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Important information before starting your claim

We aim to make claiming online quick and easy for you.
Please read this information carefully before getting started to ensure you know what to expect.

First get your supporting documents ready

We need quite a bit of information to investigate your claim. You'll find it easier to submit your claim if you gather these items first as you'll be asked to upload them when you submit your claim.

It is important you send us everything we ask for; we cannot progress your application until we receive this information and it is very difficult for us to obtain firms records on your behalf.

We need :

Two forms of identification

Products & Advice documents

Your bank account details

If you need to ask your lender or provider for documents, you may find it helpful to use our letter templates, opens in a new window .

We accept scans for most documents.

Then submit your claim

Steps to make a claim

Check if you can claim

First you'll enter some basic details of your claim and we'll tell you straight away if you are eligible to claim.

Create your online account

With your online account you'll be able to submit your claim and check on its progress.

Complete your application

Finally you'll answer questions about why you're claiming, upload your supporting documentation and sign your claim electronically before submitting it.

What happens after you submit your claim?

We'll send you an email to confirm we've received your claim.

Then we'll review your claim as soon as we can, and we will be in touch when we have an update or if we need any more information from you. This can take a while so please bear with us.

You can check on the status of your claim at any point by logging into your account.

You can also return to your claim to download and print summary of your claim, change your personal details and upload additional documents. Simply login to your account.


It should take you 1 to 2 hours to complete your application online.
You can save your progress and return to your claim at any point.

