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 SYSC 10.1.8A
Application of different sections of SUP 16 (excluding SUP 16.13, SUP 16.15, SUP 16.16 and SUP 16.17)6627
(1) Section(s) |
(2) Categories of firm to which section applies |
(3) Applicable rules and guidance |
|||
All categories of firm except: |
Entire sections |
||||
(a) |
an ICVC; |
||||
(b) |
an incoming EEA firm or incoming Treaty firm, which is not: |
||||
(i) |
a firm of a type to which SUP 16.6 or 20SUP 16.1220 applies; or |
||||
(ii) |
an insurer with permission to effect or carry outlife policies; or |
||||
(iii)3 |
a with to establish, operate or wind up a stakeholder pension scheme;14a firm with permission to establish, operate or wind up a personal pension scheme or a stakeholder pension scheme;14 |
||||
(c) |
|||||
All categories of firm except: |
Entire sections |
||||
(-a) |
|||||
(a) |
an ICVC; |
||||
(b) |
|||||
(c) |
|||||
(d) |
|||||
(e)4 |
[deleted]4 |
||||
(f) |
a sole trader; |
||||
(g) |
|||||
(h) |
8 | ||||
(i)8 |
a firm with permission to carry on only retail investment activities;8 |
8 | |||
(j)8 |
a firm with permission to carry on only insurance mediation activity, home finance mediation activity,16 or both;8 16 |
8 | |||
(ja)30 |
an FCA-authorised person with permission to carry on only credit-related regulated activity; |
||||
(k)8 |
a firm falling within a combination of (i), (j) and (ja). 30 30 |
8 | |||
27 | |||||
Depositary of an ICVC |
|||||
Depositary of an ACS28 |
|||||
A firm subject to the requirement in SUP 16.7A.3 R or SUP 16.7A.5 R |
Sections as relevant |
||||
Insurer with permission to effect or carry out life policies, unless it is a non-directive friendly society3 |
Entire section |
||||
3Firm with permission to establish, operate or wind up a personal pension scheme or a stakeholder pension scheme14 14 |
Entire section3 |
||||
Firm with permission to advise on investments; arrange (bring about) deals in investments; make arrangements with a view to transactions in investments; or arrange safeguarding and administration of assets5 |
Entire section5 |
||||
Entire section9 |
9
|||||
(a)9 |
9 | ||||
(b)9 |
9 | ||||
(c)9 |
a credit union; and219 |
9 | |||
21(d) |
|||||
(1) |
A firm, other than a managing agent, which is: |
||||
(a) |
a home finance provider; or |
Entire section |
|||
(b) |
an insurer; or |
Entire section |
|||
(c) |
the operator of a regulated collective investment scheme or an investment trust savings scheme; or |
Entire section |
|||
(d) |
a person who issues or manages the relevant assets of the issuer of a structured capital-at-risk product; or |
Entire section |
|||
(e) |
a firm with permission to enter into a regulated credit agreement as lender in respect of high-cost short-term credit or home credit loan agreements; or |
||||
(2) |
a firm in whom the rights and obligations of the lender under a regulated mortgage contract are vested. |
The provisions governing performance data reports in SUP 16.11 and SUP 16 Annex 21 |
|||
A firm undertaking the regulated activities as listed in SUP 16.12.4 R, unless exempted in SUP 16.12.1 G |
Sections as relevant to regulated activities as listed in SUP 16.12.4 R23 |
||||
A CASS large firm and a CASS medium firm |
Entire section29 |
||||
An IFPRU 730k firm and a qualifying parent undertaking that is required to send a recovery plan, a group recovery plan or information for a resolution plan to the FCA. |
Entire Section |
||||
27Note 2 = The application of SUP 16.13 is set out under SUP 16.13.1 G;66 the application of SUP 16.15 is set out under SUP 16.15.1 G; the application of SUP 16.16 is set out SUP 16.16.1 R and SUP 16.16.2 R and the application of SUP 16.17 is set out in SUP 16.17.3 R and SUP 16.17.4 R66. 66 |
|||||
29Note 3 = The application of SUP 16.18 for the types of AIFMs specified in SUP 16.1.1C G is set out in SUP 16.18.2 G. |
These tables belong to SUP App 2.15.8 G
