8 December 2025
If you are covering the FCA’s announcements on measures aimed at boosting the UK’s investment culture, please find below a comment from Barry Cook, interim proposition director at Quilter:
“Today’s policy blitz from the FCA on its measures to help boost the UK’s investment culture should be welcomed. While more technical in nature compared to other initiatives in this direction, these reforms should deliver meaningful benefits for both consumers and providers.
“For too long providers have issued lengthy, jargon-heavy documents that discourage engagement with key investment information. This creates friction in the customer journey. As such, it is encouraging to see the FCA look to move towards a regime that allows providers greater flexibility to produce engaging product summaries. This innovation should improve customer understanding and reward firms that prioritise clarity and customer outcomes.
“The FCA’s recognition that professional investors and ultra-high-net-worth clients require different protections than retail investors is also significant. There is a push to widen the investible universe for clients, particularly around private markets, but this will only succeed if regulation reflects the investors’ ability to take on greater risk. Updating definitions alongside creating more bespoke regulation for particular cohorts should help people take positive action in their investment journey, and unlock new avenues for capital allocation.
“Importantly these changes challenge how we perceive risk. Risk should not be seen solely as a negative – far too many people in this country are either not investing or investing too cautiously for their needs and as such wealth creation is being left on the table. The FCA clearly recognises the need to wean the nation off cash savings for the long-term and into investments that suit the customer’s long-term objectives.
“With these changes coming into force following the government backed investment campaign and introduction of targeted support, there is real momentum taking shape that could just help deliver the change in investment culture we need.”