To use the FSCS online claim service, you will need an email address. If you don't wish to create an email account, we can send you a paper application form. Please contact us , opens in a new window and we'll be happy to help.
Making a claim online is quicker and easier but we can also send you a paper application form. Please contact us, opens in a new window and we'll get the necessary details from you to send you the application form in the post.
Please ensure you have filled in all the fields correctly and that your password meets our security criteria. We're here to help so please contact us , opens in a new window if you're still having issues.
You can create a new password by clicking here. After entering your email address, you will receive an email with instructions to create a new password. You may need to answer a security question first.
If you don't have an FSCS online account yet, click here to get started.
Copy & paste the link into a new browser screen. If that doesn't work, click here to enter your email address and we'll send you a new activation link.
To change your FSCS online account details, simply log in here and click on the "My Account" button at the top of your screen. Then simply follow the instructions.
To change your personal details, you must provide a proof of address. Please select "Upload additional documentation" from the My Claims page. Select "Change my personal details" and upload your proof of address. Then click Submit, you will receive a confirmation email and the change will be processed within 10 working days.
To change your bank details, you must provide a bank statement displaying the name and address of the payee. Please select "Upload additional documentation" from the My Claims page. Select "Change my bank details" and upload your statement. Then click Submit, you will receive a confirmation email and the change will be processed within 10 working days.
Once you’ve submitted your claim, you can still change your personal details including payment details and upload additional evidence. Please log in here, you will be taken to the “My Claims” page where you can click on your claim to return to it. You will be taken to the summary of your claim, where you will see a button to edit your information where applicable. Then just follow the instructions to amend your details.
It may take you one to two hours to complete your claim online. Please check what you will need to get started here. You can save the progress on your claim at any point and return to it later.
We appreciate you may find some of the questions or supporting documents we ask for, fairly personal. Please rest assured your information is stored safely and will not be communicated to anyone else. We ask these questions to make sure we get a good understanding of your situation at the time you received the advice and/or chose a financial product. It is really important you answer all the questions so we can assess your claim and reach a fair decision.
We cannot look at your claim until we have all the evidence we need which is why it's essential you provide us with all requested documents.
If you don't have particular documents, you can get these directly from your lender or provider. You may find it useful to request this information using our letter/email templates.
Please first check your files are in a format we accept - that is .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .png, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .pdf, .rtf, .msg The maximum size per file is 20 MB. While you can upload multiple files at a time, it can still take a couple of minutes to upload each document.
To upload your documents click the "Supporting Evidence" tab of your claim, click "Choose Files" and select the document(s) from your computer. Then click the green button "Upload".
Log in here to access your claim details. if you haven't yet submitted your claim, click "Continue claim" and then click on the "Supporting Evidence" tab. Then follow the instructions to upload your documents. If you've already submitted your claim, click "Upload additional documents" and follow the instructions.
Please check your browser settings and ensure it allows pop-up windows for this website; this otherwise prevents some internet browsers from displaying the cover note.
If you don't have a printer, please write everything from the cover note on a piece of paper, including your claim reference number. Include this paper in the envelope with your other documents – the cover note ensures we can direct your claim quickly to the right place.
While we must see original or GRO certified copies of marriage, birth and adoption certificates, we encourage you to scan and upload your other supporting documents directly on your online application form to speed up the process.
You can post your documents to FSCS, PO Box 300, Mitcheldean GL17 1DY. Please ensure you clearly state your claim reference number in any correspondence. Please allow up to 10 working days for your documents to be added to our systems.
While we must see original or GRO certified copies of marriage, birth and adoption certificates, we encourage you to scan and upload your other supporting documents directly on your online application form to speed up the process.
We'll return your original documents within 14 working days. While we must see original or GRO certified copies of marriage, birth and adoption certificates, we encourage you to scan and upload your other documents directly on your online application form to speed up the process.
Log in to your FSCS online account and on the "My Claims" page, select the claim you want to return to. If you haven't submitted your claim yet, you will be returned to the last step you completed so that you can carry on. If you've already submitted your claim, you will return to the summary of your claim.
At the bottom of the page, click on the button "Save & complete later". Next time you log in to your FSCS online account, you will be returned to the last page you completed.
Simply log in, select your claim and you will see your claim summary. At the top of that page, click on the link to print or download a copy of your claim.
We send you a confirmation email when you submit your claim with all your information. If you haven’t received the email, please check your spam folder first. If the email isn’t there, you will need to check that your claim is definitely submitted. log in here. On the My Claims page, you will see the current status of you claim and a short description of what that means. This will tell you whether we’ve got your claim and suggest any relevant actions for you to take.
We aim to give you a decision within 6 months. However, sometimes it can take longer depending on the complexity of your claim so please bear with us. You can check on the progress of your claim by logging in to your FSCS online account.
The security of your information is essential to us. For that reason, we close down accounts that haven't been used in a while. But this does not affect any claims you've already submitted. If you want to keep using your account, simply log in within 10 days of receiving your email and we'll keep your account open.
We're really sorry if you haven't heard from us in a while. It can take us several months to assess each claim and sometimes we need to speak to third parties to get more information and that can cause further delays.
Please log in here to check the status of your claim. You will be taken to the "My Claims" page where you'll be able to check the status of your claim with a quick explanation of what the status means for you.
If your claim is approved, we will send you a letter or an email confirming your compensation amount and explaining our decision.
You will receive any payment within the following 10 working days. Our preferred payment method is BACS but you can also choose to receive a cheque.
We store any information you give us through the FSCS online service very securely. Your information will not be passed on to anyone else. Your account is protected with a password of your choice and we encourage you to make it as secure as possible. When creating your account, you're also asked to choose a security question and enter an answer. The security question will be used if you’ve forgotten your password and for data protection checks. Again, we encourage you to make sure anyone who isn't you can’t guess the answer. Finally, for security reasons we will close down your account if you haven't used it for a long time.
While we must see original or GRO certified copies of marriage, birth and adoption certificates, we encourage you to scan and upload your other supporting documents directly on your online application form to speed up the process. However, if you're unable to upload your documents, you can post them to FSCS, PO Box 300, Mitcheldean GL17 1DY. Please ensure you clearly state your claim reference number in any correspondence. Please allow up to 10 working days for your documents to be added to our systems.

Here is an overview of the various stages of your claim. We'll be in touch when we have an update on your claim or if we need any more information from you but you can check on the progress of your claim at any point by logging into your account.

Please note that depending on your claim type and financial product, your claim may not go through every stage described below.

Completing the application


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Your claim has been archived as you haven't updated it in a long time. If you'd like to start with your claim again, please click on "New Claim" on the My Claims page.

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Your claim has been archived as you haven't updated it in a long time. If you'd like to start with your claim again, please click on "New Claim" on the My Claims page.

