Legal entity types
Use this guide to identify the legal entity type that best describes the organisation making the application. The entity type should reflect the organisation’s legal structure and regulatory status, rather than simply its business activity. If more than one definition appears relevant, refer to the organisation’s constitutional or registration documents.
Important: These summaries are intended to help identification. They do not replace the full legal or due-diligence definitions used during verification.
- Regulated or registered occupational pension scheme:
An employer-sponsored pension scheme providing retirement benefits to employees, including defined benefit, defined contribution and hybrid schemes regulated or registered in the UK or Ireland. - Local authority pension scheme
A public-sector pension scheme established by legislation and administered by a local authority or regional pension fund, rather than through a trust. - Regulated or registered personal pension scheme
A personal pension arrangement set up by an individual, including stakeholder pensions and self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs). - Small Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS)
A small occupational pension scheme, usually for company directors or senior employees, whose members commonly act as trustees and control the scheme's investments. - Overseas, unregistered or unregulated pension arrangement
A pension arrangement that is not registered as a UK tax-registered pension scheme, or an overseas arrangement such as a QROPS or QNUPS. - Regulated financial institution
An authorised financial institution or regulated professional firm investing its own money, including regulated limited partnerships and certain regulated legal or accountancy firms. - Listed public company
A company whose shares are listed on a recognised main stock exchange, including certain majority-owned subsidiaries of listed companies. - Private corporate
A privately owned incorporated business whose shares are not publicly traded, including overseas companies, Scottish partnerships and LLPs not covered by a professional-firm category. - Collective investment scheme or fund of funds
An investment fund or pooled vehicle that invests for a defined objective, including a fund of funds, limited partnership or authorised contractual scheme (ACS). - Custodian
A financial institution that safeguards and administers assets for another institution, fund or investor, including holding securities and recording asset and cash movements. - Nominee with a regulated or listed parent
An organisation that holds investments in its name on behalf of others and is regulated, or is owned by a regulated or listed parent. - Corporate trustee or trustee with a regulated parent
An organisation providing professional trustee or fiduciary services that is directly regulated, or whose parent organisation is regulated. - Distributor
A regulated intermediary appointed to market or distribute investment funds or products to investors under an agreement with the management company. - Investment platform
An online service through which advisers or investors can buy, hold, manage and switch investments from one or more investment managers. - Professional services firm, incorporated but not FCA-regulated
An incorporated professional practice, commonly an LLP, such as a law, accountancy, architectural, surveying, dental, veterinary or medical firm that is not FCA-regulated. - Other entity subject to statutory regulation
A non-listed organisation overseen by a statutory regulator outside financial services, for example in telecommunications, broadcasting or postal services. - Nominee with an unregulated parent
An organisation that holds assets or shares in its name on behalf of others where neither it nor its parent organisation is regulated. - Trustee with an unregulated parent
An organisation that acts as trustee and holds assets for an underlying pension scheme or trust, where neither it nor its parent organisation is regulated. - Trust
An arrangement in which assets are held by one or more trustees for beneficiaries and the trust does not have its own separate legal personality, including lifetime and will trusts. - Incorporated registered charity
An incorporated and registered charity, such as a charitable company or Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), normally appearing on the Charity Commission register and potentially at Companies House. - Unincorporated registered charity or charitable trust
A charity registered with the Charity Commission but not incorporated, such as a charitable trust or unincorporated charitable association. - Unregistered charity
An organisation operating for charitable purposes that is not registered with the Charity Commission, although it may be recognised by HMRC for charity tax purposes. - Public-sector body or local authority
A government department, local authority, council, public service organisation, state-funded school or other body created or funded for a public purpose. - State-owned entity
An organisation wholly or majority owned by a government, including many central banks, reserve banks and monetary authorities. - Sovereign wealth fund
A government-owned investment fund that invests national reserves or other state assets for the long-term benefit of the country and its citizens. - Independent school, college or university
A privately owned and funded education provider that is not applying as a registered charity or trust. - Club or society
An unincorporated, not-for-profit membership organisation formed by people with a shared interest or purpose that is not applying as a registered charity or trust. - Partnership or unincorporated business
A business carried on for profit by two or more people that is not incorporated, including general, ordinary and business partnerships. - UK church or place of worship
An unincorporated church, faith body or place of worship that is not applying as a registered charity or trust, including an organisation excepted from charity registration. - Parochial Church Council
The governing body of a Church of England parish that is not applying as a registered charity or trust. - Foundation
A foundation without separate legal personality, usually funded by one founder or a small number of founders to support charitable purposes. - Sole trader
A self-employed individual running a business that has no separate legal identity from them.