Is my financial advisor regulated? How to check in two minutes

Is my financial advisor regulated? This article explains how to check in under two minutes.

You can use the FCA register to do it. Checking is about as exciting as reading terms and conditions. Still, a little curiosity goes a long way. Whenever we book a client appointment, we tell them to visit the FCA register too. It gives them peace of mind that their advisor is listed.

Checking if my financial advisor is regulated is not about grading how good an advisor is. Most advisors meet the same minimum professional standards and give you a solid basic level of service. It is simply a check that you are not being scammed. If the FCA register lists your financial advisor as authorised, you can feel more confident about doing business with them.

Why it matters if your financial advisor is regulated

A regulated financial advisor must meet strict standards on qualifications, conduct and client money handling. If something goes wrong, you can seek help from the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. An unregulated advisor offers none of these protections. You are relying entirely on trust, and trust does not come with compensation up to eighty five thousand pounds.

Understanding whether your advisor is independent or restricted advice also matters, since the FCA register won't tell you their status — but that's a separate consideration from whether they're authorised at all.

Is my financial advisor regulated? How to check in two minutes

Go to the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk and search the advisor's name or firm. You can also Google "FCA" and find the register link.

Confirm that the FCA register shows their status as authorised, not just registered. Some entries appear on the register for other reasons.

Check the individual advisor's Statement of Professional Standing. This confirms that the regulated advisor keeps their qualifications current.

Cross-reference the address and contact details with the FCA register. Clone firms sometimes copy real firm details word for word.

Always check that the email address they are contacting you from matches exactly what is shown on the FCA register.

One of our basic checks goes beyond confirming that the financial advisor is on the FCA register. We also check that their email domain matches the website URL shown there.

Real-life case study

The most common red flag we see involves clients trying to move funds from a so-called provider. The provider then claims that a tax penalty prevents the transfer. This is a huge warning sign, so we always tell clients to first check whether the FCA register lists the firm.

For clients considering final salary pension advice, this red flag is especially relevant — defined benefit transfers are a common scam target because the sums involved are large and the rules around transfers are complex.

The problem can be worse when a firm appears on the FCA register. The caller may still pretend to represent that authorised firm. Scammers call this tactic cloning. If that happens, report the firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You should also report it to the police if it looks like a genuine scam.

What to do if your financial advisor is not regulated

Stop any further contact and do not transfer money or sign paperwork.

Report unauthorised or cloned firms to the FCA through ScamSmart on 0800 111 6768 or fca.org.uk/scamsmart. Report fraud or lost money to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk.

Seek advice from a regulated financial advisor instead. You can find one through a directory such as ours.