Module |
Relevance to Credit Unions |
The Principles for Businesses (PRIN) |
The Principles for Businesses (PRIN) set out 3high-level requirements 3imposed by the FCA3. They provide a general statement of regulatory requirements. The Principles apply to all12credit unions. In applying the Principles to credit unions, the FCA3 will be mindful of proportionality. In practice, the implications are likely to vary according to the size and complexity 3of the credit union. 1212121212 |
Senior Management Arrangements, Systems and Controls (SYSC) |
SYSC 1,3SYSC 4 to 10 and SYSC 213 apply to all credit unions in respect of the carrying on of their regulated activities and unregulated activities in a prudential context. SYSC 23 (Senior managers and certification regime: Introduction and classification), SYSC 24 (Senior managers and certification regime: Allocation of prescribed responsibilities), SYSC 25 (Senior managers and certification regime: Management responsibilities maps and handover procedures and material), SYSC 26 (Senior managers and certification regime: Overall and local responsibility), SYSC 27 (Senior managers and certification regime: Certification regime)7 and SYSC 18 apply to all credit unions in respect of both their regulated activities and their unregulated activities. 33 |
This contains rules and guidance that are directly applicable to a credit union’sSMF managers, certification employees and (from 2017) other conduct rules staff. There is also guidance for credit unions on giving their staff training about COCON. |
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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 FCA3 of its powers. 121212 |
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The Fit and Proper test for Employees and Senior Personnel7 (FIT) |
The purpose of FIT is to set out and describe the criteria that a firm should3 consider when assessing the fitness and propriety of a person (1)3 in respect of whom an application is being made for approval to undertake a controlled function under the senior managers7 regime, (2)3 who has already been approved, (3) who is a certification employee or (4) whom a firm is considering appointing to be a certification employee3. It also sets out and describes criteria that the FCA will consider when assessing the fitness and propriety of a candidate for a controlled function position and that it may consider when assessing the continuing fitness and propriety of approved persons.3 12312 |
General Provisions (GEN) |
GEN contains rules and guidance on general matters, including interpreting the Handbook, statutory status disclosure, the FCA's3 logo and insurance against financial penalties. 12 |
Fees manual (FEES) |
This manual sets out the fees applying to credit unions. |
3Prudential sourcebook for Mortgage and Home Finance Firms, and Insurance Intermediaries (MIPRU) |
MIPRU applies to any credit union carrying out insurance distribution activity5 or home finance mediation activity, or using these services. In particular, it sets out requirements for allocation of responsibility for the credit union’sinsurance distribution activity5 (MIPRU 2), for the use of home finance intermediaries (MIPRU 5) and for professional indemnity insurance (MIPRU 3). |
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. A credit union that communicates with clients, including in a financial promotion, in relation to the promotion of deferred shares and credit union subordinated debt will need to be aware of the requirements of COBS 4.2 (Fair, clear and not misleading communications) and COBS 4.5 (Communicating with retail clients).4 |
ICOBS applies to any credit union carrying on non-investment insurance distribution5 activities, such as arranging or advising on general insurance contracts to be taken out by members. But ICOBS does not apply to a credit union taking out an insurance policy5 for itself, such as a policy5 against default by members on their loans where the credit union is the beneficiary of the policy5, since in this circumstance the credit union would not be acting as an insurance intermediary, but would itself be the customer. Credit unions are reminded that they are subject to the requirements of the appropriate legislation, including the Credit Unions Act 1979, relating to activities a credit union may carry on. |
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3Mortgages and Home Finance: Conduct of Business sourcebook (MCOB) |
MCOB applies to any credit union that engages in any home finance activity. MCOB rules cover advising and selling standards, responsible lending (including affordability assessment), charges, and the fair treatment of customers in payment difficulties. |
