12 Endeavour Square
London
E20 1JN

Tel: +44 (0)20 7066 1000
Fax: +44 (0)20 7066 1099
www.fca.org.uk

NOTICE OF DECISION

ACTION

1. The Authority has decided to cancel the Firm’s Part 4A permission.

2. The Authority has taken this action because, based on the facts and matters set out below, it

considers that the Firm is carrying on no regulated activity to which the Firm’s Part 4A permission
relates.

3. The cancellation takes effect on the date of this Notice of Decision. The effect of the cancellation

is that the Firm no longer has permission to carry on any regulated activities.

DEFINITIONS

4. The definitions below are used in this Notice of Decision (and in the Annex):

“the Act” means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000;

“the Authority” means the Financial Conduct Authority;

“EG” means the Enforcement Guide;

“FDA” means the Firm Details Attestation which Authority-authorised firms are required to submit
to the Authority under SUP 16.10;

“FEES” means the Authority’s FEES Manual, part of the Handbook;

“the Firm” means Adam Ashley-Still;

“the Firm’s Part 4A permission” means the Part 4A permission granted by the Authority to the
Firm;

“FSCS” means the Financial Services Compensation Scheme;

“the Further Notice” means the Further notice given by the Authority to the Firm dated 31 October
2024;

“the general levy” means the levy a firm must pay to the Authority towards the costs of operating
the compulsory jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service;

“the Handbook” means the Authority’s Handbook of rules and guidance;

“the IML levy” means the Illegal Money Lending levy;

“the Notice” means the notice given by the Authority to the Firm dated 10 October 2024;

“Part 4A permission” means permission to conduct regulated activities, granted by the Authority
under Part 4A of the Act;

“RAG” means regulated activity group as referred to in SUP;

“the Returns” means the CCR007 for the periods between 6 April 2019 and 5 April 2024 which
the Firm was due to submit to the Authority on various dates between 20 May 2020 and 20 May
2024;

“SFGB Levy” means the Single Financial Guidance Body Levy;

“SUP” means the Supervision Manual, part of the Handbook; and

“the Tribunal” means the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber).

FACTS AND MATTERS

5. The Firm was authorised by the Authority on 21 October 2015 and has a Part 4A permission to

conduct the following regulated activities in relation to consumer credit business:

(a) agreeing to carry on a regulated activity;
(b) credit broking;
(c) debt-adjusting; and
(d) debt counselling.

6. The Firm has failed to pay periodic fees and levies owed to the Authority as required under the

Handbook under the rules set out in FEES 4.2.1R, 4.3.1R, 5.7.1R, 6.7.1R, 6.7.3R, 7A.3.1R and
13.2.1R. In particular, the Firm has failed to pay:

(a) An invoice dated 29 August 2018 for periodic fees and levies of £327.78 which had

been due for payment by 28 September 2018; and,

(b) An invoice dated 10 July 2019 for periodic fees and levies of £156.19 which had been

due for payment by 9 August 2019.

7. The Firm is required to submit the Returns to the Authority by the relevant due date in accordance

with the following rules contained in SUP 16.3.11R, SUP 16.3.13R, SUP 16.12.3R, SUP 16.12.4R
and SUP 16.12.29CR. However, the Firm has failed to submit the Returns to the Authority. The
Authority therefore considers that the Firm has failed to provide information to the Authority as
is required by the Handbook, namely the information it is required to provide in the Returns.

8. Under SUP 16.10.4R, 16.10.4AR and 16.10.4AAR, the Firm is required to submit the FDA to the

Authority by the relevant due date. However, the Firm has failed to submit the FDA to the
Authority.

9. On 10 October 2024, the Authority gave the Firm the Notice which stated that:

(a) it appears to the Authority that the Firm is carrying on no regulated activity to

which its Part 4A permission relates; and

(b) the Authority may take action to cancel the Firm’s Part 4A permission unless it

responds to the Notice in the manner specified in the directions to the Notice.

10. The Firm failed to respond to the Notice.

11. As a result of the matters specified above, on 31 October 2024, the Authority gave the Firm the

Further Notice which stated that:

(a) the Authority considered that the Firm is carrying on no regulated activity to which

its Part 4A permission relates; and

(b) the Authority proposes to cancel the Firm’s Part 4A permission unless the Firm

takes the steps specified in the directions to the Further Notice.

12. The Firm failed to take the steps specified in the Further Notice.

CANCELLATION OF PART 4A PERMISSION

13. From the facts and matters described above, and having regard to paragraph 1(3) of Schedule

6A to the Act, the Authority considers that the Firm is carrying on no regulated activity to which
its Part 4A permission relates. The Authority has therefore decided to cancel the Firm’s Part 4A
permission. The cancellation of the Firm’s Part 4A permission takes effect on the date of this
Notice of Decision.

14. The statutory and regulatory provisions relevant to this Notice of Decision are set out in the

Annexes.

