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FCA Register

Search the Financial Services Register for firms and individuals authorized by the FCA

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MCOB 3A - Financial Promotions

Rules on financial promotions and fair communications for mortgage products

View MCOB 3A Guidelines

MCOB - Mortgages

Complete Mortgages and Home Finance: Conduct of Business sourcebook

View Full MCOB Rules

COBS 4 - Communications

Rules on communications with clients including financial promotions

View COBS 4 Rules

CONC - Consumer Credit

Consumer Credit sourcebook covering all credit-related activities

View CONC Guidelines

FG24/1 — Financial Promotions on Social Media

FCA finalised guidance (March 2024) on financial promotions via social media. Replaces FG15/4. Covers standalone compliance, affiliate responsibility, and character-limit rules.

Download FG24/1 (PDF)

Consumer Duty (PS22/9)

The FCA Consumer Duty — higher standards of consumer protection. Marketing must lead to good outcomes for retail customers.

View Consumer Duty Guidance

Promise Money Content Compliance Rules MANDATORY

⚠️ Rate Disclaimers

All content mentioning interest rates MUST include the disclaimer within the sentence:

Format: "rates start from X% per month* *correct at the time of publishing"
Must appear within the same paragraph as the rate
Applies to all mortgage, loan, and credit products

📝 Language Guidelines

Avoid absolute/promissory language: Never use "guaranteed", "risk-free", "always", or "never"
Use qualifying terms: Prefer "may", "could", "typically", "generally", "often"
Plain English: Use simple, clear language accessible to all readers
Professional tone: Maintain approachable yet authoritative voice

📊 Content Balance

All financial content must present balanced information:

Include both benefits AND risks/limitations
Align with FCA TCF (Treating Customers Fairly) principles
Avoid misleading emphasis on benefits only
Include relevant eligibility criteria

✅ Readability Standards

Target Flesch Reading Ease: ≥ 70 (7th-8th grade level)
Sentence length: Keep sentences short and concise
Structure: Use clear H2/H3 headings with descriptive titles
Paragraphs: Maximum 3-4 sentences per paragraph

🔍 SEO & Metadata

Every piece of content requires:

SEO-optimized meta description (150-160 characters)
URL slug aligned with primary keyphrase
Title tags that accurately describe content
No keyword stuffing or misleading metadata

🚫 Prohibited Content

Never include:

Unsubstantiated claims about approval rates
Promises of specific outcomes
Misleading comparisons with competitors
Time-pressure tactics without genuine deadlines
Hidden fees or unclear pricing structures

✍️ Review Process

All content must pass:

Content Review: Accuracy, clarity, and completeness check
Compliance Review: FCA rules and internal standards verification
Signoff Required: Both reviews must be completed before publishing
Documentation: Maintain audit trail of all reviews

📱 Financial Promotions — Social Media (FG24/1)

FCA rules apply to social media identically to all other channels:

Standalone compliance: Each post must comply on its own — risk warnings cannot be in a separate follow-up post
Character limits: Not an excuse — if the required disclaimers don't fit, the platform may not be appropriate for that promotion
Affiliate responsibility: Promise Money is fully responsible for any third-party or influencer promotions it approves
Criminal offence: Unauthorised financial promotion is a criminal offence under s.21 FSMA 2000