These Templates are available to paid members only.
Templated CCA debt management activities
Template CCA RBP
Template CMC RBP
Template Debt Management RBP
Template FM RBP
Template General Insurance Broker RBP
Template IFA-WM RBP
Template Mortgage Broker RBP
Template P2P-Crowdfunding RBP
Template PSB API-SPI RBP
Template PSB EMI-SEMI RBP
Template PSB Open Banking RBP
A thorough and comprehensive Regulatory Business Plan (RBP) is crucial for any applicant or existing FCA authorised firm seeking a Variation of Permission (VOP), as it demonstrates a clear understanding of the proposed business model, associated risks, governance structure, and regulatory obligations.
The FCA expects firms to evidence how they will meet Threshold Conditions on an ongoing basis, and a robust RBP provides assurance that the firm is adequately capitalised, competently managed, and fully aligned with regulatory expectations. It also helps the FCA assess the firm’s strategic intent, financial resilience, operational capability, and commitment to treating customers fairly under the Consumer Duty.
Template Business Plans By Type
How to download documents from our site: To abide by our fair use policy, ensuring that premium members (Risk Navigator, Compliance Champion & Boardroom Titan) get value for money, the site is constructed on an e-commerce basis. That way you can identify the document you need, click through to the document product page, click on the “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart” buttons and then checkout. as you would from any other online purchase site. The download link is then visible when the payment gateway confirms that a “£0.00” purchase has been made.
The information documents below are across a number of sectors and some may be duplicated, but are all available free your level of membership. Just click on the title. If there are any issues, please contact us immediately.
Training PPTx’s
AML Health Check Warning Signs
AML Sanctions Compliance Cheatsheet +
Compliance Monitoring Plan Cheatsheet ++
Compliance Procedures – Best Practices
More to follow ….
Compliance Software Tools
Compliance Software Tools Cheatsheet
Consumer Duty Checklist
Consumer Duty Implementation
Cyber Resilience Checklist Cheatsheet
Data Protection GDPR Compliance Cheatsheet
ESG Sustainability Reporting Cheatsheet
FCA Authorisation Process Guide
FCA compliance audit preparation cheatsheet
FCA Connect Portal Cheatsheet
FCA Regulatory Business Plan
FCA SMCR Expectations Plain
FCA VoP Preparation
Financial Promotions Checklist
Fit and Proper Test Preparation
Governance Weak Spots
RegData Submission Cheatsheet
Regulatory Experience Questionnaire
Risk Assessment Cheatsheet
Risk Based Audit
SMCR Compliance Checklist
SMCR Implementation Cheatsheet
Tiered Compliance Training
Vulnerable Customers Checklist
Training Videos
Don’t have time to work through a ppt? No Problem – just watch the videos here.
AML Health Check Warning Signs
AML Sanctions Compliance Cheat-sheet +
CMP That Works
Compliance Audit Failures
Compliance Monitoring Plan Cheat-sheet ++
Compliance Procedures – Best Practices
Compliance Software Tools
Compliance Software Tools Cheat-sheet
Consumer Duty Checklist
Consumer Duty Implementation
Cyber Resilience Checklist Cheat-sheet
Data Protection GDPR Compliance Cheat-sheet
ESG Sustainability Reporting Cheat-sheet
FCA Authorisation Process Guide
FCA compliance audit preparation cheat-sheet
FCA Connect Portal Cheat-sheet
FCA Regulatory Business Plan
FCA SMCR Expectations Plain
FCA VoP Preparation
Financial Promotions Checklist
Fit and Proper Test Preparation
Governance Weak Spots
RegData Submission Cheat-sheet
Regulatory Experience Questionnaire
Risk Assessment Cheat-sheet
Risk Based Audit
SMCR Compliance Checklist
SMCR Implementation Cheat-sheet
Tiered Compliance Training
Vulnerable Customers Checklist
FCA Conduct Risk Management is vital for ensuring firms act in the best interests of their clients and maintain market integrity. It goes beyond compliance by embedding a culture of ethical behaviour, transparency, and accountability.
Managing conduct risk — including non-financial risks such as reputational damage, culture, customer outcomes, and operational integrity — helps prevent regulatory breaches, enhances customer trust, and reduces the likelihood of harm to both consumers and the firm. In a regulatory environment that increasingly prioritises fairness and duty of care, effective conduct risk management is not just beneficial — it’s essential.
As with all our downloads, ‘+’ indicates Risk Navigator Membership or above, & ‘++’ Compliance Champion or above Membership.
