a firm must, subject
to (2), take reasonable steps to ensure that its terms
of business or other client agreements4 adequately explain, and where
necessary obtain a client's informed
consent to, the treatment of interest and, if applicable, investment returns,
derived from its holding of client money and
any segregated designated investments.54(2) In
respect of interest earned on client bank accounts,
(1) does not apply if a firm has
reasonable ground
A firm may
allow another person, such as
another broker to hold or control client money,
but only if:(1) the firm transfers the client
money for the purpose of a transaction for a client through
or with that person; and(2) in
the case of a consumer,5 that customer has been notified (whether through
a client agreement,4terms of business, or otherwise in writing)
that the client money may be
transferred to another person.54
A firm may
open one or more client bank accounts in
the form of a designated client bank account.
Characteristics of these accounts are that:(1) the
account holds money of one or
more clients;(2) the
account includes in its title the word 'designated';(3) the clients whose money is
in the account have each consented in writing to the use of the bank with
which the client money is to
be held; and(4) in
the event of the failure of
that bank, the account is not pooled with any other
(1) A firm may operate as many client accounts
as it wishes.(2) A firm is not obliged to offer its clients the facility of a designated
client bank account.(3) Where
a firm holds money in
a designated client bank account,
the effect upon either:(a) the failure of a bank where any other client bank account is held; or(b) the failure of a third party to whom money has been transferred out of any other client bank account in accordance with CASS 5.5.34 R;(each of which is a secondary
A firm may
hold client money with a bank
that is not an approved bank if
all the following conditions are met:(1) the client money relates to one or more insurance
transactions which are subject to the law or market practice of a jurisdiction
outside the United Kingdom;(2) because
of the applicable law or market practice of that overseas jurisdiction, it
is not possible to hold the client money in
a client bank account with an approved bank;(3) the firm holds the money with
such
A firm owes
a duty of care to a client when
it decides where to place client money.
The review required by CASS 5.5.43 R is intended to ensure that the risks inherent
in placing client money with
a bank are minimised or appropriately diversified by requiring a firm to consider carefully the bank or banks
with which it chooses to place client money.
For example, a firm which is
likely only to hold relatively modest amounts of client
money will be likely to be able to satisfy this
Subject to CASS 5.5.41 R,
a firm that holds or intends
to hold client money with a
bank which is in the same group as
the firm must:(1) undertake
a continuous review in relation to that bank which is at least as rigorous
as the review of any bank which is not in the same group,
in order to ensure that the decision to use a group bank
is appropriate for the client;(2) disclose
in writing to its client at
the outset of the client relationship
(whether by way of a client agreement,4terms
of
A firm must
not hold, for a consumer5, client money in
a client bank account outside
the United Kingdom, unless
the firm has previously disclosed
to the consumer5 (whether in its terms of business, client
agreement11 or otherwise in writing):5511(1) that
his money may be deposited in
a client bank account outside
the United Kingdom but that
the client may notify the firm that he does not wish his money to be held in a particular jurisdiction;(2) that
in such circumstances, the
If a client has
notified a firm in writing before
entering into a transaction that client money is
not to be held in a particular jurisdiction, the firm must
either:(1) hold
the client money in a client bank account in a jurisdiction to
which the client has not objected;
or(2) return
the client money to, or to the
order of, the client.
If a client has
notified a firm before entering
into a transaction that he does not wish his money to
be passed to another broker or settlement
agent located in a particular jurisdiction, the firm must either:(1) hold
the client money in a client bank account in the United
Kingdom or a jurisdiction to which the money has
not objected and pay its own money to
the firm's own account with
the broker, agent or counterparty; or(2) return
the money to, or to the order
of, the clien
On the failure of
a third party with which client money is
held, a firm must notify the FCA:(1) as
soon as it becomes aware, of the failure of
any bank, other broker or settlement agent or
other entity with which it has placed, or to which it has passed, client money; and(2) as
soon as reasonably practical, whether it intends to make good any shortfall that has arisen or may arise and
of the amounts involved.