PROCEDURAL MATTERS

15. This Notice of Decision is given to the Firm under paragraph 3 of Schedule 6A to the Act (variation

or cancellation of Part 4A permission on initiative of FCA: additional power).

The following paragraphs are important.

Annulment of the Authority’s decision

16. If the Firm is aggrieved by the decision to cancel its Part 4A permission as set out in this Notice

of Decision, the Firm may make an application for an annulment of the Authority’s decision under
paragraph 4 of Schedule 6A to the Act.

17. The Firm must submit a completed application for an annulment of the Authority's decision to the

Authority by 28 November 2024 and in the manner specified by the Authority.

The Tribunal

18. The Firm does not have a right to refer the decision to give this Notice of Decision to the Tribunal.

19. The Authority intends to publish such information about the matter to which this Notice of

Decision relates as the Authority considers appropriate. The information may be published in such
manner as the Authority considers appropriate.

20. For more information concerning this matter generally, the Firm should contact Kevin

Toskaj (direct line: 0113 541 2141).

Aniqah Rafi
Enforcement and Market Oversight Division

ANNEX ON CANCELLATION OF PART 4A PERMISSION

ON INITIATIVE OF FCA: ADDITIONAL POWER

RELEVANT STATUTORY PROVISIONS

1. The Authority’s operational objectives established in section 1B of the Act include protecting and

enhancing the integrity of the UK financial system and securing an appropriate degree of
protection for consumers.

2. The Authority is authorised by paragraphs 1(1) and (2) of Schedule 6A to the Act to cancel an

Authority-authorised person’s Part 4A permission, if it appears to the Authority that the Authority-
authorised person is carrying on no regulated activity to which the permission relates.

3. Paragraph 1(3) of Schedule 6A of the Act provides that the circumstances in which the Authority

may form the view that an Authority-authorised person is carrying on no regulated activity include
(but are not limited to) circumstances where the person fails—

(a) to pay any periodic fee or levy as is required by the Handbook, or

(b) to provide such information to the Authority as is required by the Handbook.

4. The Authority must exercise its power to cancel an Authority–authorised person’s Part 4A

permission using its additional own initiative power in accordance with the procedure set out in
paragraph 2 of Schedule 6A to the Act.

RELEVANT HANDBOOK PROVISIONS

5. In exercising its power to cancel an Authority–authorised person’s Part 4A permission, the

Authority must have regard to the regulatory requirements and guidance published in the
Handbook and in regulatory guides, such as EG. The main considerations relevant to the action
stated in this Notice of Decision are set out below.

Relevant Rules

6. FEES 4.2.1R requires that:

“A person shown in column (1) of the table in FEES 4.2.11 R as the relevant fee payer
must pay each periodic fee applicable to it, calculated in accordance with the provisions
referred to in column (2) of the applicable table, as adjusted by any relevant provision
in this chapter:

(1)
in full and without deduction (unless permitted or required by a provision in
FEES); and

(2)
on or before the date given in column (3) of that table, unless FEES 4.2.10 R
applies.”

7. FEES 4.3.1R states that:

“The periodic fee payable by a firm (except an AIFM qualifier, ICVC or a UCITS qualifier)
is:

(1)
each periodic fee applicable to it calculated in accordance with FEES 4.3.3 R,
using information obtained in accordance with FEES 4.4; plus

(1A)
any periodic fee applicable to it calculated in accordance with FEES 4.3.3A R
using information relating to its UK business obtained in accordance
with FEES 4.4 (or by other means in the case of the Bank of England); less

(2)
any deductions from the periodic fee specified in Part 2 of FEES 4 Annex 2AR
or Part 7 of FEES 4 Annex 11R.”

8. FEES 5.7.1R requires that:

“A firm must pay annually to the [Authority] the general levy on or before the later of
1 April and 30 calendar days after the date when the invoice is issued by the
[Authority].”

9. FEES 6.7.1R requires that:

“A participant firm that is not within FEES 6.7.1R, must pay its share of any levy made
by the FSCS in one payment”.

10. FEES 6.7.3R states that:

“A participant firm's share of a levy to which FEES 6.7.1R applies is due on, and payable
within 30 days of, the date when the invoice is issued.”

11. FEES 7A.3.1R requires that:

“A firm must pay the SFGB money advice levy or SFGB debt advice levy applicable to
it:

(1) in full and without deduction (unless permitted or required by a provision in FEES);

and

(2) by 1 August or, if later, within 30 days of the date of the invoice in the fee year to

which that sum relates.

12. FEES 13.2.1R requires that:

“A firm must pay each IML levy applicable to it:

(1) in full and without deduction by 1 August (or, if later, within 30 days of the date

of the invoice) in the financial year to which the sum relates; and

(2) in accordance with the rules in this chapter.

13. SUP 16.3.11R requires that:

“A firm must submit reports required under this chapter to the [Authority] containing
all the information required.”

