Spectre of £400m compensation bill looms as FSCS values Harlequin at nil

Laura Miller
clock

Financial advisers could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of pounds after the latest twist in the Harlequin saga in which the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has written down the value of the investment to nil.

In a document from the FSCS seen by Professional Adviser, dated 12 February and marked ‘compensation calculation', the body lists the value of a Harlequin Property investment as £0.00. A FSCS spokesperson confirmed the decision. "Where applicable we will disregard the residual value in respect of Harlequin investments," they said. The move opens the floodgates for the FSCS to pay the thousands of Harlequin investors compensation on the full amount they put into the unregulated scheme, up to a £50,000 limit. With around £400m originally invested in Harlequin, the compensation bil...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Investment

Consultancy launches to provide IFAs with 'robust' investment processes

Consultancy launches to provide IFAs with 'robust' investment processes

Sheridan Admans launches Infundly

Isabel Baxter
clock 06 November 2025 • 1 min read
Inflation protection not front of mind for financial advisers

Inflation protection not front of mind for financial advisers

Titan Square Mile report suggests

Jen Frost
clock 04 November 2025 • 3 min read
Trick or treat? The UK and global economy face their Halloween ghosts

Trick or treat? The UK and global economy face their Halloween ghosts

‘Wealth managers and market professionals are tiptoeing past economic graveyards’

Stephen Jones
clock 31 October 2025 • 4 min read