FCA and HM Treasury consult on closing “advice gap” as part of advice guidance boundary review

On December 8, 2023, the FCA and HM Treasury published a joint discussion paper setting out proposals to help people make more informed investment and pensions decisions. The proposals form part of the joint advice guidance boundary review.

The regulators acknowledge that it can be difficult for consumers to identify when they need support and when they do, their needs are not fully being met. This is referred to as the "advice gap" and three proposals to close it are offered.

• Clarifying the boundary when firms can give consumers help without straying into “regulated advice”. 
• Delivering targeted support without upfront fees so that groups of consumers with similar needs can be helped having provided limited information. 
• Simplifying advice enabling firms to support consumers with simpler needs and smaller sums to invest in a commercially viable way. 

General insurance, mortgages and debt advice are outside the scope of the review, as is advising on transferring out of a DB scheme or giving up other safeguarded pension benefits.

Comments are requested by February 28, 2024.