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We have received your claim and we'll review it as soon as we can. We'll be in touch to update you on the progress of your claim or if we need any more information from you. This can take a while so please bear with us.


Investigating the claim


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As part of our investigation, we have contacted one or more third parties to obtain additional information on your claim. We will continue our analysis as soon as we receive the information we need. We may also contact you directly if we have specific questions.

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You're still in the process of completing your application.

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We previously closed your claim but we're now investigating it again.

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We're now investigating your claim. This can take a while as we may need to contact several third parties so please bear with us. We aim to provide you with a decision within 6 months and we'll be in touch if we need anything else from you in the meantime.

> : We have now completed the assessment of your claim. A decision letter has been sent to you and you will receive it in the next 10 working days. If your claim has been approved, the letter will detail the amount you'll be compensated as well as the calculation of our financial loss. If we could not grant you compensation at this stage, the letter will explain the reasons behind that decision. Please read the letter carefully and feel free to contact us if you have further questions.


Getting the decision


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You're still in the process of completing your application.

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We're reviewing the original decision we made on your claim and will come to a new decision as soon as possible.

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A
Abatement
Compensation payable by FSCS is subject to certain limits. If a claimant's loss exceeds the relevant limit for their claim, the compensation is reduced to the maximum amount payable. This process is know as abatement.
AIM/PLUS Market Shares
Alternative Investment Market.
AIM/PLUS shares
Alternative Investment Market.
Annuity
Income provided from cashing in your pension
Authorised Firm
A company, unincorporated body, partnership or individual permitted to carry out a regulated activity by the FCA or the PRA. This term includes a mutual (unincorporated) organisation, for example a friendly society
Beneficiary
Refers to someone who is eligible to receive distributions from a trust, will or life insurance policy
BPO
Business Process Outsourcers
Cancellation Rebate
Policy is cancelled and the firm returns a proportion of the premiums already paid.
Capital & Interest (Repayment)
Mortgage payment pays off the interest and the mortgage capital so that at the end of the mortgage term there is nothing left to pay
Capped
The interest rate will rise and fall with the standard interest rate but will never rise above the capped rate that has been set.
CFD/Derivative
Contract for Difference
Claim
A completed application form with supporting evidence.
Claimant
Claimant is a very specific category of customer. A claimant is defined as any individual (or other qualifying entity) who believes it has a claim and enters any part of the end to end claims process. Where the definition fits, claimant will be used in preference to any other generic term.
CMC
Stands for Claims Management Company. They are firms that, for a fee, offer services to represent claimants in submitting a claim for compensation.
CMC Authorisation
CMCs must be authorised by the Ministry of Justice for FSCS to be able to accept claims from them (although do not need authorisation if they represent less that 25 claimants per quarter).
Critical Illness
Insurance cover to protect if diagnosed with a critical illness
Debt Consolidation
Taking out a new loan that will pay off one or more existing loans. Usually has a lower monthly payment than the monthly total of the previous debt
Deferred
The interest rate is set at a below market rate and the difference is paid at an agreed later date.
Discount
A discount from the mortgage lender's standard interest rate
Early Repayment Charges
A fee you may face if you pay off all or part of your mortgage earlier than agreed.
Eligible
Qualifying for compensation under Scheme rules
Endowment Mortgage
When a borrower is using an endowment to repay an interest only mortgage
Equity Release
Re-mortgaging a property that currently has no mortgage, in order to use it as security for new borrowing
FCA
Financial Conduct Authority - the financial regulatory body formed as one of the successors to the Financial Services Authority (FSA)
Firm
The company against which we are receiving claims.
Fixed
The interest rate is fixed for a set period during the mortgage
Foreign Currency Mortgage
When a mortgage is taken out in a different mainstream currency for a UK property
FOS
Financial Ombudsman Service, for complaints or claims against firms that are still trading.
FSA
Previous financial regulatory body before the FCA and PRA
FSAVC
Free Standing Additional Voluntary Contribution
FSCS Compensation
