Banking Insights & Industry Updates

Straight talk about what's actually happening in UK banking. We track regulatory shifts, tech changes, and practical advice that matters to real account holders.

Banking regulation changes impacting UK consumers in 2025

14 March 2025 6 min read

How Recent FCA Guidelines Are Changing Overdraft Rules

The Financial Conduct Authority released updated guidance in February that shifts how banks must present overdraft charges. Instead of daily or monthly fees buried in statements, everything needs to show up as an annual percentage rate.

Most high street banks started rolling out changes last week. If you've noticed different formatting on your mobile banking app, that's why. The goal is making costs easier to compare across different accounts—though whether it actually helps people make better choices is still up for debate.

We spoke with compliance teams at three major banks. They mentioned the technical challenges of updating legacy systems, but also admitted the old way of showing fees wasn't exactly user-friendly.

Marcus Hendry Financial Policy Analyst

Recent Analysis & Updates

Quick reads on what's shifting in UK banking—no fluff, just what you might actually want to know.

Digital banking security measures for UK consumers

28 Feb 2025

Why Banks Are Pushing Biometric Authentication

Fingerprint and face scanning are becoming standard for UK banking apps. The tech isn't perfect—some phones handle it better than others. But password breaches cost banks millions yearly, so the push makes sense from their perspective.

Understanding joint account regulations in UK banking

19 Feb 2025

Joint Accounts and New Separation Rules

Changes coming in September affect how joint accounts work during relationship breakdowns. Banks will need to freeze disputed accounts faster, which protects some people but creates headaches for others. The rules are still being finalized.

11 Feb 2025

What "Open Banking" Actually Means Now

Three years in, open banking lets third-party apps access your account data if you authorize it. Budgeting tools use this. So do some switching services. Adoption's been slower than expected, partly because people don't trust sharing bank credentials—even when it's technically secure.

Key Banking Changes: January to March 2025

A quick look at regulatory updates and policy shifts that landed in the first quarter. Some of these are small technical adjustments. Others actually change how you interact with your bank.

March 2025

Updated Overdraft Display Requirements

FCA mandates annual percentage rate display for all overdraft products. Banks have 60 days to comply across all platforms including mobile apps and web interfaces.

February 2025

Enhanced Verification for Large Transfers

Transfers over £10,000 now trigger additional confirmation steps at most major banks. This follows a spike in sophisticated fraud cases reported in late 2024.

January 2025

Extended Protection for Authorized Push Payment Fraud

Reimbursement windows extended from 13 to 18 months. Banks pushed back on this but the Payment Systems Regulator held firm after reviewing case data.