Staying FCA compliant as a credit broker is not only about having the right permissions. It is about operating a controlled business model that customers can understand, lenders can trust and regulators can review.
Credit broking compliance affects the full customer journey, from the first advert or landing page through to lender introduction, outcome communication, complaints handling and ongoing monitoring.
Authorised Compliance supports UK credit brokers with practical, specialist compliance support. We help firms assess the right route to market, prepare FCA applications, operate under Appointed Representative or Introducer Appointed Representative frameworks, review financial promotions, test customer journeys, prepare for audits and manage ongoing compliance obligations.
This guide explains how that support works and where credit brokers often need help.
Credit broking is a regulated market. Firms need to understand what activity they are carrying out, what permissions apply and how their customer journey works in practice.
A credit broker may need support with:
The FCA expects credit brokers to make clear when they are acting as brokers rather than lenders. Promotions and customer communications must also be clear, fair and not misleading.
For a broader introduction, read What Is Credit Broking Compliance? A Beginner’s Guide and Credit Broker vs Lender: Key Differences Explained.
The first question for many businesses is not “how do we get authorised?” but “what is the right route for this model?”
Different firms need different regulatory routes. Some may need direct FCA authorisation. Others may be better suited to an Appointed Representative arrangement, an Introducer Appointed Representative arrangement, a variation of permission or an outsourced compliance review.
We help firms assess:
This assessment helps avoid one of the most common problems in credit broking: building a commercial model before confirming the regulatory route.
For more detail on the application route, read How to Get FCA Authorisation as a Credit Broker: Step-by-Step Guide and How to Navigate the FCA Application Process for Credit Brokers.
For firms that need direct authorisation, the FCA application process requires more than a form submission.
A credit broker should be able to explain its business model, target market, customer journey, systems and controls, financial promotions, complaints process, governance and monitoring arrangements.
Authorised Compliance can support firms with:
A strong application should be consistent. The business plan, website, customer journey, financial promotions, policies and monitoring plan should all reflect the same operating model.
For cost planning, read How Much Does It Cost to Become an FCA Authorised Credit Broker?.
For suitable firms, Appointed Representative or Introducer Appointed Representative status can provide a route into regulated credit broking activity.
However, AR and IAR arrangements need to be properly controlled.
An Appointed Representative may be able to carry out regulated activity under the permissions and oversight of an authorised principal firm. An Introducer Appointed Representative has a narrower role, usually focused on introductions or distributing approved financial promotions.
Authorised Compliance can help firms understand:
AR and IAR status should not be treated as a shortcut around compliance. It is a regulated relationship that depends on proper due diligence, oversight, clear responsibilities and ongoing monitoring.
For related guidance, read Advanced Strategies for Mastering What Are the Two Types of FCA Authorisation for Firms.
A credit broking customer journey should be clear, consistent and easy for customers to understand.
We review the journey from the customer’s perspective, including:
The aim is to identify where customers could be confused, misled or unsupported.
For example, a journey may say the firm is a broker in the footer, but still use headline wording that makes the business look like a lender. Or a landing page may collect customer details without clearly explaining what happens next.
These issues can be corrected before they become complaints, partner concerns or regulatory problems.
For more on customer journey risk, read Lead Generation in FCA-Compliant Credit Broking: What You Need to Know.
Financial promotions are one of the highest-risk areas for credit brokers.
A financial promotion can include a website, landing page, advert, social media post, email, script, banner, comparison table or affiliate page.
Authorised Compliance can help review whether promotions:
We can also help firms build a financial promotion approval process so that marketing content is reviewed before publication and monitored after launch.
For more detail, read How to Advertise as a Credit Broker Without Breaking FCA Rules.
Credit brokers need to show that they are considering customer outcomes, not just completing compliance tasks.
Consumer Duty requires firms to think about whether customers understand the service, receive appropriate support and experience fair outcomes.
For credit brokers, this may involve reviewing:
Authorised Compliance can help firms build a practical Consumer Duty framework around real business activity.
The focus should be on evidence. A firm should be able to show what it monitors, what it has found, what has changed and whether outcomes have improved.
For related reading, see Understanding the Affordability and Suitability Rules in Credit Broking.
FCA reviews, principal reviews, lender due diligence and internal audits all require evidence.
A firm should be able to show how it controls its credit broking activity in practice.
This may include:
Authorised Compliance can help firms identify gaps before a review, prepare evidence and create remediation plans where improvements are needed.
For audit preparation, read What to Expect During an FCA Compliance Audit as a Credit Broker and How to Successfully Pass FCA Regulatory Checks for Credit Broking.