The client
money resource, for the purposes of CASS
5.5.63 R (1)(a),2 is:(1) the
aggregate of the balances on the firm's client money
bank accounts, as at the close of business on the previous business day and, if held in accordance with CASS
5.4, designated investments (valued
on a prudent and consistent basis) together with client
money held by a third party in accordance with CASS 5.5.34 R;
and(2) (but
only if the firm is comparing
the client money resource with
its client's
The purpose of CASS 5.5.80 R to CASS 5.5.83 R is to set out those situations in which a firm will
have fulfilled its contractual and fiduciary obligations in relation to any client money held for or on behalf of its client, or3 in relation to the firm's ability to require repayment of that money from a third party3.
(1) 1Under CASS 7.7.2 R (2), a firm acts as trustee for all client money received or held by it for the benefit of the clients for whom that client money is held, according to their respective interests in it.(2) A firm that is also a clearing member of an authorised central counterparty may wish to segregate client money specifically for the benefit of a group of clients who have chosen to clear positions through a net margined omnibus client account maintained by the firm with
(1) A firm wishing to establish a sub-pool must prepare a sub-pool disclosure document for each sub-pool.(2) The sub-pool disclosure document for each sub-pool must:(a) identify the sub-pool by name, as stated in its records under CASS 7.19.7 R, the net margined omnibus client account and the authorised central counterparty to which the sub-pool disclosure document relates;(b) contain a statement that the client consents to the firm receiving and holding the client'sclient money
(1) Before receiving or holding client money for a client for a sub-pool, a firm must:(a) provide to the client a copy of the sub-pool disclosure document applicable to that sub-pool; and(b) obtain a signed copy of that sub-pool disclosure document from the client.(2) A firm must provide the beneficiary of a sub-pool with a copy of its signed sub-pool disclosure document applicable to that sub-pool upon the beneficiary's request.
(1) A firm must not hold client money for a sub-pool in a client bank account or a client transaction account used for holding client money for any other sub-pool or the general pool.(2) A firm that establishes a sub-pool must ensure that the name of each client bank account and each client transaction account (other than the net margined omnibus client account) maintained for that sub-pool includes a unique identifying reference or descriptor that enables the account to be identified
A client for whom a firm receives or holds client money for a sub-pool has no claim to or interest in client money received or held for the general pool or any other sub-pool unless:(1) that client is a beneficiary of that other sub-pool; or(2) the firm receives or holds client money for that client for other business which does not relate to any sub-pool (and thus the client is a beneficiary of the firm'sgeneral pool).
A firm should keep in mind its obligations under CASS 7.19.11 R (1)(b) (before receiving or holding client money for a client in a sub-pool, a firm must obtain a signed copy of the sub-pool disclosure document from the client) when making a material change to a sub-pool. A firm is also reminded of the conditions under CASS 7.19.13 R (5)(b) (when a client of the firm who is a beneficiary of a sub-pool ceases to be a beneficiary of that sub-pool) if a material change proposed to
The records maintained under this section, including the sub-pool disclosure documents, are a record of the firm that must be kept in a durable medium for at least five years following the date on which client money was last held by the firm for a sub-pool to which those records or the sub-pool disclosure document applied.
(1) CASS
5.6 (the client money (insurance)
distribution rules) applies to a firm that
in holding client money is subject
to CASS
5.3 (statutory trust) or CASS
5.4 (Non-statutory trust) when
a primary pooling event or a secondary pooling event occurs.(2) In
the event of there being any discrepancy between the terms of the trust as
required by CASS
5.4.7 R (1)(c) and the provisions of CASS
5.6,
the latter shall apply.