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 customers3and financial promotions (BCOBS 2), distance communications (BCOBS 3), information to be communicated to banking customers3(BCOBS 4), post sale requirements (BCOBS 5), and cancellation (BCOBS 6). 3The rules in BCOBS 3.1 that relate to distance contracts may apply 3to a credit union. This is because the Distance Marketing Directive3applies where there is "an organised distance sales or service-provision scheme run by the supplier" (Article 2(a)), i.e. if the credit union routinely sells any of its services by post, telephone, fax or the internet3. |
Supervision manual (SUP) |
The following provisions of SUP are relevant to credit unions: 13SUP 1A13 (The FCA’s 3 approach to supervision), SUP 2 (Information gathering by the FCA or PRA 3 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 10C (FCA senior managers7 regime for approved persons in SMCR firms7), SUP 11 (Controllers and Close links), SUP 15 (Notifications to the FCA or PRA 3) and SUP 16 (Reporting Requirements). Credit unions are reminded that they are subject to the requirements of the Act and SUP 11 on close links, and are bound to notify the FCA3 of changes. It may be unlikely, in practice, that credit unions will develop such relationships. It is possible, however, that a person may acquire close links with a 3credit union3 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 3close links. 121212121213312121212 |
CONC contains rules that apply to firms carrying on credit-related regulated activities. PERG 2.7.19IG provides guidance on relevant exemptions. Most credit union lending is therefore outside the scope of CONC. However, subject to the constraints in the Credit Unions Act 1979 or the Credit Unions (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (as relevant), credit unions may undertake credit-related regulated activities to which CONC does apply if the activity is carried out by way of business. This could include lending under a borrower-lender-supplier agreement, or debt adjusting or debt counselling where the credit union is not the lender. A credit union carrying on such activities should consider whether it requires permission to do so. Further information can be found on the FCA’s website. |
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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 |
6General guidance on Benchmark Administration, Contribution and Use (BENCH) |
BENCH provides guidance about which parts of the Handbook are relevant to a firm when carrying out benchmark activities and when using a benchmark. It also provides guidance about the benchmarks regulation. |
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 other legislation.2 12 |
Financial Crime Guide: A firm’s guide to countering financial crime risks (FCG) and Financial Crime Thematic Reviews (FCTR)8 |
FCG and FCTR provide8guidance on steps that a firm can take to reduce the risk that it might be used to further financial crime. |
Related provisions for CONC App 1.1.8
221 - 240 of 257 items.
(1) 1In order to take reasonable care to ascertain the price which is the best available, a firm:(a) should disregard any charges and commission made by it or its agents that are disclosed to the customer under COBS 6.1.9 R (Information about costs and associated charges);(b) need not have access to competing exchanges, or to all, or a minimum number of, available price sources; but if a firm can access prices displayed by different exchanges and trading platforms and make a direct
A firm in relation to a customer with whom it has entered into a debt management plan must: (1) maintain contact with the customer; [Note: paragraph 3.44 of DMG](2) regularly monitor and review the financial position and circumstances of the customer; [Note: paragraph 3.44 of DMG](3) adapt the debt management plan to take into account relevant changes in the financial position and circumstances of the customer;[Note: paragraph 3.44 of DMG](4) inform the customer without delay
In the absence of evidence to the contrary, the firm should presume that the complainant would not have bought the payment protection contract he bought if the sale was substantially flawed, for example where the firm:(1) pressured the complainant into purchasing the payment protection contract; or(2) did not disclose to the complainant, in good time before the sale was concluded, and in a way that was fair, clear and not misleading, that the policy was optional; or(3) made the
A person wishing to be included on the list of primary information providers, must apply to the FCA for approval as a primary information provider by submitting the following to the FCA:(1) the name, registered office address, registered number and the names and addresses of the directors and company secretary of the person applying for approval and, where applicable, the corporate group to which the person belongs;(2) details of all the arrangements that it has established or
In addition to the requirements in LR 9 (Continuing obligations), half-yearly reports and, if applicable, preliminary statements of annual results must include information showing the split between:(1) dividend and interest received; and (2) other forms of income (including income of associated companies).
