Consumer Credit Authorisation for Retailers

Point-of-Sale and Online Finance for Retail Businesses

We support retailers offering point-of-sale finance, online finance applications, instalment products and other credit arrangements to their customers.

Consumer Credit Authorisation for Retailers: UK business offering customer finance
Typical customers
  • Furniture retailers
  • Jewellers
  • Electronics retailers
  • Bicycle retailers
Check if this is you
Point-of-sale financeOnline checkout creditInstalment products
£1,150
Fixed fee + VAT
5 days
Preparation time
1 pack
Submission-ready documents
0
Hourly fees
Regulatory context

Do Retailers Need FCA Authorisation?

Retailers that introduce customers to a lender, arrange credit at point of sale or offer instalment products may be carrying on regulated consumer credit activity.

The appropriate permission depends on the retailer's activities, the finance products offered and how customers interact with the finance provider.

We do not suggest that every business within this industry automatically requires FCA authorisation. The appropriate permission depends on your exact activities and business model.
Sector challenges

What tends to trip businesses up

Finance inside the online checkout

Where credit appears in a basket or checkout flow, the whole digital journey forms part of your regulated activity.

Interest-free offers in marketing

Promotional credit wording in emails, banners and in-store signage must meet financial promotion requirements.

Store colleagues and concessions

Shop-floor staff, concessions and third-party sellers all need clear boundaries on what they may say about credit.

Customer journey

A typical finance journey

  1. 01
    Customer requests a quotation
  2. 02
    Finance option is introduced
  3. 03
    Customer receives finance information
  4. 04
    Customer applies through the lender or finance provider
  5. 05
    Finance provider assesses the application
  6. 06
    Work or purchase proceeds if finance is agreed
What we review

Focus areas for your application

Point-of-sale finance
Online finance applications
Third-party lenders
Instalment products
Customer journey
Financial promotions
Website disclosures
Sales training
Complaints handling
Vulnerable customer considerations
Shop our packages

Buy the package that fits your business

This is a fixed-price shop, not an hourly consultancy. Choose the package that matches where you are, pay securely online, and we start work straight away.

Package 3One-off

Permission Analysis

A written PERG review of your activities and whether permission is required.

£350+ VAT

£420 total payable to us

One-off fee. Revisions are not included and are charged separately.

Buy nowWhat's included
Package 2One-off

Application Review

An independent review of an application you have already prepared.

£650+ VAT

£780 total payable to us

One-off fee. Revisions are not included and are charged separately.

Buy nowWhat's included
Package 1One-off

Application Preparation

The complete limited permission application, prepared and ready to submit.

£1,150+ VAT

£1,380 total payable to us

One-off fee. Revisions are not included and are charged separately.

Buy nowWhat's included
  • Secure card payment
  • VAT shown at checkout
  • No hourly fees
  • Work starts on payment
Buy it like a product

Check first. Then choose and buy your package.

Answer a few questions about your business, see which package fits, and buy it online. Work begins as soon as payment is received.

  1. 01

    Check

    Answer a few short questions about your business and how you offer finance. Free, no obligation.

  2. 02

    Choose your package

    Pick Package 1 preparation, Package 2 review or Package 3 permission analysis, whichever matches where you are.

  3. 03

    Buy

    Pay securely online. One fixed price, one clear scope, no hourly billing.

  4. 04

    Receive your pack

    We prepare your submission-ready application pack within five working days and guide you through FCA Connect.

Printed FCA application pack documents on a desk
Your order

Limited Permission Application Pack

In stock
£1,150+ VAT
Professional service fee
£1,150 + VAT
FCA application fee
£560
Preparation time
5 working days
  • Eligibility checked before you pay
  • Fixed price, no hourly fees
  • Documents tailored to your business
Check eligibility, free
Payment is taken before work begins on your package

The FCA application fee is separate from our professional fee, is paid directly to the FCA and may change. The applicable fee will be confirmed before submission.

