We thought it appropriate to remind firms that the SM&CR comes into effect on 9 December 2019 for FCA solo-regulated firms. ATEB has published several newsletter articles outlining the requirements – start here if you want read our most recent article.
If you have not yet started your preparations for SM&CR – or even if you have – you might find the ATEB SMCR Guide for firms useful. An accompanying toolkit comprising checklists and document templates is also available.
Firms should ensure that all preparatory work has been, or is being, undertaken. In particular, firms must ensure that awareness training on the Conduct Rules has been undertaken and can be evidenced by 9 December 2019. The training should cover the first and second tier rules with Senior Managers and the first tier rules with all Certification Staff.
Firms have until 9 December 2020 to roll out first tier training to all other staff.
ATEB have produced a training module to help firms deliver Conduct Rules training. This, and our guide and toolkit can be found within the members’ area of our website.
Suitability reports – silver bullet, or not?
Paul Jay Compliance, Suitability DB Pension, FCA, MiFID, Pension, Pension Transfer, PI, transfer, Xplan
If you ask most advice firms which part of the advice process consumes the most time, most will reply: “Suitability Reports”. Based on the mammoth documents that some firms still produce, we can understand why. We do have some sympathy with firms though. On the one hand they’re told by the FCA that reports are […]