(1) The client money (insurance) distribution rules have
force and effect on any firm that
holds client money in accordance
with CASS
5.3 or CASS
5.4. Therefore, they may apply to a UK branch of a non-EEA
firm. In this case, the UK branch of the firm may
be treated as if the branch itself
is a free-standing entity subject to the client
money (insurance) distribution rules.(2) Firms that act in accordance with CASS
5.4 (Non-statutory trust) are reminded that the client
money (insurance)
A primary
pooling event occurs:(1) on
the failure of the firm; or(2) on
the vesting of assets in a trustee in accordance with an 'assets requirement' imposed under 55P(1)(b) or (c) (as the case may
be) of the Act; or(3) on
the coming into force of a requirement for
all client money held by the firm; or(4) when
the firm notifies, or is in
breach of its duty to notify, the FCA, in accordance with CASS 5.5.77 R1, that it is unable correctly to
identify and allocate in its records
If a primary
pooling event occurs:(1) client money held in each client
money account of the firm is
treated as pooled;(2) the firm must distribute that client
money in accordance with CASS 5.3.2 R or,
as appropriate, CASS 5.4.7 R, so that each client receives
a sum which is rateable to the client money entitlement
calculated in accordance with CASS 5.5.66 R; and(3) the firm must, as trustee, call in and make demand
in respect of any debt due to the firm as
trustee, and must liquidate
Client
money received by the firm (including
in its capacity as trustee under CASS
5.4 (Non-statutory trust)) after
a primary pooling event must
not be pooled with client money held
in any client money account
operated by the firm at the
time of the primary pooling event.
It must be placed in a client bank account that
has been opened after that event and must be handled in accordance with the client money rules, and returned to the relevant client without delay, except to the
If a secondary
pooling event occurs as a result of the failure of
a bank where one or more general client bank
accounts are held, then:(1) in
relation to every general client bank account of
the firm, the provisions of CASS 5.6.22 R and CASS 5.6.26 R to CASS 5.6.28 G will apply;(2) in
relation to every designated client bank account held
by the firm with the failed bank, the provisions of CASS 5.6.24 R and CASS 5.6.26 R to CASS 5.6.28 G will apply; and(3) any money held at a
Money held
in each general client bank account of
the firm must be treated as
pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client
money held, or which should have been held, in general client bank accounts, that has arisen
as a result of the failure of
the bank, must be borne by all the clients whose client money is held in a general
client bank account of the firm,
rateably in accordance with their entitlements;(2) a
new client money entitlement
must be calculated for each client by
the firm,
For each client with
a designated client bank account held
at the failed bank:(1) any shortfall in client
money held, or which should have been held, in designated client bank accounts that has
arisen as a result of the failure,
must be borne by all the clients whose client money is held in a designated
client bank account of the firm at
the failed bank, rateably in
accordance with their entitlements;(2) a
new client money entitlement
must be calculated for each of the relevant
Money held
in each general client bank account of
the firm must be treated as
pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client
money held, or which should have been held, in general client bank accounts, that has arisen
as a result of the failure,
must be borne by all the clients whose client money is held in a general
client bank account of the firm,
rateably in accordance with their entitlements;(2) a
new client money entitlement
must be calculated for each client by
the firm, to reflect
The debt management client money distribution rules seek, in the event of the failure of a CASS debt management firm or of an approved bank at which the CASS debt management firm holds client money, to protect client money and to facilitate the timely payment of sums to creditors or the timely return of client money to clients.
A primary pooling event occurs:(1) on the failure of a CASS debt management firm;(2) on the vesting of assets in a trustee in accordance with an 'assets requirement' imposed under section 55P(1)(b) or (c) (as the case may be) of the Act where such a requirement is imposed in respect of all client money held by the firm.
If a primary pooling event1 occurs(1) all client money:(a) held in the CASS debt management firm'sclient bank accounts; and (b) received by the CASS debt management firm on behalf of a client but not yet paid into the firm'sclient bank accounts;is treated as pooled together to form a notional pool;(2) a CASS debt management firm must calculate the amount it should be holding on behalf of each individual client as at the time of the primary pooling event using the method of calculating
If there is a shortfall in the client money transferred under CASS 11.13.6 G then the client money must be allocated to each of the clients for whom the client money was held so that each client is allocated a sum which is rateable to that client's client money entitlement in accordance with CASS 11.13.4 R (2). This calculation may be done by either transferor or transferee in accordance with the terms of any transfer.