Table 1 - forecast summary revenue account for the relevant with-profits fund |
|
(1) |
Premiums and claims (gross and net of reinsurance) analysed by major class of insurance business |
(2) |
Investment return |
(3) |
Expenses |
(4) |
Other charges and income |
(5) |
Taxation |
(6) |
Increase (decrease) in fund in financial year |
(7) |
Fund brought forward |
(8) |
Fund carried forward |
Table 2 - forecast summary balance sheet and statement of solvency for the relevant with-profits fund |
|
Assets analysed by type (excluding implicit items): |
|
(1) |
Equities |
(2) |
Land and buildings |
(3) |
Fixed interest investments |
(4) |
All other assets |
(5) |
Total assets (excluding implicit items) |
(6) |
Policyholder liabilities |
(7) |
Other liabilities |
(8) |
Total liabilities |
(9) |
Excess/(deficiency) of assets over liabilities before implicit items |
(10) |
Implicit items allocated to the with-profits fund |
(11) |
Long-term insurance capital requirement for the with-profits fund |
(12) |
|
(13) |
With-profits insurance capital component (for realistic basis life firms only) |
(14) |
Net excess/(deficiency) of assets in the with-profits fund |
Table 3 - forecast summary balance sheet and statement of solvency for the firm |
||
L1 |
||
L2 |
||
L3 |
L1+L2 |
|
L4 |
Total long-term insurance liabilities (excluding resilience capital requirement) |
|
L5 |
Total long-term insurance fund surplus |
L3-L4 |
L6 |
Shareholder fund assets |
|
L7 |
||
L8 |
||
L9 |
Excess of regulatory assets over long-term insurance capital requirement |
L5+L6+L7-L8 |
L10 |
For realistic basis life firms only. |
|
L11 |
||
L12 |
Net excess assets |
L9-L10-L11 |
L13 |
FTSE level at which the long-term insurance capital requirement would be breached |
Table Application of Exemptions to Forms of Promotions
Financial Promotion Order |
Applies to |
|||
Article No. |
Title and PERG 8 reference (where applicable) |
Unsolicited real time |
Solicited real time |
Non-real time (solicited or unsolicited) |
12 |
Communications to overseas recipients (8.12.2G) |
*1 |
* |
* |
13 |
Communications from customers and potential customers (8.12.9G) |
* |
* |
* |
14 |
Follow up non-real time communications and solicited real time communications (8.12.10G) |
* |
* |
|
15 |
Introductions (8.12.11G) |
* |
* |
*1 |
16 |
Exempt persons (8.12.12G) |
*2 |
*3 |
*3 |
17 |
Generic promotions (8.12.14G and 8.21.4G) |
* |
* |
* |
17A1 |
Communications caused to be made or directed by unauthorised persons (8.6.7AG) |
* |
* |
* |
18 |
Mere conduits (8.12.18G) |
* |
* |
* |
18A |
Outgoing electronic commerce communications: mere conduits, caching and hosting (8.12.18G)1 |
* |
* |
* |
19 |
Investment professionals (8.12.21G and 8.21.5G) |
* |
* |
* |
20 |
Communications by journalists (8.12.23G) |
* |
||
20A |
Promotion broadcast by company director etc (8.12.23G and 8.21.6G) |
* |
* |
* |
20B |
Incoming electronic commerce communications (8.12.38G) |
* |
* |
* |
22 |
Deposits : non-real time communications (8.13) |
* |
||
23 |
Deposits : real time communications (8.13) |
* |
* |
|
24 |
Relevant insurance activity : non-real time communications (8.13) |
* |
||
25 |
Relevant insurance activity : non-real time communications : reinsurance and large risks (8.13) |
* |
||
26 |
Relevant insurance activity : real time communications (8.13) |
* |
* |
|
28 |
One-off non-real time communications and solicited real time communications (8.14.3G) |
* |
* |
|
28A |
One-off unsolicited real time communications (8.14.11G) |
* |
||
28B1 |
Real time communications: introductions in connection with qualifying credit (8.17.12G) |
* |
* |
|
29 |
Communications required or authorised by enactments |
* |
* |
* |
30 |
Overseas communicators: solicited real time communications (8.14.15G) |
* |
||
31 |
Overseas communicators: non-real time communications to previously overseas customers (8.14.17G) |
* |
||
32 |