14. SUP 16.3.13R(1) requires that:

“A firm must submit a report required by this chapter in the frequency, and so as to be
received by the [Authority] no later than the due date, specified for that report.”

15. SUP 16.3.13R(4) states that:

“If the due date for submission of a report required by this chapter is a set period of
time after the end of a half-year, a quarter, or a month, the dates will be determined
by (a) or (b) below except where otherwise indicated:

(a) the firm's accounting reference date;

(b) monthly, 3 monthly or 6 months after the firm's accounting reference date, as the

case may be.”

16. The Firm falls within RAG 12. A firm’s RAG dictates specific reporting requirements for that firm,

based on regulated activities which the firm has permission to carry on and arise from the rules
contained in SUP, which stipulates the data item or regulatory report, frequency and the date by
which the relevant data item or regulatory report is required to be submitted. The reporting
requirements relevant to the Firm are set out in the rules specified in paragraph 7 of this Notice
of Decision.

17. SUP 16.10.4R specifies that:

“(1) Within 60 business days of its accounting reference date, a firm must check the
accuracy of its firm details through the relevant section of the [Authority] website.

(3) If any of the details are incorrect, the firm must submit the corrected firm details
to the [Authority] using the appropriate form set out in SUP 15 Ann 3 and in accordance
with SUP 16.10.4AR.”

18. SUP 16.10.4AR(1) specifies that:

“A firm must submit any corrected firm details under SUP 16.10.4R(3) using the
appropriate online systems accessible through the [Authority’s] website.”

19. SUP 16.10.4AAR, which applies where, in complying with SUP 16.10.4R(1), a firm does not need

to submit corrected firm details under SUP 16.10.4R(3), specifics that:

“(2) Within 60 business days of its accounting reference date, a firm must submit a
report to the [Authority] confirming that the firm details which it has checked under
SUP 16.10.4R(1) remain accurate, using the appropriate online systems accessible
through the [Authority’s] website.”

Guidance concerning the use of the Authority’s additional power to cancel an
authorised firm’s Part 4A permission on its own initiative

20. Guidance on the use of the Authority’s power to cancel an Authority-authorised person’s Part 4A

permissions on its own initiative under Schedule 6A to the Act is set out in SUP and EG.

21. EG 8.5.2A states that the Authority may cancel the Part 4A permission of a firm that is an

Authority-authorised person, under Schedule 6A of the Act, if:

(1) it appears to the Authority that the firm is carrying on no regulated activity to

which the permission relates; and

(2) the firm has failed to respond as directed by the Authority to notices served by the

Authority to the firm under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6A.

22. EG 8.5.2A also states that Schedule 6A specifies that the Authority may form the view that a firm

is carrying on no such regulated activity on the basis of its failure to pay a periodic fee or levy or
provide information to the Authority, in each case as required by the Handbook.

23. SUP sets out further guidance on the Authority’s power under Schedule 6A of the Act. In

particular, SUP 7.2.2AG states that the Authority may decide to cancel an Authority-authorised
person’s Part 4A permission using its powers under Schedule 6A of the Act:

(1) if that person appears to the Authority not to be carrying on any regulated activity
to which the permission relates , including, without restriction, if the person has failed
to :

(a) pay a periodic fee or levy under the Handbook; or

(b) provide the Authority with information required under the Handbook; and

(2) if that person, when served by the Authority with two notices under paragraph 2

of Schedule 6A of the Act, has not:

(a) responded in the manner directed, in those notices or otherwise, by the

Authority; nor

(b) taken other steps as may also be directed by the Authority;

the second of which notices will specify the effective date of the proposed
cancellation.

24. SUP 7.2.2DG states that:

(1) the Authority’s additional own-initiative variation power under Schedule 6A to the

Act (which includes the power to cancel the Part 4A permission of an Authority-
authorised firm under Schedule 6A of the Act and references to “additional own-
initiative variation power in the remainder of this Notice of Decision should be read
as such) has, unlike the Authority’s own-initiative variation power under section
55J of the Act, a single basis: that it appears to the Authority that the relevant
Authority-authorised person is not carrying on any regulated activity to which its
Part 4A permission relates.

(2) if the Authority uses its additional own-initiative variation power, it is therefore

more likely to cancel the relevant firm’s Part 4A permission, rather than merely
varying it by removing or amending the description of one or more such activities
or by imposing one or more limitations.

(3) the Authority will, however, consider all relevant facts and circumstances,

including, without restriction:

(a) the relevant firm’s responses, if any, to the notices given by the Authority

under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6A; and

(b) if applicable, the factors described in SUP 6.4.22G, including whether there

are any matters relating to the firm requiring investigation,

before deciding whether to use its additional own-initiative variation power and whether to
use it to cancel or vary.

25. SUP 7.2.7G(1) states that a firm has no right of referral to the Tribunal in respect of the Authority

exercising its additional own-initiative variation power, under Schedule 6A to the Act, on the
Authority-authorised firm’s Part 4A permission.