The transferee must, within seven days after the transfer of client money under CASS 11.13.6 G notify clients that:(1) their money has been transferred to the transferee; and (2) they have the option of having client money returned to them or to their order by the transferee, otherwise the transferee will hold the client money for the clients and conduct debt management activities for those clients.
(1) Subject to (2), if a secondary pooling event occurs as a result of the failure of an approved bank where one or more client bank accounts are held then in relation to every client bank account of the firm, the provisions of CASS 11.13.12 R (1), CASS 11.13.12 R (2) and CASS 11.13.12 R (3) will apply.(2) CASS 11.13.12 R does not apply if, on the failure of the approved bank, the CASS debt management firm pays to its clients, or pays into a client bank account at an unaffected
Money held in each client bank account of the firm must be treated as pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in client bank accounts, that has arisen as a result of the failure of the approved bank, must be borne by all clients whose client money is held in a client bank account of the firm, rateably in accordance with their entitlements to the pool;(2) a new client money entitlement must be calculated for each client by the firm, to
When a bank fails and the firm decides not to make good the shortfall in the amount of client money held at that bank, a secondary pooling event will occur in accordance with CASS 7A.3.6 R. The firm would be expected to reflect the shortfall that arises at the failed bank in the general pool (where the firm maintains only a general pool) and, where relevant, in a particular sub-pool (where the firm maintains both a general pool and one or more sub-pools) 2in its records of the
If a secondary pooling event occurs as a result of the failure of a bank where one or more general client bank accounts are held for the general pool or particular sub-pool2, then:(1) in relation to every general client bank account of the firm maintained in respect of that pool2, the provisions of CASS 7A.3.8 R, CASS 7A.3.13 R and CASS 7A.3.14 R will apply;(2) in relation to every designated client bank account held by the firm with the failed bank for the relevant pool2, the
Money held in each general client bank account and client transaction account of the firm for the general pool or a sub-pool2must be treated as pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in general client bank accounts and client transaction accounts for the relevant pool2, that has arisen as a result of the failure of the bank, must be borne by all the clients of that pool2 whose client money is held in such 2general client bank account
For each client with a designated client bank account maintained by the firm for the general pool or a particular sub-pool and2 held at the failed bank:(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in designated client bank accounts that has arisen as a result of the failure, must be borne by all the clients of the relevant pool2 whose client money is held in a designated client bank account of the firm at the failed bank, rateably in accordance with
Money held by the firm2 in each designated client fund account for the general pool or a particular sub-pool with the failedbank must be treated as pooled with any other designated client fund accounts for the general pool or a particular sub-pool as the case may be2 which contain part of the same designated fund and:2(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in designated client fund accounts that has arisen as a result of the failure, must be borne
On the failure of a third party with which money is held, a firm must notify the FCA:(1) as soon as it becomes aware of the failure of any bank, intermediate broker, settlement agent, OTC counterparty or other entity with which it has placed, or to which it has passed, client money; and(2) as soon as reasonably practical, whether it intends to make good any shortfall that has arisen or may arise and of the amounts involved.
Before a CASS large debt management firm opens a client bank account and as often as is appropriate on a continuing basis (such frequency being no less than once in each financial year) it must take reasonable steps to establish that it is appropriate for the firm to hold client money at the approved bank concerned.
In complying with CASS 11.7.3 R a CASS large debt management firm should consider as appropriate, together with any other relevant matters:(1) the amount of client money held by the firm;(2) the amount of client money the firm anticipates holding at the approved bank; and(3) the credit worthiness of the approved bank.