Behavioural Misconduct
❌ Bullying or harassment (including micro-aggressions)
❌ Integrity breaches (e.g., lying to regulators or falsifying records)
❌ Abuse of position or trust within the organisation
Culture and Ethics
❌ CRCE 1-1 Toxic workplace culture or leadership-driven fear-based environments
❌ CRCE 1-2 Lack of psychological safety for staff to speak up or raise concerns
❌ CRCE 1-3 ‘Hero’ cultures that tolerate rule-breaking for performance outcomes
✅ Customer-Facing Conduct Risks
❌ Mis-selling: Recommending products unsuitable for the client’s needs or financial situation
❌ Poor disclosure: Inadequate, misleading, or overly complex information to customers
❌ Unfair charges: Hidden fees, excessive penalties, or unclear pricing models
❌ Unsuitable advice: Especially under MiFID II or Consumer Duty frameworks
❌ Onboarding discrimination: Inconsistent treatment of customers (e.g., vulnerable customers)
❌ Complaint mismanagement: Delay, deflection or failure to treat complainants fairly
🧮 DE&I Shortcomings
❌ Failure to monitor or improve representation and inclusion
❌ Unequal pay, opportunity, or advancement
❌ Bias in hiring, promotions, or disciplinary actions Conduct Risks Employee Driven
👥Conduct Risks Employee Driven
❌ Incentive misalignment: Sales bonuses or KPIs encouraging poor customer outcomes.
❌ Insufficient training: Staff unaware of compliance or ethical obligations.
❌ Personal conflicts of interest: Undisclosed or unmanaged personal benefits.
❌ Inappropriate personal conduct: Harassment, bullying, or misconduct at work.
🧑⚖️ Governance Failures
❌ SMCR role confusion or abdication of accountability.
❌ Poor board oversight on conduct matters.
❌ Inadequate challenge or diversity of thought in senior decision-making.
✅ Product & Service Conduct Risks
❌ Poor product governance: Products not tested for suitability or targeted incorrectly.
❌Inadequate product disclosures: Not meeting PROD and Consumer Duty requirements.
❌ Failure to test for foreseeable harm: No evidence of outcome testing or scenario analysis.
Risk management is essential for identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential threats that could impact a business’s operations, reputation, or financial health. By proactively managing risks, organisations can make informed decisions, remain compliant with regulatory requirements, and enhance operational resilience. Effective risk management also helps build stakeholder confidence, protect assets, and create a more stable environment for growth and innovation.
The FCA’s Consumer Duty has been around since July 2023, but many firms still cannot measure their engagement or distribution risks, let alone mitigate them.
We have created a suite of risks with the potential triggers for the various elements, along with potential consequences and typical mitigation strategies.
As with all our downloads, ‘+’ indicates Risk Navigator Membership or above, & ‘++’ Compliance Champion or above Membership.
Detailed Risk Management Documents
🔶 1. Products and Services +
Outcome: Products and services must be fit for purpose, meet the needs of the target market, and deliver good outcomes.
❌ Designing overly complex or unsuitable products for the intended target market
❌ Poor or absent product governance under PROD rules
❌ Failing to update product design as client needs or market conditions change
🔶 2. Openness and Honesty +
Cross-Cutting Rule: Act in good faith towards retail customers
❌ Misleading disclosures or withholding key risk information
❌ Glossing over performance issues or conflicts of interest
❌ Using aggressive sales or retention tactics that undermine trust
🔶 3. Avoiding Harm +
Cross-Cutting Rule: Avoid causing foreseeable harm to retail customers
❌ Inadequate identification and support for vulnerable customers
❌ Allowing poor value or unsuitable services to persist unreviewed
❌ Failing to monitor and act on poor client outcomes or complaints trends
❌ Offering execution-only services to clients who require support
🔶 4. Financial Goals +
Cross-Cutting Rule: Enable and support customers to pursue their financial objectives.
❌ Not assessing or recording customer objectives properly
❌ Failure to review and adapt services as client circumstances change
❌ Limited customer engagement or communication on progress towards goals
❌ Lack of performance reviews or rebalancing in managed accounts
🔶 5. Fair Price and Value
Outcome: The price paid by the customer must be reasonable relative to the benefits received.