An amount of money payable by FSCS to a Claimant pursuant to a Claim, the payment and amount of which are subject to rules applicable to FSCS for the awarding of such compensation.
FTSE Shares
The Financial Times Stock Exchange Shares
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit
Amount the policy will be paid out in event of death
In Default
A firm unable, or likely to be unable to pay claims against it. This will generally be because it has stopped trading and has insufficient assets to meet claims, or is in insolvency.
Income drawdown
Income from your pension and leaving your pension invested
Individual Representative
Someone representing the claimant that is not acting as a power of attorney, executor, CMC or a solicitor. This is usually a friend or family member of the claimant.
Individual Voluntary Arrangement
A legally binding agreement that allows you to repay your debt by making monthly payments at an amount you can afford
Interest Only
The mortgage loan does not change and mortgage payment is for the interest part only so at the end of the mortgage term you will have to pay off the mortgage amount
Investment
A financial product in which money can be invested to earn interest or profit (although the value of investments can go down as well as up)
IP
Stands for Insolvency Practitioner. An insolvency practitioner is someone who is licensed and authorised to act in relation to an insolvent individual, partnership or company. Most IPs are accountants or insolvency specialists working in firms of accountants.
IPO/Pre-IPO Shares
Initial Public Offering
ISA
Individual Savings Account
ISA Mortgage
When a borrower is using an ISA to repay a mortgage
Joint Claims
Claim with more than one claimant involved.
Legal Representative
Someone that is legally empowered to represent the claimant e.g. a power of attorney, an executor. This does not have to be a solicitor.
Life Assured
Person whose life is insured on the policy
Lifetime or Shared Appreciation
A mortgage loan on the borrowers home which is repaid at death or borrower moves out.
Limitation
There are rules regarding the timescales in which when someone is allowed to make a claim for compensation (based on when the advice was received, when then the policy/product started, when the claimant realised they may have received unsuitable advice and when they made a written complaint about the advice received). FSCS performs a Limitation Test to ensure a claim has been made within the allowed time limits.
Main residence
The home where you resided for majority of the time
MoJ
Ministry of Justice regulates CMCs
Mortgage Lender
Name of the company who your mortgage is with
No Claims Rebate
Money returned at the end of the term by the policy provider if you have not made a claim and paid all premiums
Pension Mortgage
When a borrower is using a personal pension to repay a mortgage
PEP
Personal Equity Plan
Personal Representative
An individual that the claimant has appointed to act on their behalf in making a claim. No regulatory permissions are required for Personal Representatives
Policy Number
May also be known as an account number found on policy documents
Policy provider
The company/firm that provides the policy
PRA
Prudential Regulation Authority is responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment firms.
Premium
Amount paid into the policy
Redeemed
When it was surrendered or no longer paid into
Refinanced
Paying off a existing loan with the money from a new loan.
Relative
A relative means children and stepchildren, parents and step-parents, brothers and sisters, step-brothers and step-sisters, and their spouses or partners.
Repayment
Mortgage payment pays off the interest and the mortgage capital so that at the end of the mortgage term there is nothing left to pay
Right to buy
Where council tenants are offered to buy their council home at a discount
Small Company
A type of claimant. FSCS can accept claims from small companies as long as they pass certain criteria relating to their annual turnover, profits and number of staff.
SRA
Solicitors Regulation Authority regulates solicitors in England and Wales.
Standard Variable Rate
The standard variable rate is the main mortgage rate charged by a lender. This is the long-term rate of interest that borrowers will be charged once their fixed or introductory discounted or tracker period ends. The rate is not typically linked to base rate and can change at the lender's discretion.
Sum Assured
Amount the policy guarantees to pay before any bonuses are added
Tailored AF
An application that has been amended to obtain information relevant to a specific population of claims e.g. new workstream, thematic issue etc.
Tax Free Cash
taking money from your pension and not paying tax on the cash
Tracker
the interest rate is set above or below the Bank of England or mortgage lenders base rate
Trust
A trust agreement is a document that spells out the rules that you want followed for property held in trust for your beneficiaries
Trust Deed
A Trust Deed is a formal, legally binding arrangement between an individual and their Creditors
Trustee
is a legal term referring to any person who holds a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another
Valid
Refers to a claim i.e. a claim that has been upheld and is due compensation. If a claim has been assessed and is deemed not to be valid, it is known as a Rejection/Rejected claim.