A CASS small debt management firm can demonstrate compliance with CASS 11.7.1 G by checking that the person it proposes to hold client money with is an approved bank and that nothing has come to the firm's attention to cause it to believe that such person is not an appropriate place at which to hold client money.
A CASS large debt management firm must make a record of the grounds upon which it satisfies itself as to the appropriateness of its selection of an approved bank. The firm must make the record on the date it makes the selection and must keep it from the date of such selection until five years after the firm ceases to use the approved bank to hold client money.
(1) 1A firm may deposit
safe custody assets2
held by it on behalf of its clients into an account or accounts opened with a third party, but only if it exercises all due skill, care and diligence in the selection, appointment and periodic review of the third party and of the arrangements for the holding and safekeeping of those safe custody assets.222(1A) A firm which arranges the registration of a safe custody investment through a third party must exercise all due skill, care
In discharging its obligations under this section, a firm should also consider, together with any other relevant matters:(1) once a
safe custody asset2
has been lodged by the firm with the third party, the third party's performance of its services to the firm;2(2) the arrangements that the third party has in place for holding and safeguarding the safe custody asset;22(3) current industry standard reports, for example Financial Reporting and Auditing Group (FRAG) 21 report or
(1) A firm must only deposit
safe custody assets2
with a third party in a jurisdiction which specifically regulates and supervises the safekeeping of
safe custody assets2
for the account of another person with a third party who is subject to such regulation.22(2) A firm must not deposit
safe custody assets2
held on behalf of a client with a third party in a country that is not an EEA State (third country) and which does not regulate the holding and safekeeping of
safe custody
In accordance with CASS 11.11.1 R, a CASS debt management firm must maintain internal records and accounts of the client money it holds (for example, a cash book). These internal records are separate to any external records it has obtained from approved banks with whom it has deposited client money (for example, bank statements).
The checks that a CASS small debt management firm is required to undertake under CASS 11.11.8 R include checking that its internal records and accounts accurately record the balances of client money held in respect of individual clients, and that the aggregate of those individual client money balances are equal to the total client money segregated in its client bank accounts. In undertaking the comparison between the internal records of balances of client money and the client
Where the check of its internal records and accounts that a CASS small debt management firm is required to undertake under CASS 11.11.8 R reveals a difference between the amount of money it holds in its client bank accounts and the amount of client money that should be held and segregated under CASS 11.9, a CASS small debt management firm must:(1) ensure that any shortfall in the amount held in its client bank accounts as compared to the amount that should be held there is made
(1) A CASS debt management firm must, once every year and by the time it is required to make a notification in accordance with CASS 11.2.4 R, determine whether it is a CASS large debt management firm or a CASS small debt management firm according to the amount of client money which it held during the previous year or, if it did not hold client money during the previous year, according to the amount of client money it projects to hold in the following year, in each case using the
For the purpose of calculating the value of the total amounts of client money that it holds on any given day during a calendar year (in complying with CASS 11.2.1 R) a CASS debt management firm must base its calculation on accurate internal records of client money holdings. A CASS large debt management firm must do this using the internal reconciliations performed during the previous year that are prescribed in CASS 11.11.13 R. A CASS small debt management firm must use the records
CASS debt management firm types
CASS debt management firm type |
Highest total amount of client money held during the CASS debt management firm's last calendar year or as the case may be that it projects that it will hold during the current calendar year |
An amount equal to or greater than £1 million |
|
Less than £1 million |
Once every calendar year, a CASS debt management firm must notify the FCA, in writing, of the information in (1), (2) or (3), as applicable, and the information in (4), in each case no later than the day specified in (1) to (4):(1) if it held client money in the previous calendar year, the highest total amount of client money held during the previous calendar year, notification of which must be made no later than the fifteenth business day of January; or (2) if it did not hold