❌ Charging fees that do not reflect the level or quality of service
❌ Bundling charges in ways that obscure value (e.g. platform fees + admin + performance fees)
❌ Not conducting fair value assessments annually
❌ Inadequate MI to detect clients receiving poor value
🔶 6. Transparency and Clarity
Outcome: Customers should be given the information they need, at the right time, and in a way they understand.
❌ Jargon-filled documents, complex disclosures or hidden charges
❌ Inaccessible communication for vulnerable customers
❌ Over-reliance on digital channels without alternatives for excluded groups
❌ Failure to test communications with real customers for understanding
🔶 7. Fairness to Customers
Principle-Based: Ensure fairness in treatment, access, and outcomes
❌ Disparities in service levels or costs across different customer segments
❌ Bias or discrimination in onboarding or complaint handling processes
❌ Favouring commercial objectives over customer interests.
❌ Not supporting customers in vulnerable situations fairly.
As a Risk Navigator and above, you can download the guides.
‘+’ means Risk Navigator.
‘++’ Means Compliance Champion or above.
Free Guides from any of our sites.
There is no charge, but just checkout as normal at £0.00.
Counts towards your download total for the month.
Unlocking Success – Why You Need Specialist Help With FCA Authorisation
If you’re considering launching a start-up, changing your model or expanding your financial services firm into the UK, you already know that FCA authorisation is a critical milestone-but it’s also a formidable challenge.
Having the specialists at Compliance Consultant by your side is more important than ever. “Unlocking Success – Why You Need Specialist Help With FCA Authorisation.” will show you how expert help can transform FCA authorisation from a daunting obstacle into a launchpad for sustainable growth and market credibility.
The purpose of this document is to give prospective candidates within candidate firms that are applying for key roles as SMF positions at relevant firms some guidance on what to expect and how best to prepare for these interviews. For non-SMCR firms, it helps provide essential reading on concepts and formality.
A comprehensive list of requirements and steps to ensure a complete FCA application.
Common FCA Application Pitfalls
A cheat sheet highlighting frequent mistakes in FCA applications and how to avoid them.
FCA Compliance Forum
Navigating the FCA Application Portal
A step-by-step guide to using the FCA’s online application system.
Importance of Comprehensive Compliance Procedures
Explains the benefits of robust compliance systems.
Weekly Compliance Tips
Understanding FCA’s Consumer Duty
Guide to the Consumer Duty’s impact and compliance approach.
Phase 1: Strategic Workshops Available
Strategic Context and FCA Expectations
Understand the firm’s market position, competitor benchmarks, and the regulatory environment.
Define your risk appetite, strategic ambition, and customer promises.
Outcome: Shared strategic language and regulatory understanding across your leadership.
Phase 2: Capability Mapping and Regulatory Readiness
Operating Model Review
Identify friction points, assess process efficiency, and map to capabilities (tech, data, people).
Identify potential bottlenecks, heuristics and abuse of policy.
Outcome: Capability blueprint linked to regulatory compliance, cost-efficiency, and customer excellence.
Phase 3: Transformational Leaps and Innovation Planning
Prioritise key digital domains (e.g. onboarding, complaints, client reporting, customer experience) using value vs feasibility matrix.
Explore application of GenAI, automation, and customer insights.
Outcome: 2–3 year transformation roadmap and business cases with KPIs aligned to revised goals.
Phase 4: Embedding a Culture of Performance and Compliance
OKRs, KPIs, and Agile Governance
Embed metrics for value delivery, compliance oversight, and innovation tracking.
Focused development for execs and senior managers to foster digital-first, customer-centric culture.
Outcome: Culture of accountability, high-performance, and smart governance.
Each Workshop is created to a bespoke business, involving up to 4 weeks preparation and planning, weekly workshops; typically 3 over 5 weeks – but can vary.
Cost starts from £11,500 + VAT for one or £36,000 + VAT for all 4 Phases.
Contact us directly on 0208 243 8620 Ext 1 to discuss availability and discuss your precise needs. If you want a variation, please ask, we are here to serve you. We care that you get the best and greatest value for your business.
When you join the Risk Navigator tier of our site, you will be sent an invitation to join the Chat Group for that level.
It is a Private Channel and by invitation only.
Why Slack?
Slack is a business messaging and collaboration platform designed to facilitate team communication and project management. It’s known for its organised channels, flexible communication options (chat, audio/video), and strong integrations with other business tools. Slack helps teams and groups stay connected, share information, and work/learn/contribute more efficiently, especially in a remote or hybrid work environment.
Look out for your email invitation soon!
Any problems, please contact info@complianceconsultant.org
