UK Finance has announced a new way to notify financial services providers of changes to professional legal delegate support effective from 6 April 2026.
Professional legal delegates provide valuable support to a portfolio of clients and when there is a change in personnel, it is important that all relevant parties are informed in a timely manner.
Regrettably, often the first notification a financial services firm receives that there has been a change in the professional legal delegate for a particular customer, is when the new legal delegate requests to undertake a transaction which cannot be carried out as there is no record of them having authority to act on their client’s behalf.
To improve outcomes for consumers, UK Finance has developed a protocol and accompanying form to be used by both financial services firms and local authorities/other professional organisations in scenarios where the individual acting as a professional legal delegate for a client(s) changes.
Timely implementation of a consistent process across the professional legal delegate and financial services sectors will deliver the following benefits:
- Financial Services firms will be able to directly advise what due diligence is required for the new authorised person;
- Changes will be actioned in a timely, efficient manner;
- Customer records will be up to date;
- There will be no delays when delegates wish to transact on their client’s behalf; and
- Most importantly it will result in improved customer outcomes.
The protocol outlines a step-by-step process which will be effective from 6 April 2026.
The PDF is pleased to have worked alongside the following professional bodies who have supported the development of this new process:
- The Association of Lifetime Lawyers
- The Association of Public Authority Deputies
- The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Access more information via UK Finance: https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/policy-and-guidance/guidance/notification-changes-professional-legal-delegate
