See a list of sensitive words relating to financial services and learn how to request our view if you propose to use of any of these terms in your business's names.
List of sensitive words
If you plan on using one of the following words or expressions (including their plural and possessive forms or grammatically mutated forms*) in your company or business name, you must seek our view first ahead of getting approval from Companies House:
- assurance
- assurer
- banc
- bank
- banking
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
- friendly society
- fund
- insurance
- insurer
- mutual
- Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
- reassurance
- reassurer
- reinsurance
- reinsurer
- underwrite
- underwriting
- unit trust
* These grammatically mutated forms are set out in Schedule 1 of the Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014 and are marked with an asterisk.
Why you need our view
Using these sensitive words related to financial services in a business name may give a misleading indication of what the business does. This applies to any business name, even if you're not a financial services firm.
We will only provide a view and we can object to the use of a sensitive name.
The Secretary of State decides whether or not a sensitive business name may be used. However, while the Secretary of State (Companies House) is the ultimate decision maker, as a matter of policy, Companies House will only accept the use of the sensitive word if we have no objection to the proposed company or business name.
Sensitive words are subject to:
- section 55 of the Companies Act 2006, and
- Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014
Please note, businesses that were lawfully trading under a sensitive name before 1 October 2009 are generally allowed to continue to use that name.
How to request our view
Follow these steps before registering a company name, changing an existing business name or beginning trading under a business name containing a sensitive word or expression.
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1
Prepare your request
Make sure you can explain in full the background for using the sensitive word(s).
You'll need to set out:
- the rationale for the request
- what activities the firm carries on or will carry on
- any other relevant information
For authorised firms, the sensitive word should reflect the regulated activities that your firm is authorised to carry out. For example, if your firm wishes to use the word ‘insurer’ in its name, you'll usually be expected to hold permission for one or more relevant insurance-related regulated activities.
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2
Submit your request
You can request an FCA view on our Connect system.
If you're an unauthorised firm you'll need to register as a new user.
We aim to reply within 10 business days of receiving your request, but it can take longer.
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3
Apply to the Secretary of State
After seeking our view, you'll need to apply to the Secretary of State via Companies House to use a sensitive business name.
How to avoid delays
It's important that you submit the information we ask for in full and respond to us within the requested deadlines.
Here are more ways to avoid delays to your request:
Authorised firms
If your firm is engaged in financial activities, make sure you have the relevant permissions to support the use of the sensitive name.
Appointed representatives
Make sure you:
- provide details of the principal firm that is engaged in the regulated activity to which the sensitive name relates
- submit a linked Appointed Representative application
Funds
Make sure you provide details of the fund manager.
For UK fund managers, include their name and firm reference number (FRN).
Where the fund manager is authorised and supervised by a foreign regulatory body, provide full details so that we can easily identify them.
Insurance firms
If your firm has insurance distribution permissions and doesn't provide a qualifying term, we may request that you include one.
For example, if you apply for a view on the name ‘ABC Insurance' we may request that your firm adds a qualifying term such as services, consultants or brokers, eg 'ABC Insurance Brokers'.
You're not obliged to include these qualifying terms before seeking consent from the Secretary of State, but we'll assess the risk of harm as high in relation to not using qualifying terms.
Underwriting agencies / Lloyds cover-holders
Make sure you provide:
- the name and FRN of the authorised insurer providing the delegated binding authority
- a copy of a current delegated binding authority agreement
Requesting a reconsideration of our view
You may request us to reconsider our view, taking into account any additional supporting information that you provide.
We will then decide if our initial view was correct, or if we should have reached a different view.
To request a reconsideration write to us setting out your disagreement and email [email protected].
Please title your correspondence ‘Review – (proposed business name)’.
We'll aim to reply within 10 business days of receiving your request, but it can take longer.
