If you advertise finance — on your website, in your showroom, or on social media — you're making what the FCA calls a "financial promotion", and there are specific rules about how you do it. Here's a summary of what matters most.
The golden rule: clear, fair and not misleading
Every financial promotion you make must be clear, fair and not misleading. That's the overarching standard everything else sits beneath, and the FCA has been explicit that it isn't going away. If a promotion could give a customer the wrong impression about cost, availability or your role, it fails — however technically accurate the small print is.
When you need a "representative example"
If your promotion mentions the cost of credit or an interest rate — for example "£199 a month" or "9.9% APR" — you generally must include a representative example. That's a standard set of details (the rate, the amount of credit, the instalments, the total amount payable and a representative APR) presented together. The main exception is a genuine 0% APR interest-free offer, shown as such, which doesn't trigger the full example.
When you need a "representative APR"
Even without quoting a rate, certain things trigger a representative APR: an incentive to apply for credit, a favourable comparison, a "triggering statement" (for instance, suggesting credit is available to people who might otherwise struggle to get it), or even a name or logo that implies something about cost. A representative APR is written as a figure followed by "% APR Representative", quoted to one decimal place.
Prominence matters
Where a trigger applies, the representative example or APR must be given no less prominence than the thing that triggered it. In plain terms: you can't have "£199 a month" in big letters and bury the APR in the footnotes.
Be clear about your role and commission
As a credit broker you should make clear that you introduce customers to a lender rather than lending yourself, and disclose that you may receive commission. This dovetails with the Consumer Duty's consumer-understanding outcome — customers should genuinely understand what they're agreeing to.
It applies across every channel
These rules apply equally to your website, social media posts, emails and in-showroom materials. A finance offer in an Instagram post is a financial promotion just as much as one in a brochure.
Two important caveats: the FCA is currently reviewing the financial promotion rules in CONC 3 (its 2026 consultation), so some specifics may change — and because the detail is genuinely fiddly, it's worth having promotions checked by someone with compliance experience before they go live. This guide is a summary, not advice.
Our application pack includes a financial promotions policy that sets out how your firm keeps its advertising compliant — one of the documents the FCA expects to see.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a representative example on my website?
If your promotion mentions the cost of credit or an interest rate (such as a monthly payment or an APR), then yes, you generally need a representative example. A simple finance mention with no cost or rate may only need a representative APR if a trigger applies.
- Is 0% finance treated differently?
Yes. A genuine 0% APR interest-free offer, shown as such, doesn't trigger the full representative example — but it must still be clear, fair and not misleading like any other promotion.
- Do social media posts count as financial promotions?
Yes. The rules apply across all channels — website, social media, email and in-store materials alike. A finance offer in a social post is a financial promotion.
- Do I have to mention commission?
You should be clear that you're a credit broker introducing customers to a lender, not the lender, and disclose that you may receive commission. The Consumer Duty reinforces being transparent so customers understand the arrangement.
This article is general information to help you understand the process, and is not legal or regulatory advice. CreditLicence is a regulatory consultancy; it is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, nothing it provides is regulated advice, and it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the FCA. FCA rules can change; always check the FCA's website for the current position.