The operating answer
Match the exact legal entity and reference number, then inspect status, permissions and restrictions. The FCA warns that clone firms can borrow legitimate details. Use contact information from the official record rather than relying on a message that claims to represent the firm. [FCA] [FCA]
The workflow below is our editorial synthesis. Regulatory statements link to primary sources. Examples are hypothetical, and applicability requires a firm-specific assessment.
Match identity before status
Compare the contracting entity with the register entry. Keep trading names, group names and legal names separate. Record the reference number and date of the check. A name match is a lead, not a complete conclusion.
Read the activities and limitations
Check whether the recorded permissions or status relate to the service being considered. Preserve any restrictions relevant to the decision. A firm can be regulated for one activity without that fact answering every question about another service.
Use the official contact route
The FCA’s clone-firm guidance explains why copied names and reference numbers can create false confidence. Verify the contact route through the official record. An email or website supplied by an unknown party should not be allowed to authenticate itself. [FCA]
The register-check worksheet on this site does not query the FCA or issue a verification certificate. It gives a user a place to organise their own check and export a local record. No entered information is sent to Sterling Playbook.
Method, assumptions and limits
We use official sources for regulatory facts and label our suggested workflows as editorial methods. Illustrative examples are hypothetical. The content does not establish the position of any individual firm and is not a prescribed regulator template.
Source review date: 12 November 2026. No automatic monitoring is running. Check the underlying document, applicable entity, activity and jurisdiction before using this material.
Read the full methodologyQuestions, answered.
Is the worksheet connected to the FCA database?
No. It opens the official register separately and records a user’s own observations locally.
Does FCA status prove deposit protection?
No. Protection depends on the product, institution and applicable scheme conditions.
Sources & scope
Primary sources used for this research edition. Document dates and commencement dates are different fields. Recheck the issuing authority before acting.
- FCA: Financial Services RegisterRegister guidance · source reviewed 12 November 2026
- FCA: FCA Firm CheckerOfficial tool · source reviewed 12 November 2026
- FCA: Clone firms and individualsConsumer guidance · source reviewed 12 November 2026