A firm's 'CASS debt management firm type' and any change to it takes effect:(1) if the firm notifies the FCA in accordance with CASS 11.2.4 R (1) or CASS 11.2.4 R (2), on 1 February following the notification; or(2) if the firm notifies the FCA in accordance with CASS 11.2.4 R (3), on the day it begins to hold client money; or(3) if the firm makes an election under CASS 11.2.7 R and provided the conditions in CASS 11.2.7 R (2) are satisfied, on the day the notification made under
2The regulated activity of safeguarding and administering investments covers both the safeguarding and administration of assets (without arranging) andarranging safeguarding and administration of assets,5 when those assets are either safe custody investments or custody assets. A safe custody investment is, in summary, a designated investment which a firm receives or holds on behalf of a client. Custody assets include designated investments, and any other assets that the firm holds
(1) A firm need not treat this chapter as applying in respect of a delivery versus payment transaction through a commercial settlement system if it is intended that the
safe custody asset2
is either to be: 2(a) in respect of a client's purchase, due to the client within one business day following the client's fulfilment of a payment obligation; or(b) in respect of a client's sale, due to the firm within one business day following the fulfilment of a payment obligation;unless
2When a trustee firm or depositary acts as a custodian for a trust or collective investment scheme, (except for a firmacting as trustee or depositary of an AIF),7 and:
- (1)
the trust or scheme is established by written instrument; and
- (2)
the trustee firm or depositary has taken reasonable steps to determine that the relevant law and provisions of the trust instrument or scheme constitution will provide protections at least equivalent to the custody rules for the trust property or scheme property;
the trustee firm or depositary need comply only with the custody rules listed in the table below.
Reference |
Rule |
CASS 6.1.1 R to CASS 6.1.9 G and CASS 6.1.15 G to CASS 6.1.16C R |
Application |
Trustees and depositaries |
|
General purpose |
|
Protection of clients' safe custody assets |
|
Registration and recording |
|
Holding9 |
|
Depositing safe custody assets with third parties |
|
Use of safe custody assets |
|
Records, accounts and reconciliations |
- (1)
7Subject to (2), when a firm is acting as trustee or depositary of an AIF the firm need comply only with the custody rules in the table below:
Reference
Rule
CASS 6.1.1 R, CASS 6.1.9 G, CASS 6.1.9A G and CASS 6.1.16IB G
Application
General purpose
CASS 6.2.3 R and CASS 6.2.4 R to CASS 6.2.6 G
Registration and recording
Holding
Arranging registration
CASS 6.5.1 R, CASS 6.5.2A R, CASS 6.5.3 R, CASS 6.5.13R (1A) and CASS 6.5.14 G
Records, accounts and reconciliations
- (2)
When a firm is acting as trustee or depositary of an AIF that is an authorised AIF the firm must, in addition to the custody rules in (1), also comply with the custody rules in the table below:
Reference
Rule
Application
CASS 6.5.4G (1A) to CASS 6.5.4G (4), CASS 6.5.5 R, CASS 6.5.7A G, CASS 6.5.8A G8 , CASS 6.5.9 G and CASS 6.5.15 G
8Records, accounts and reconciliations
2As a result of CASS 7A.1.1A R, the client money distribution rules relating to primary pooling events and secondary pooling events will not affect any client money held by a firm in its capacity as trustee firm. Instead, the treatment of that client money will be determined by the terms of the relevant instrument of trust or by applicable law. However, the client money distribution rules do apply to a firm for any client money that it holds other than in that capacity which
A primary pooling event occurs:(1) on the failure of the firm;(2) on the vesting of assets in a trustee2 in accordance with an 'assets requirement' imposed under section 55P(1)(b) or (c) (as the case may be) of the Act;2(3) on the coming into force of a requirement for all client money held by the firm; or(4) when the firm notifies, or is in breach of its duty to notify, the FCA, in accordance with
CASS 7.6.16 R
(Notification requirements), that it is unable correctly to identify
If a primary pooling event occurs, then4:(1) in respect of either the general pool or a sub-pool, 4client money held in a client bank account or a client transaction account1 of the firm relating to that pool is treated as a single notional pool of client money for the beneficiaries of that pool,4 except for client money held in a client transaction account at an authorised central counterparty3 or a clearing member which is, in either case, held as part of a 4regulated clearing
(1) 1Under EMIR, where a firm that is a
clearing member4
of an authorised central counterparty defaults, the authorised central counterparty may:4(a) portclient positions where possible; and(b) after the completion of the default management process:(i) return any balance due directly to those clients for whom the positions are held, if they are known to the authorised central counterparty; or(ii) remit any balance to the firm for the account of its clients if the clients are
Section 137B(1) of the Act (Miscellaneous ancillary matters) provides that rules may make provision which results in client money being held by a firm on trust (England and Wales and Northern
Ireland) or as agent (Scotland only). CASS 5.3.2 R creates a fiduciary relationship
between the firm and its client under which client
money is in the legal ownership of the firm but
remains in the beneficial ownership of the client.