Packages

Complete application support

Package 1
Limited Permission

Application Preparation

Choose this if you need the whole application and document pack prepared for you.

£1,150+ VAT

A complete application-preparation service for eligible businesses seeking limited consumer credit permission.

  • Initial business and activity assessment
  • Permission-scope review
  • Application information checklist
  • Regulatory business plan
  • Customer journey documentation
  • Tailored core policies and procedures
  • Consumer Duty considerations
  • Governance and responsibility information
  • Financial promotions considerations
  • Complaints-handling procedure
  • Vulnerable customer considerations
  • Conflicts-of-interest procedure
  • Commission and remuneration disclosures
  • FCA Connect application guidance
  • Pre-submission quality review
  • Support with reasonable FCA questions
Our fee£1,150
VAT (20%)£230
FCA application fee *£560
Total payable to us£1,380

* The FCA application fee is paid directly to the FCA and is not part of the total above. The FCA application fee is separate from our professional fee, is paid directly to the FCA and may change. The applicable fee will be confirmed before submission.

One-off fee. This is a single, one-time purchase covering the scope listed above. Revisions are not included; any additional revisions or extra work are chargeable separately and quoted before we start.

Buy Package 1 View Full Service Details
Package 2

Application Review

Choose this if you have already written your application and want it checked.

£650+ VAT

For businesses that have already prepared their application and supporting documentation and would like an independent professional review before submission.

  • Review of the completed application
  • Review of the regulatory business plan
  • Review of submitted policies and procedures
  • Identification of missing information
  • Identification of inconsistencies
  • Review of the regulatory permissions
  • Written recommendations
Our fee£650
VAT (20%)£130
FCA application fee *£560
Total payable to us£780

* The FCA application fee is paid directly to the FCA and is not part of the total above. The FCA application fee is separate from our professional fee, is paid directly to the FCA and may change. The applicable fee will be confirmed before submission.

One-off fee. This is a single, one-time purchase covering the scope listed above. Revisions are not included; any additional revisions or extra work are chargeable separately and quoted before we start.

Buy Package 2 View Review Details
Package 3

Permission Analysis

Choose this if you are not yet sure whether you need FCA permission at all.

£350+ VAT

A written PERG-based analysis of your activities, telling you whether FCA consumer credit permission is required and, if so, which permissions are relevant.

  • Review of your business activities
  • Review of your customer journey
  • PERG-based analysis of the regulated activities involved
  • Consideration of relevant exclusions and exemptions
  • Whether limited permission is likely to apply
  • Written conclusions and recommended next steps
Our fee£350
VAT (20%)£70
FCA application fee *£560
Total payable to us£420

* The FCA application fee is paid directly to the FCA and is not part of the total above. The FCA application fee is separate from our professional fee, is paid directly to the FCA and may change. The applicable fee will be confirmed before submission.

One-off fee. This is a single, one-time purchase covering the scope listed above. Revisions are not included; any additional revisions or extra work are chargeable separately and quoted before we start.

If you go on to buy Package 1, this is the natural first step, it confirms the permissions your application should request.

Buy Package 3 View Analysis Details

Not sure what the FCA will ask for? See every required document and the full step-by-step application guide.

View the application process
FAQs

Common questions

Not automatically. It depends on the activities carried on, the customer journey and the finance arrangements. Some business models fall within regulated consumer credit activity, others may fall within exemptions.
For firms whose main business is selling their own product or service, and where finance supports that sale, limited permission may be appropriate. Firms whose principal activity is arranging finance may require full permission.
Yes. Firms carrying on regulated consumer credit activities are expected to have appropriate policies, procedures and controls in place. We prepare tailored policies as part of the application-support service.
Financial promotions are regulated. Firms should not communicate financial promotions for their own regulated activities before holding the appropriate FCA permission or relying on a valid exemption.
Take the next step

Not sure which permission you need?

Answer a few short questions about your business, choose your package and we will take it from there.