Ensuring fair treatment: Vulnerable Customers and the Vulnerability Registration Service

Date: 8 April 2025

Format: Recorded Webinar

Date: 8th April 2025

Time: 10:00 - 11:00

Hosted by: Jennifer Cahill - Associate Director, Cosegic and Helen Lord - CEO, Vulnerability Registration Service.

The FCA recently published the findings of its review on how firms treat customers in vulnerable circumstances, assessing whether existing guidance (FG21/1) remains appropriate under Consumer Duty. While the review highlights positive steps taken by firms, it also identifies areas requiring improvement, as vulnerable customers continue to experience poorer outcomes compared to others. Our upcoming webinar, hosted by Jennifer Cahill - Associate Director, Cosegic will explore the review’s key findings, the challenges firms face and how they can meet regulatory expectations.

We will also be joined by Helen Lord, CEO of the Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS). The VRS is a not-for-profit organisation which provides vulnerable customers with a way of sharing information about their circumstances with financial services firms. Vulnerable people can register their status with the VRS, helping them to avoid repeating the same conversations every time they engage with firms such as lenders and creditors. During the webinar, Helen will discuss what the VRS does and how they can help firms to identify vulnerable customers to ensure that they are treated appropriately and fairly.

We will conclude the webinar with a 15 minute Q&A, which allows attendees to submit questions for our speakers.

Agenda

What the FCA's review found
A clear understanding of best practice when it comes to dealing with vulnerable customers
The risks of not adhering and the benefits of best practice
How the VRS can help firms identify vulnerable customers
Q&A

Speakers

Jennifer Cahill - Associate Director, Cosegic

Jennifer is an Associate Director at Cosegic. She has significant experience in advising clients and conducting assurance reviews on a variety of topics including governance frameworks, compliance effectiveness, conflicts of interest, systems and controls, and authorisation applications. She has also supported clients in implementing key regulatory changes, including SMCR and Consumer Duty.

Helen Lord - CEO, Vulnerability Registration Service

Helen Lord is the CEO of Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS). Helen is the thought-leader on the subject of vulnerability. Helen is involved with media, speaking, educating and advising, and is the VRS’s chief consumer spokesperson.

As well as being the industry-leading authority on vulnerability, Helen also has vast knowledge and experience of consumer affairs, fraud and consumer credit-related issues.

Helen has previously worked to help organisations comply with their data protection obligations, particularly in implementing GDPR changes. Helen worked for Experian for 20 years, was their Director of Compliance, Fraud and Consumer Affairs and managed Experian’s consumer-facing team for much of her career.

She has headed up a 130+ strong Consumer Help Service team handling credit report and related queries ensuring Data Protection and Consumer Credit Act compliance and set up the UK’s largest credit report monitoring and fraud prevention service and initiated the UK’s first Victim of Fraud Service.

Helen has been responsible for developing highly respected education and financial literacy programmes and is a media trained spokesperson on consumer and fraud-related issues.