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The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will require all banks, building societies and credit unions to prominently display posters and stickers in branches and on websites explaining which deposit guarantee scheme applies to their customers’ deposits. These rules will take effect from 31 August this year.

If customers are using the UK branch of a foreign bank from the European Economic Area, (EEA), the posters will have to set out that those customers are not covered by the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). In this case they would have to specify which national scheme will provide protection.

Andrew Bailey, FSA director of UK banks and building societies:

“Customers need to feel confident about their money and to do this they need to know what the compensation limits are and which scheme would provide cover in the event of a bank, building society or credit union failure.

“Too many people assume that because their branch is located on a local high street in the UK, they are covered by the FSCS. This is not true for UK branches of EEA banks where the home country’s deposit guarantee scheme applies.

“Banks, building societies and credit unions will have to display these compensation stickers or posters in the branch window along with a sticker at the cashier’s window or desk and a further poster in a prominent position inside.”  

The following wording has been prescribed by the FSA.

UK and non-EEA banks (including EEA subsidiaries):

• For deposit takers with a single brand/ trading name

Your eligible deposits with insert name of firm are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's deposit protection scheme. Any deposits you hold above the £85,000 limit are not covered.

• For deposit takers with multiple brands/ trading names:

Your eligible deposits with insert name of firm are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's deposit protection scheme. This limit is applied to the total of any deposits you have with the following: insert names of brands as appropriate. Any total deposits you hold above the £85,000 limit between these brands are not covered. 

• Optional wording for Credit Unions with a single brand/ trading name:

 “Your eligible deposits are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's deposit protection scheme. Any deposits you hold above the £85,000 limit are not covered.

UK branches of EEA banks:

• Single brand/ trading name banks                     

“Your eligible deposits with insert name of firm are protected up to a total of 100,000 euro by insert name of compensation scheme the insert home state of scheme deposit protection scheme and are not protected by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Any deposits you hold above the 100,000 euro limit are not covered.

• Multiple brands/ trading names Banks:

“Your eligible deposits with insert name of firm are protected up to a total of 100,000 euro by insert name of compensation scheme the insert home state of scheme deposit protection scheme and are not protected by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This limit is applied to the total of any deposits you have with the following: insert names of brands as appropriate. Any total deposits above the 100,000 euro limit are not covered.

Notes for editors

1. The policy statement.
2. Eligible depositors in banks that are incorporated in the UK, including the UK incorporated subsidiaries of foreign banks, are covered by the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to a limit of £85,000.
   
   • Eligible depositors in banks that are incorporated outside the European Economic Area (EEA) but authorised by us to accept deposits in the UK as a branch are also covered by the FSCS up to a limit of £85,000.
   • Under European law, eligible depositors in a bank that is based in the EEA – which includes the EU member states, plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein – and that operate in the UK as a branch, are protected by the deposit guarantee scheme provided by the bank’s home country and not by the FSCS.

3. We have updated our content on foreign banks and deposit protection.
   • A list of the banks protected by the FSCS can be found on the FSA website.
   • A list of the banks covered by their home / EEA state’s compensation scheme can also be found on the FSA website.

4. The FSA regulates the financial services industry and has four objectives under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000: maintaining market confidence; securing the appropriate degree of protection for consumers; fighting financial crime; and contributing to the protection and enhancement of the stability of the UK financial system.
5. The FSA will be replaced by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority in 2013. The Financial Services Bill currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny is expected to receive Royal Assent by the end of 2012.