In the event of failure of the firm,
costs relating to
A firm (other
than a firm acting in accordance
with CASS
5.4) receives and holds client money as
trustee (or in Scotland as agent) on the following terms:(1) for
the purposes of and on the terms of CASS
5.3, CASS
5.5 and
the client money (insurance) distribution
rules;(2) subject
to (4),1 for the clients (other than clients which
are insurance undertakings when
acting as such)1 for whom that money is
held, according to their respective interests in it;(3) after
all valid claims
(1) A
firm which holds client money can discharge its obligation
to ensure adequate protection for its clients in
respect of such money by complying
with CASS
5.3 which provides for such money to
be held by the firm on the terms
of a trust imposed by the rules.(2) The
trust imposed by CASS
5.3 is limited to a trust in respect of client money which a firm receives
and holds. The consequential and supplementary requirements in CASS
5.5 are
designed to secure the proper segregation
The circumstances referred to in CASS 11.10.1 R are:(1) the contract between the client and the CASS debt management firm expressly provides that client money might be held for more than five business days without being distributed to creditors;(2) the existence of such a term expressly providing that client money might be held for more than five business days without being distributed to creditors has been separately brought to the attention of the client prior to his entering
On each occasion that a CASS debt management firm receives client money from a client in relation to a debt management plan, or for the purpose of distribution to the client's creditors, and it is proposed not to make a client's payment to creditors within five business days of receipt of the client money in the circumstances described in CASS 11.10.3 R (1), it must: (1) as soon as reasonably practicable and within the five business day period, inform the client's creditors of
On each occasion a CASS debt management firm receives client money from a client in relation to a debt management plan, or for the purpose of distribution to the client's creditors, and is unable for any reason other than in the circumstances described in CASS 11.10.3 R (1) to make a payment to the client's creditors within five business days of receipt, it must: (1) inform the client of the delay and the reason for the delay;(2) inform the client of the risks and implications
The requirements imposed on a CASS debt management firm that holds client money vary depending on whether a firm is classified as a CASS small debt management firm or a CASS large debt management firm in CASS 11.2.3 R (CASS debt management firm types). CASS 11.1.4 R to CASS 11.1.6 R indicate which rules in the debt management client money chapter apply to which category of firm.
The debt management client money chapter applies (to the extent indicated by CASS 11.1.4 R to CASS 11.1.6 R) to a CASS debt management firm, even if at the date of the determination or, as the case may be, the notification, referred to in CASS 11.2.4 R, the CASS debt management firm is not holding client money, provided that:(1) it held client money in the previous calendar year; or(2) it projects to hold client money in the current calendar year.
Subject to CASS 11.1.6 R, only the rules and guidance in the debt management client money chapter listed in the table below apply to CASS small debt management firms.
