Targeted support for pensions and investments
6 April 2026 · Rules in force
Authorised firms can offer suggestions for groups of people with shared characteristics. Availability depends on the firm, and the service uses less information than individual financial advice.
What changed on 6 April 2026?
The FCA's targeted support regime took effect on 6 April 2026. It allows firms with the appropriate permission to help people with pension and investment decisions through suggestions designed for defined groups of customers. The FCA finalised the rules in February 2026 and opened applications for permission in March.
A firm could, for example, identify customers whose pension withdrawal pattern risks exhausting their savings and offer a suggestion intended for that group. The start date permits the service to operate; it does not mean every pension provider offers it or that every customer will receive a suggestion.
How does targeted support work?
The firm defines a group with a shared need, identifies characteristics that make someone suitable or unsuitable for it, and checks whether the customer fits. FCA guidance says the service is designed around limited information. It therefore differs from individual advice based on a fuller assessment of someone's circumstances.
This distinction matters when considering a suggestion. A group may have a common retirement objective while its members have different debts, health needs, family commitments or other savings. Information omitted from the grouping can still matter to an individual decision.
Questions to ask your provider
Useful questions include whether the service is targeted support or personal advice, which information the firm used, what assumptions it made, what charges apply, and what other choices remain available. Correct inaccurate information before relying on a suggestion.
Targeted support is one additional form of regulated help. The FCA's framework sits alongside consumer protections including the Consumer Duty; it does not turn general educational articles or calculators into an authorised targeted support service.
Sources
General information, not a personal recommendation. Tax treatment and pension rights depend on the rules and individual circumstances.