Free tool

FCA Ad Compliance Pre-Check

Paste your ad copy and flag common FCA financial promotion and Consumer Duty failures before submitting for sign-off.

Definition

What is an FCA Ad Compliance Pre-Check?

An FCA ad compliance pre-check is an automated screen that scans financial services ad copy for prohibited language, missing risk warnings and Consumer Duty failure patterns before the copy is submitted to an internal compliance function for formal sign-off.

Pre-check results

4 flags
  • Guaranteed-outcome languagehigh

    The FCA prohibits any ad that implies certainty of return on a regulated investment. Remove guarantees and use language such as "indicative" or "targeted".

  • Entitlement / free money framinghigh
  • High-pressure urgencymedium

    Urgency tactics are disproportionately harmful to vulnerable customers. Remove or soften to a clear, non-pressuring CTA.

  • No risk warning presentmedium

    Regulated investment, mortgage and pension ads must include a prominent risk warning appropriate to the product.

  • Firm identification missingmedium

    Financial promotions must clearly identify the authorised firm responsible, including FCA authorisation status and, where applicable, FRN.

  • Unsupported superlative ("best")low

What this tool does not replace

This pre-check is a fast screen, not a compliance function. Every financial promotion must still be approved by an authorised person before publication. See the Compliance-First Funnel for how to build compliance into the creative process from day one.