Schedule to the Recognition Requirements Regulations, paragraph 7
2(1) The [UK RIE] must ensure that appropriate procedures are adopted for it to make rules, for keeping its rules under review and for amending them. |
(2) The procedures must include procedures for consulting users of the [UK RIE's ] facilitiesin appropriate cases. |
(3) The [UK RIE ] must consult users of itsfacilities on any arrangements it proposes to make for dealing with penalty income in accordance with paragraph 8(3) ... (or on any changes it proposes to make to those arrangements). |
(1) This chapter does not apply to an authorised professional firm: (a) whose main business is the practice of its profession; and(b) whose regulated activities covered by this chapter are incidental to its main business.(2) A firm's main business is the practice of its profession if the proportion of income it derives from professional fees is, during its annual accounting period, at least 50% of the firm's total income (a temporary variation of not more than 5% may be disregarded
A firm should ensure that a financial promotion:(1) for a product or service that places a client's capital at risk makes this clear;(2) that quotes a yield figure gives a balanced impression of both the short and long term prospects for the investment;(3) that promotes an investment or service whose charging structure is complex, or in relation to which the firm will receive more than one element of remuneration, includes the information necessary to ensure that it is fair, clear
23The issue of free shares or cash on a demutualisation, and additional bonuses and policy enhancements given by way of incentive to approve a reattribution or distribution of an inherited estate should, unless there is evidence to the contrary, be treated as relevant benefits for the purposes of DISP App 1.5.15 G. Whether additional bonuses and policy enhancements on a demutualisation are relevant benefits should be determined by applying the test in DISP App 1.5.15 G to each
(1) CASS
5.4 permits a firm, which
has adequate resources, systems and controls, to declare a trust on terms
which expressly authorise it, in its capacity as trustee, to make advances
of credit to the firm'sclients. The client
money trust required by CASS
5.4 extends to such debt obligations
which will arise if the firm,
as trustee, makes credit advances, to enable a client's3premium obligations
to be met before the premium is
remitted to the firm and similarly
if it allows claims
Examples of practices that are likely to contravene the clear, fair and not misleading rule in CONC 3.3.1 R include:(1) stating or implying that a firm is a lender (where this is not the case);[Note: paragraph 3.7e (box) of CBG](2) misleading a customer as to the availability of a particular credit product; [Note: paragraph 3.9p of CBG(3) concealing or misrepresenting the identity or name of the firm; [Note: paragraph 3.7g (box) of CBG(4) using false testimonials, endorsements
For the purposes of this section, an ACS may be treated as having been wound up or a sub-fund of a co-ownership scheme terminated upon completion, where relevant, of all of the steps in (1) to (3):(1) payment or adequate provision being made (by the depositary after consulting the authorised contractual scheme manager) to cover the expenses relating to the winding up or termination and all liabilities of the scheme;(2) the scheme property being realised or distributed in accordance
(1) 3A firm will, subject to (3), be deemed to comply
with CASS 5.3 to CASS
5.6 if it receives or holds client
money and it either:2(a) in relation to a service charge,
complies with the requirement to segregate such money in accordance with section
42 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 ("the 1987 Act"); or2(b) in relation to money which is clients'
money for the purpose of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' Rules
of Conduct ("RICS rules") in force as at 14 January
A firm must ensure that a P2P agreement that the firm makes available to a borrower and a lender provides for the following contractual rights and obligations and procedure for and effect of the exercise of those rights and obligations:(1) a right for the borrower: (a) to withdraw from the agreement (“the right of withdrawal”);(b) without giving any reason; and(c) by giving oral or written notice of the withdrawal to the firm (on behalf of the lender) before the end of the period
(1) Where:(a) high-cost short-term credit provides for repayment in instalments; and(b) a firm has on two previous occasions made a payment request, under a continuous payment authority, to collect (in whole or in part) the same instalment due under the agreement, which have been refused;subject to (3) and (4), the firm must not make a further payment request under the continuous payment authority to collect that instalment.(2) The firm must not make a further payment request
3Behaviour
of the type referred to in APER 4.1.3G includes, but is not limited to, deliberately:(1) falsifying documents;(2) misleading
a client about the risks of
an investment;(3) misleading
a client about the charges or
surrender penalties of investment products;(4) misleading
a client about the likely performance
of investment products by providing
inappropriate projections of
future investment returns;(5) misleading
a client by informing him that
products require only a single
(1) Where, in relation to a regulated mortgage contract for a business purpose or a high net worth mortgage customer3 who is not a consumer under an MCD regulated mortgage contract4, a customer either:(a) seeks an immediate increase in the borrowing provided under the regulated mortgage contract; or(b) overdraws on the borrowing under the regulated mortgage contract;the further advance rules in MCOB 7.6.7 R to MCOB 7.6.17 R do not apply.(2) Where (1) applies, the firm must within