Financial Services Risk and Regulation Unravelled Podcast

In this month’s episode, David Morrey and Ben Farmer unpack the latest twist in the motor finance remediation programme, with multiple legal challenges now putting key customer communication timelines on ice and pushing firms towards contingency planning.  They talk through what the Financial Conduct Authority is signalling firms should do now, from identifying impacted complaints and agreements t...

This month David Morrey and Ben Farmer unpack the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) final motor finance redress scheme rules — including the decision to run two schemes and what that signals about potential legal challenge and delivery timelines. They also cover the regulators’ operational incident and third‑party reporting final rules (and what firms should be doing now, ahead of the March 2027...

David Morrey and Ben Farmer unpack the FCA’s new sector priority reports and what they really signal for financial services firms in 2026. From insurance and consumer investments to payments, appointed representatives and motor finance redress, we explore how the regulator is shifting away from fragmented Dear CEO letters towards a more consolidated, outcomes‑focused approach — and what that means...

This month, David Morrey and Ben Farmer unpack another busy period in financial services regulation. They explore the FCA’s accelerating use of AI — from live testing to automated case queries — and what this rapid adoption means for firms navigating both innovation and risk. The conversation also covers the regulators’ new scale‑up unit, the latest findings from the pure protection and premium fi...

In this end-of-year episode, David Morrey and Ben Farmer take stock of the evolving regulatory landscape in financial services, exploring the impact of the UK’s “growthy regulator” agenda over the past twelve months. Key themes include: Growth vs Deregulation: The hosts discuss whether regulatory changes have truly promoted growth or simply resulted in procedural tweaks. While some requirements ha...

Join hosts David Morrey and Ben Farmer as they break down the latest regulatory developments and what they mean for firms and professionals navigating compliance, risk and operational change. Explore new safeguarding rules for payment and e-money firms, the impact of wealth management consolidation, and the FCA’s growing role in ESG and anti-money laundering oversight. In this episode: FCA’s new s...

In this episode, David Morrey and Ben Farmer dive into latest developments on motor finance compensation claims, including the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA): new awareness campaign regulatory actions against misleading advertising by claims management companies (CMCs) details of the proposed redress scheme for motor finance agreements dating back to 2007. Listen to unpack the scheme’s opt-in...

In this episode, Alex Ellerton, Head of Financial Services, and Sarah Bell, Partner, are joined by The Rt Hon. Lord Mayor of London, Alastair King, for a wide-ranging discussion on how financial services can drive the UK's economic growth. They unpack the opportunities and challenges facing the sector—from regulatory shifts to innovation and investment. The conversation covers: economic outlook Le...

In this episode, David Morrey and Ben Farmer unpack the latest regulatory developments in UK financial services.  They discuss the FCA's campaign on motor finance compensation, the recent insurance sector redress payments, and a major consumer rights super-complaint.  The conversation also explores new consultations from the regulator, including cryptoassets and payments, and its push for growth a...

Innovation is shaping the future of the payments industry, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is keen to ensure it heads in the right direction.  In this episode, host Paul Staples is joined by Paul Olukoya, Managing Director, Alison Kopra, Director, and guest Robert Courtneidge, Policy Advisor at The Payments Association. They discuss the latest trends in digital money, the regulatory chal...

In this episode, David Morrey and Ben Farmer unpack the Supreme Court judgement on motor finance commissions and its far-reaching implications for lenders, dealers and consumers, alongside the FCA’s proposed redress scheme. They discuss recent FCA rule changes – from buy now pay later regulation to the reversal of the ban on crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) – and reflect on thematic reviews cov...

In this episode David Morrey and Ben Farmer discuss the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) new rules on tackling non-financial misconduct. The rules, which previously only applied to banks,  will be extended  to 37,000 non-bank financial service firms from September 2026.  The conversation covers: CP24/27: advice guidance boundary review from the FCA – the implications and long-term risks of targ...

