What is the difference between targeted support and regulated financial advice?

From 6 April 2026, the FCA introduced a new middle ground between generic guidance and full regulated advice, called targeted support.

Generic guidance is information available to anyone — for example, a factsheet explaining how pensions work. It is useful but deliberately general, so it cannot tell you what to do in your specific situation.

Targeted support sits one step up. It allows certain authorised firms to make suggestions to groups of customers who share common characteristics — for example, people in a similar age range and pension pot size who have not yet accessed their savings. The suggestion is more specific than a leaflet, but it does not require the firm to carry out a full assessment of your individual circumstances. Not every firm has permission to offer targeted support; it requires a specific FCA authorisation.

Regulated financial advice goes further still. A qualified, FCA-authorised adviser assesses your full personal situation — your income, goals, debts, tax position, family circumstances — and makes a recommendation tailored specifically to you. This is the most personalised form of help and carries the strongest consumer protections, including access to the Financial Ombudsman Service if something goes wrong.

In short: guidance informs, targeted support suggests to people in similar situations, and regulated advice recommends based on your individual picture.

For a recommendation based on your own circumstances, speak to a regulated independent financial adviser.