A to Z of financial terms

Makes recommendations on what you should do with your finances. This may include investments, pensions, mortgages, insurance or planning for the future. You may also get advice if you're looking to manage any debt you have. A financial adviser should be authorised by the FCA through the financial services firm they work for. Read more about financial advice on MoneyHelper.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free service that settles complaints between financial business and their customers. Visit the Financial Ombudsman.

The FSCS is an independent, free service that can step in to pay compensation if the financial firm you've used has gone out of business and can't pay your claim. Visit the FSCS.

The Financial Services Register is a record of the firms and individuals we authorise. Find out more about the FS Register.

We currently use a 6-digit or 7-digit number to uniquely identify firms, and 6-digit Product Reference Numbers (PRNs) to identify funds. Use this number to search the Financial Services Register.

These scams often involve fraudulent communications that claim to be from foreign government officials needing help to transfer large sums of money. The fraudsters usually claim you'll receive a share of a much larger sum of money once the transfer is made. Find out more about money transfer scams.

Global marketplace for trading international currencies and derivatives.

A derivative contract in which each party agrees to exchange assets or securities at a future date and at a price agreed by both parties. Because they're high risk, they're not suitable for all customers. Our rules mean that these products must be marketed and sold appropriately to the right customers.