Overseas communicators: unsolicited real time communications to previously overseas customers (8.14.16G) |
* |
||
33 |
Overseas communicators: unsolicited real time communications to knowledgeable customers (8.14.16G) |
* |
||
34 |
Governments, central banks etc |
* |
* |
|
35 |
Industrial and provident societies |
* |
* |
|
36 |
Nationals of the EEA States other than United Kingdom (8.14.18G) |
* |
* |
|
37 |
Financial markets |
* |
* |
|
38 |
Persons in the business of placing promotional material |
* |
* |
* |
39 |
Joint enterprises (8.14.19G) |
* |
* |
* |
40 |
Participants in certain recognised collective investment schemes |
* |
* |
|
41 |
Bearer instruments: promotions required or permitted by market rules (8.14.42G) |
* |
* |
|
42 |
Bearer instruments: promotions to existing holders (8.14.42G) |
* |
* |
|
43 |
Members and creditors of certain bodies corporate (8.14.41G and 8.21.8G) |
* |
* |
|
44 |
Members and creditors of open-ended investment companies |
* |
* |
|
45 |
Group companies |
* |
* |
* |
46 |
Qualifying credit to bodies corporate (8.17.10G)1 |
* |
* |
*10 |
1046A |
Promotions of credit etc. for business purposes (8.17-A.10G) |
* |
* |
* |
47 |
Persons in the business of disseminating information (8.21.10G) |
* |
* |
* |
48 |
Certified high net worth individuals (8.14.21G) |
* |
* |
|
49 |
High net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc (8.14.25G) |
* |
* |
* |
50 |
Sophisticated investors (8.14.27G) |
* |
* |
* |
50A |
Self-certified sophisticated investors {8.14.28AG) |
*5 |
* |
* |
51 |
Associations of high net worth or sophisticated investors (8.14.29G) |
* |
* |
|
52 |
Common interest group of a company (8.14.30G) |
* |
* |
|
53 |
Settlors, trustees and personal representatives |
* |
* |
* |
54 |
Beneficiaries of trust, will or intestacy |
* |
* |
* |
55 |
Communications by members of professions (8.15.1G) |
* |
* |
|
55A |
Non-real time communication by members of the professions. (8.15.5G) |
* |
||
56 |
Remedy following report by Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration |
* |
* |
* |
57 |
Persons placing promotional material in particular publications |
* |
* |
* |
58 |
Acquisition of interest in premises run by management companies |
* |
* |
|
59 |
Annual accounts and directors' report (8.21.11G) |
* |
* |
* |
60 |
Participation in employee shares schemes |
* |
* |
* |
61 |
Sale of goods and supply of services |
* |
* |
|
62 |
Sale of body corporate (8.14.35G) |
* |
* |
* |
64 |
Takeovers of relevant unlisted companies |
* |
* |
* |
65 |
Takeovers of relevant unlisted companies: warrants etc |
* |
* |
* |
66 |
Takeovers of relevant unlisted companies: application forms |
* |
* |
* |
67 |
Promotions required or permitted by market rules (8.21.13G) |
* |
* |
|
68 |
Promotions in connection with admission to certain EEA markets (8.21.16G) |
* |
* |
|
69 |
Promotions of securities already admitted to certain markets (8.21.17G) |
* |
*1 |
|
701 |
Promotions included in listing particulars etc (8.21.20G)1 |
*1 |
||
711 |
Material relating to prospectus for public offer of unlisted securities |
*1 |
||
721 |
Pension products offered by employers (8.14.40AG8) |
* |
* |
* |
872A |
Pension product offers communicated to employees by third parties (8.14.40AAG) |
* |
* |
* |
872B |
Insurance product offers communicated to employees by employers (8.14.40ABG) |
* |
* |
* |
872C |
Insurance products offers communicated to employees by third parties (8.14.40ACG) |
* |
* |
* |
872D |
Staff mortgage offers communicated to employees by employers (8.14.40ADG) |
* |
* |
* |
872E |
Staff mortgage offers communicated to employees by third parties (8.14.40AEG) |
* |
* |
*10 |
1072F |
Credit agreements offered to employees by employers |
* |
* |
* |
731 |
Advice centres (8.14.40B) |
* |
* |
* |
1 in limited circumstances only – see article 12(2) of the Financial Promotion Order |
||||
2 for the purpose of article 16 (2) only |
||||
3 for the purpose of article 16 (1) only1 |