Reference |
Rule |
Application |
|
Firm classification |
|
Responsibility for CASS operational oversight |
|
Definition of client money and discharge of fiduciary duty |
|
Organisational requirements |
|
Statutory trust |
|
Selecting an approved bank at which to hold client money |
|
Client bank account acknowledgement letters |
|
Segregation and the operation of client money accounts |
|
Payments to creditors |
|
CASS 11.11.1 R to CASS 11.11.12 R , CASS 11.11.30 R and CASS 11.11.32 G |
Records, accounts and reconciliations |
CASS 11 resolution pack |
|
Client money distribution in the event of a failure of a firm or approved bank |
If a firm holds money as agent of an insurance
undertaking then the firm'sclients (who are not insurance
undertakings) will be adequately protected to the extent that
the premiums which it receives
are treated as being received by the insurance
undertaking when they are received by the agent and claims money and premium refunds
will only be treated as received by the client when
they are actually paid over. The rules in CASS
5.2 make provision for agency agreements between firms
(1) A firm must not agree to:(a) deal in investments as agent for an insurance undertaking in connection with insurance mediation; or(b) act
as agent for an insurance undertaking for
the purpose of settling claims or handling premium refunds;
or(c) otherwise
receive money as agent of an insurance undertaking;unless:(d) it
has entered into a written agreement with the insurance
undertaking to that effect; and(e) it
is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the terms of the policies
A firm may
operate on the basis of an agency agreement as provided for by CASS 5.2.3 R for
some of its clients and with
protection provided by a client money trust
in accordance with CASS
5.3 or CASS
5.4 for other clients.
A firm may also operate on either
basis for the same client but
in relation to different transactions. A firm which
does so should be satisfied that its administrative systems and controls are
adequate and, in accordance with CASS 5.2.4 G, should ensure that
Where a CASS debt management firm receives client money in the form of cash, a cheque or other payable order, it must:(1) pay the money into a client bank account in accordance with CASS 11.9.1 R promptly and no later than on the business day after it receives the money;(2) if the firm holds the money overnight, hold it in a secure location in line with Principle 10; and(3) record the receipt of the money in the firm's books and records under the applicable requirements of CASS
1A firm must, when holding
safe custody assets2
belonging to clients, make adequate arrangements so as to safeguard clients' ownership rights, especially in the event of the firm's insolvency, and to prevent the use of
safe custody assets2
belonging to a client on the firm's own account except with the client's express consent.[Note: article 13(7) of MiFID]22
A firm that receives or holds a client's assets under an arrangement to which this chapter2 applies and which exercises its right to treat the assets as its own must ensure that it maintains adequate records to enable it to meet any future obligations including the return of equivalent assets to the client.2
When appropriate, firms that enter into the arrangements with retail clients 3 covered in this chapter 2 will be expected to identify in the statement of custody assets sent to the client in accordance with COBS 16.4 (Statements of client designated investments or client money)3 details of the assets which form the basis of the arrangements. Where the firm utilises global netting arrangements, a statement of the assets held on this basis will suffice. 23
Discussions with the appropriate regulator8 are particularly relevant where the firm has to discharge obligations to its customers or policyholders before it can cease carrying on a regulated activity. This may be the case, for example, where the firm is an insurer, a bank a dormant account fund operator,4 or, as is often the case, holding client money or customer assets.8
If an insurer,4 a bank, or a dormant account fund operator4 wishes to cease carrying on all regulated activities for which it has Part 4A permission,8 it will usually be necessary to wind down the business over a long term period which is normally more than six months. This may also be the case for a firm holding client money or customer assets. In these circumstances, it will usually be appropriate for the firm to apply for variation of its Part 4A permission and/or imposition
(1) Specific guidance on the additional procedures for a firm winding down (running off) its business in the circumstances discussed in SUP 6.2.8 G is in SUP 6 Annex 4.(2) The guidance in SUP 6 Annex 4 applies to any firm that is applying for variation of Part 4A permission or for the imposition, variation or cancellation of a requirement before it applies for cancellation of Part 4A permission8 to enable it to wind down (run off) its business over a long term period of six months