Comply with credit advertising rules

Every advertisement for a consumer credit product must comply with FCA rules. This applies whether you are a lender advertising your own products, a broker promoting finance options, or a retailer offering credit at the point of sale. The rules apply to all channels: print, broadcast, online, email, and social media.

Credit advertising is a frequent source of FCA enforcement action. Non-compliant promotions can result in fines, required withdrawal of advertising, and reputational damage. The FCA actively monitors credit advertising, including social media, and takes a strict approach to compliance.

When these rules apply

The credit advertising rules under CONC 3 apply to any communication that is:

An invitation or inducement to engage in credit-related activity
Communicated in the course of business
Directed at consumers in the UK

This includes advertisements for loans, credit cards, hire purchase, store credit, motor finance, and (from 15 July 2026) Buy Now Pay Later products. It also covers communications from credit brokers promoting the availability of credit.

Representative APR requirements for credit advertising

FCA CONC 3 and Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2010 requirements for displaying representative APR in consumer credit advertisements, including the 51% rule and triggered information obligations.

Under the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1970) and FCA CONC 3, any advertisement for consumer credit that includes an interest rate, amount of any charge, or any amount relating to the cost of credit must also display the representative APR. The representative APR must be the rate that at least 51% of those who respond to the advertisement and enter into an agreement will be offered.

When any triggering information is included in an advertisement, all of the prescribed standard information must also be shown. The representative APR must be given greater prominence than any other rate of charge in the advertisement. These rules apply to all media, including social media posts, where character or space limitations do not exempt firms from showing the full triggered information.

51% rule: The representative APR must be a rate at which at least 51% of applicants who enter into an agreement would be offered credit
Triggering information: An interest rate, amount of any charge, or amount relating to the cost of credit (if any of these appear, all standard information must be shown)
Required standard information: The representative APR, the borrowing rate (fixed or variable), the total amount of credit, the duration of the agreement, the total amount payable, and the amount of each repayment
Prominence requirement: Representative APR must be shown more prominently than any other rate of charge stated in the advertisement
Social media: Full triggered information requirements apply even in limited-space media such as social media posts; firms cannot use character limits as a reason to omit required information
Exemptions: Advertisements that do not include any triggering information (i.e. no rate, charge, or cost of credit) need not include the representative APR
Regulation source: Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1970), regs 4-5, and FCA CONC 3.5-3.6

FCA CONC 3 - Financial promotions and communications with customers

How to create a compliant credit advertisement

Consumer credit risk warnings and financial promotion restrictions

Mandatory risk warnings for high-cost short-term credit advertisements, debt advice signposting requirements, and financial promotion approval rules under FSMA 2000 section 21.

All advertisements for high-cost short-term credit (HCSTC) must include a prescribed risk warning and signpost to free debt advice. Under CONC 3.4.1R, HCSTC financial promotions must include the following warning in a prominent position:

"Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk"

Separately, under section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, a financial promotion may only be communicated by an FCA-authorised person, or its content must be approved by an FCA-authorised person. This restriction applies broadly, including to social media influencers promoting consumer credit products. Communicating an unapproved financial promotion without authorisation is a criminal offence.

HCSTC mandatory warning text: "Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk" (CONC 3.4.1R)
MoneyHelper signposting: All HCSTC advertisements must direct consumers to moneyhelper.org.uk for free debt advice
Section 21 FSMA restriction: Financial promotions may only be communicated by or with the approval of an FCA-authorised person; contravention is a criminal offence carrying up to 2 years imprisonment
Influencer marketing: Social media influencers promoting credit products must have their content approved by an FCA-authorised person under s.21 FSMA 2000; the FCA has taken enforcement action against unapproved promotions
Gateway for s.21 approvers: From 7 February 2024, FCA-authorised firms that approve financial promotions for unauthorised persons must apply for specific s.21 approver permission (the approver gateway)
Real-time communications: The s.21 restriction applies to real-time communications (such as personal approaches) as well as non-real-time communications (such as advertisements), with limited exemptions in the Financial Promotion Order 2005

FCA guidance on approving financial promotions

Social media and digital advertising

Social media presents particular challenges for credit advertising compliance. The FCA expects every individual post, tweet, or story to be standalone compliant. You cannot rely on links to a full-terms page to satisfy the triggered information requirements.

Character-limited platforms

On platforms with character limits (such as X, formerly Twitter), you must still include all triggered information if a trigger is present. In practice, this means either avoiding trigger language in short-form posts or using the platform's native tools (such as image cards or threads) to include all required information prominently.

Influencer marketing

If you pay influencers or affiliates to promote your credit products, their posts are financial promotions and must comply with CONC 3. You are responsible for ensuring their content is compliant before publication. The FCA has taken enforcement action against firms whose affiliate marketing did not meet credit advertising standards.

Pay-per-click and comparison sites

Search engine advertisements and comparison site listings that include rate information must include representative APR. The landing page must contain all triggered information prominently.

Consumer credit financial promotions

FCA requirements for advertising and marketing consumer credit products.

Core requirement: All promotions must be clear, fair and not misleading
Representative APR: Must show representative APR prominently if rate quoted
Social media: Each post must be standalone compliant with all required information
Risk warnings: Must be prominent and legible
Consumer Duty integration: Promotions must support customer understanding
Planned changes: New rules consultation expected Q1 2026

Financial promotions guidance

Common mistakes to avoid

Headline rate without representative APR: Advertising '3.9% interest' without showing the representative APR is a breach of CONC 3
Burying the APR: Showing a large '£99/month' headline with a small representative APR in the footer fails the prominence test
Stale representative APR: Not updating advertising when your approval data shows fewer than 51% of customers receiving the advertised rate
Missing risk warnings: Omitting the mandatory HCSTC risk warning from payday loan advertising
Unapproved affiliate content: Allowing affiliates or influencers to create credit promotions without FCA-approved sign-off
Social media shortcuts: Assuming a link to 'terms and conditions' satisfies triggered information requirements on social media
0% offers without disclosure: Even 0% APR offers trigger full disclosure requirements, because stating any rate (including zero) is a trigger

What to do next

Review all current credit advertising against the requirements above. Establish an approval workflow for all new promotions, and ensure compliance sign-off is documented. If you use affiliates or intermediaries, audit their content and put contractual obligations in place to ensure ongoing compliance.

For pre-contract information requirements, see Meet pre-contract disclosure requirements
For FCA authorisation, see FCA consumer credit authorisation

Official guidance on credit advertising

Authoritative sources for credit advertising compliance.

CONC 3: Financial promotions and communications
FCA rules on credit advertising and financial promotions.
FCA Handbook
Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2010
Statutory requirements for credit advertisements.
legislation.gov.uk
FCA financial promotions guidance
FCA guidance on complying with financial promotions rules.
Financial Conduct Authority
Financial Promotion Order 2005
Exemptions and requirements for financial promotions.
legislation.gov.uk

Business Context Testing

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Guvnor

Comply with credit advertising rules

When these rules apply

How to create a compliant credit advertisement

Social media and digital advertising

Character-limited platforms

Influencer marketing

Pay-per-click and comparison sites

Common mistakes to avoid

What to do next

Compliance Assistant

🧪 Business Context Testing

◉ Content Graph

When these rules apply

How to create a compliant credit advertisement

Social media and digital advertising

Character-limited platforms

Influencer marketing

Pay-per-click and comparison sites

Common mistakes to avoid

What to do next

Related guides in Financial Regulation Overview

Business Context Testing

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