The Government launched its Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, the sector-specific paper to support the broader Industrial Strategy and drive economic development across the UK. Aligning with the Chancellor’s annual Mansion House speech, the Government also launched the Leeds Reforms to simplify the regulatory landscape and catapult the strategy into action. In this episode Da...

Tune in for the latest regulatory developments shaping the UK financial services landscape and what these mean for you. In this episode, David Morrey and Ben Farmer examine the FCA’s proposals to simplify complaints reporting, including the removal of group-level submissions and the introduction of standardised six-monthly intervals. They also talk about the FCA’s review of the Register, updates t...

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) plans to strip outdated or duplicated requirements from its insurance rule book. In this episode of the podcast David Morrey, Partner, Head of Investment Management, and Ben Farmer, Senior Manager, review what this means for firms. The conversation also covers:  mortgage rule simplification pooled funds and consumer credit regulatory returns FCA's thematic rev...

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its 5-Year Strategy (2025 – 2030). In this episode David Morrey, Partner, Head of Investment Management, and Ben Farmer, Senior Manager, review its core focus areas: Reducing and preventing serious harm Setting and testing higher standards Promoting competition and positive change      In addition to the strategy, they also discuss the FCA's othe...

Join David Morrey and Ben Farmer as they explore the latest regulatory developments and their impact on the financial services industry.   In this episode, they discuss: Regulatory Changes & Updates: The FCA’s decision not to proceed with certain proposals, including diversity and inclusion rules, enforcement disclosure changes, and the sustainability disclosure regime for delegated portfolio...

The financial services industry will continue to evolve throughout 2025. It’s important to look beyond individual compliance requirements and consider the broader themes driving these policy shifts — from government initiatives and socio-political factors to reactive responses to emerging consumer issues.   In this episode, Head of Financial Services, Alex Ellerton, is joined by Paul Garbutt (Part...

David Morrey and Ben Farmer discuss the responses from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) on adapting to the Treasury's prioritisation of growth.  They also discuss the FCA's thematic review of wholesale brokers' anti-money laundering initiatives and the implications of its controversial email retention policy, as well as the ongoing Supreme Court case...

David Morrey and Ben Farmer discuss the regulatory issues that they expect will have a significant impact on the financial services sector in 2025, including motor finance remediation and the future of the FCA Handbook.   They also ask what the growth agenda (and the Chancellor’s Christmas challenge to each regulator) will mean in practice.

In our final episode of the year, David Morrey and Ben Farmer discuss the latest updates on the motor finance saga, where the Supreme Court has expedited an appeal involving Close Brothers, and the FCA's involvement in urging a swift resolution. The conversation also covers other topics related to this regulator: Consumer Duty feedback, and review of it in annual reports Insight on complaints and...

In the latest episode David Morrey and Ben Farmer discuss a bumper list of current regulatory issues as previewed in Rachel Reeves's Mansion House speech, aimed at unlocking innovation and growth: Modernising the Financial Ombudsman Service The Government's desire to modernise the Financial Ombudsman Service framework, including the previously issued call for inputs.  Certification regime consulta...

In this episode, we delve into the key aspects of motor insurance total loss claims. Blandine Arzur-Kean , Managing Director, Grant Thornton is joined by colleague Philip Tregurtha, Director, Grant Thornton and Kate Pender, CEO, Fair4All Finance, to discuss: best practices for vehicle valuation and settlement processes fair and standardised processes for settling claims supporting vulnerable custo...

David Morrey, Head of Financial Services Regulatory Advisory, and Paul Garbutt, Head of Banking, discuss the recent Court of Appeal decision regarding motor finance complaints, which requires greater disclosure of commissions paid to brokers and explicit consent from borrowers. This decision has significant implications for the industry, extending beyond regulatory requirements to contract law. Du...

It’s been over a year since the financial services industry began embedding the Consumer Duty for existing products. The FCA’s relentless focus on good consumer outcomes is reshaping the landscape.  In our latest podcast episode Blandine Arzur-Kean is joined by regulatory experts David Morrey , Peter Lovegrove , and Supriya Manchanda to discuss:  the impact of the Consumer Duty  challenges firms a...