UK targeted support regulated from 6 April 2026

Picture this: your banking app says, “People like you tend to choose this investment.” Is that advice? From 6 April 2026, the UK formally recognises this as “targeted support” and regulates it. The change sits in a Treasury Order published on legislation.gov.uk and is designed to give you clearer signals about what you’re being shown, and why.

The full title is a mouthful - the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (Providing Targeted Support) (Amendment) Order 2026. It was made on 28 January 2026 and laid before Parliament on 30 January 2026. Crucially, it introduces a new article 55A into the Regulated Activities Order (RAO), defining targeted support and where it sits relative to traditional investment advice.

There are two key dates for your diary. From 23 February 2026, the FCA can start making or approving rules and guidance, give directions, and process permission applications for this new activity. From 6 April 2026, the regime switches on for everyone across the UK - England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

So what is targeted support? Under new RAO article 55A, a firm can use information about you to place you into a group with people who share similar characteristics or circumstances, then make a recommendation to you about a specific security, structured deposit or other relevant investment. The recommendation is presented as suitable for you because you’re in that group, not because someone has examined your full personal picture.

Because of that, the law draws a bright line: when a firm provides targeted support in this way, it is not “advising on investments” under article 53. In plain terms, it’s not full personalised advice. That matters for expectations - you should not assume someone has taken a comprehensive look at your finances before nudging you toward a product.

There are set words firms must get across at the same time as the recommendation. They must tell you that the recommendation is not based on a comprehensive consideration of your characteristics or circumstances, that it is not specific to you, and they must spell out the characteristics and/or circumstances of the group they used. If you don’t see these points clearly, ask for them.

Think about how this might look in real life. A student grouped as “18–24, saving for short‑term goals, low risk” might be shown a particular cash product or low‑risk fund. A new graduate in their first job could be grouped by income band and debt level and recommended a simple investment. The grouping can be powerful, but it must be explained in words you can understand.

For you as a consumer or student, this makes it easier to tell what you’re getting. If you want someone to consider your full situation - debts, goals, family, tax, the lot - you should ask for regulated investment advice instead of targeted support. If you’re content with a grouped recommendation, read the disclosure carefully and keep a record of what was said, when, and on what basis.

For teachers and learners, this is a helpful case study in the advice–guidance boundary. We can compare three levels: general information for everyone; targeted support for people with shared traits; and full advice built on a comprehensive assessment. The Order gives us vocabulary to discuss why fairness, clarity and timing of disclosures protect people making money choices.

For firms, the Order opens a formal route to offer more tailored help while staying within rules. From 23 February 2026, the FCA can set detailed expectations and accept permission applications under Part 4A of FSMA. Staff training, scripts, in‑app messaging and records will need to align so that the disclosure lands at the exact moment a recommendation is shown.

The Order also updates a long list of related provisions so targeted support is treated consistently. It amends definitions for overseas persons, suppliers and group companies; adjusts pensions guidance references for the Money and Pensions Service; and updates other laws such as the Companies Act 2006 and child support information regulations so they recognise article 55A. The Explanatory Note says no separate impact assessment has been published.

Finally, a quick recap you can share. Made: 28 January 2026. Laid: 30 January 2026. FCA prep window opens: 23 February 2026. Full commencement: 6 April 2026. The source is the legislation itself on legislation.gov.uk. As we move through February and March, expect the FCA to publish the practical rules that will shape what you see on screens and in conversations.