Context
The FCA has launched what it refers to as its “new and improved Handbook website”. This has now formally replaced the previous version of the Handbook. Firms should note that it is not the Handbook content which has been updated or replaced, it is merely the website platform it sits on and its layout and design. This is part of the FCA’s strategy to be a smarter regulator.
Key points to note and next actions
The FCA has published how-to guides and FAQs. The new website has all the features users are familiar with, but makes it easier to:
- navigate and find the information you need;
- understand the connections between FCA rules; and
- compare different versions of Handbook text to see what has been added or deleted over time.
Key points on the new Handbook website:
- The structure and content remain the same. This means that the FCA’s use of terminology remains in place. The use of terms such as ‘taxonomy’, therefore, will remain (‘taxonomy’ means a system for naming and organising things – particularly plants and animals – into groups that share similar qualities).
- The FCA expects to fully launch the new Handbook website later in the year. Firms can access the old Handbook website (legacyhandbook.fca.org.uk) for a short period, while the FCA makes sure the new site works as expected.
- If firms or individuals have an account on the old Handbook website, they will need to create an account on the new Handbook website. This will enable them to ‘favourite’ key parts of the Handbook and sign up to alerts. Any links which have been bookmarked or saved will be automatically redirected to the new site.
- Users can also provide feedback.