Lead generation can be commercially valuable, but it must be properly controlled.
Credit broking lead generation can involve websites, affiliate networks, publishers, introducers, paid search, comparison pages, social ads or partner referrals.
Compliance issues can arise where:
Authorised Compliance can help review lead sources, introducer arrangements, customer journeys, financial promotions and monitoring controls.
For affiliate and publisher models, read Are You an Affiliate Network or Publisher Facing Issues With Advertiser and Platform Sign-Off?.
Credit brokers often work with lender panels, finance providers, introducers and commercial partners.
The way these relationships are disclosed to customers can be important.
We can help firms review:
The aim is to make sure customers receive clear information at the right point in the journey and that the firm can evidence its approach.
Complaints can show where a credit broking journey is not working properly.
A complaint may relate to unclear advertising, unexpected contact, misunderstanding the broker role, fees, commission, lender decisions, data sharing or poor communication.
Authorised Compliance can help review:
Strong complaints handling is not only about resolving individual cases. It should help the firm identify patterns and improve controls.
Some credit brokers need more than a one-off review.
Authorised Compliance can provide outsourced compliance support for directly authorised firms, established credit brokers or businesses preparing to grow.
This can include:
Outsourced compliance can help firms access specialist support without building a full internal compliance function from day one.
For ongoing cost considerations, read How Much Does It Cost to Maintain FCA Compliance for Credit Brokers?.
Many credit broking compliance issues are avoidable.
Common problems include unclear broker status, unapproved financial promotions, weak consent wording, poor records, lack of Consumer Duty evidence, unsupported complaints processes and business model changes that are not reviewed before launch.
Authorised Compliance helps firms identify these issues early and create a practical plan to fix them.
For a detailed breakdown, read Common Compliance Mistakes Credit Brokers Make and How to Avoid Them.
Authorised Compliance is focused on the UK credit broking market.
Our work is built around practical credit broking experience, not generic compliance advice. We understand how brokers operate, how lender relationships work, how lead generation models create risk, and how FCA expectations need to be applied in day-to-day operations.
We support firms that want to become Appointed Representatives, Introducer Appointed Representatives, directly authorised credit brokers or stronger regulated businesses with better systems, controls and customer outcome monitoring.
Our approach is direct, practical and commercial. The aim is to help firms build models that are controlled, clear and capable of growing properly.
For help choosing the right support, read Choosing the Right FCA Compliance Consultant for Your Credit Broking Business.
Authorised Compliance helps UK credit brokers with FCA applications, AR and IAR arrangements, business model reviews, financial promotion checks, customer journey testing, audits, Consumer Duty assessments, complaints oversight and outsourced compliance support.
Yes. Authorised Compliance can support credit brokers with permissions analysis, business plans, policies, compliance frameworks, customer journey reviews, monitoring plans and responses to FCA questions.
Yes. Authorised Compliance can help firms assess whether Appointed Representative or Introducer Appointed Representative status may be suitable, explain the scope of activity and support the controls needed to operate properly.
Yes. Authorised Compliance can review websites, landing pages, adverts, emails, scripts, social posts and affiliate content to help ensure financial promotions are clear, fair, not misleading and aligned with the customer journey.
Yes. Authorised Compliance can help credit brokers prepare for FCA reviews, principal reviews, lender due diligence and internal audits by reviewing evidence, identifying gaps and supporting remediation planning.
Outsourced compliance is ongoing external support for areas such as monitoring, financial promotion reviews, complaints oversight, Consumer Duty, file reviews, policy updates, audit preparation and board reporting.
No. Authorised Compliance can support firms considering direct authorisation, Appointed Representative status, Introducer Appointed Representative status, compliance audits or outsourced compliance support.
Credit brokers should use specialist support because credit broking has specific risks around permissions, broker status, lender relationships, financial promotions, lead generation, customer journeys, complaints and customer outcomes.
Credit broking compliance is not a one-off exercise. It needs to be built into the way a firm markets, introduces customers, works with lenders, handles complaints and monitors outcomes.
Authorised Compliance helps credit brokers understand the right route, build the right framework and keep improving as the business grows.
Whether the need is FCA authorisation, AR or IAR status, financial promotion review, customer journey testing, audit preparation or outsourced compliance support, the aim is the same: a controlled, commercially workable credit broking model that supports fair customer outcomes.
I’m Will Hurst, and I bring 20+ years of hands-on experience across credit broking, AR/IAR oversight, lender relationships and regulated finance operations.
Learn more about my practical, FCA-focused approach
Authorised Compliance Ltd is a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered company number
15833435.
Authorised Compliance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm
Reference Number 1025416.
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