Low impact amendments – open consultations
Low Impact Amendments Consultation - October 2025 (LIAC02/25)
Please provide any comments on the proposed changes set out below to LIAP@bankofengland.co.uk by 13 November 2025.
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Please also indicate in your response if you consider any of the proposals in this consultation paper are likely to impact persons who share protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, and if so, please explain which groups and what the impact on such groups might be.
Conditional disapplication of the PRA General Provisions to give effect to the deference arrangements under the UK Swiss-Berne Financial Services Agreement
Consultation end date: 13 November 2025
Proposed implementation date: December 2025
The PRA proposes the conditional disapplication of PRA rules to give effect to the deference arrangements under the UK-Swiss Berne Financial Services Agreement (BFSA). This is to ensure that the PRA Rulebook reflects the UK’s international commitments under the BFSA, which is due to come into force in early 2026.
In particular, Annex 5 Section VIIII.A.1.b of the BFSA provides that Swiss Covered Financial Services Suppliers are relieved from any obligation to comply with the authorisation and certain prudential measures of the UK that apply solely to financial services suppliers.
In their current formulation, some PRA rules would apply to some Swiss firms providing services to UK customers under the BFSA (covered Swiss firms), which would not be consistent with the BFSA when it comes into force. The PRA is proposing a rule in the General Provisions Part of the PRA Rulebook that would disapply any PRA rule to the extent it is contrary to the BFSA.
The PRA considers that the proposed rule will have limited impact. PRA rules do not apply to covered Swiss firms that are not PRA authorised, but covered Swiss firms that also have a UK branch may be authorised by the PRA. If they are PRA-authorised, most PRA rules apply to such firms in respect of the activities carried out from its UK establishment(s), so will not affect the covered Swiss firms’ BFSA activities – since these must be carried out from Switzerland.
Those PRA rules which apply to overseas firms on a whole entity basis could apply to BFSA activity. Under these proposals, such rules, in particular, the Fundamental Rules and the notifications and information gathering parts of the PRA Rulebook would be disapplied to the extent they are contrary to the BFSA. Covered Swiss firms are still expected to comply with such rules in respect of their non-BFSA activities, including where decisions or activities have an impact on both BFSA and non-BFSA activities.
If implemented, this proposal would provide legal certainty for relevant BFSA firms and ensure PRA rules are compatible with BFSA.
Amendment to the Transitional Measure on Technical Provisions Part of the PRA Rulebook, TMTP Calculation, Rule 5.2
Consultation end date: 13 November 2025
Proposed implementation date: December 2025
Rule 5.1 of the Transitional Measure on Technical Provisions (TMTP) part of the PRA Rulebook states that a firm must calculate its TMTP to satisfy .
The PRA proposes to make a minor amendment to the formula defining Wr (an amount calculated to increase the rate of run-off of TMTP) in Rule 5.2 of the TMTP Part of the PRA Rulebook. This change is being made to better align the runoff of the TMTP to the original policy intent and improve consistency between firms reporting on annual and quarterly bases.
The PRA proposes that firms should apply the new formula for ‘Wr’ from 31 December 2025 onwards, using existing W values as calculated with the previous formula for ‘Wq’ where applicable, rather than recalculating prior figures retrospectively or restating previously reported results.
This straightforward approach would avoid any disproportionate need to establish more complex transitional rules, allowing the change to be implemented ahead of year-end 2025 calculations. It is not expected to lead to materially different results compared to an alternative of recalculating prior W values.
Amendment to the Insurance Special Purpose Vehicle Part of the PRA Rulebook, Solvency Requirements, Rule 2.2A(3)
Consultation end date: 13 November 2025
Proposed implementation date: December 2025
The PRA proposes to amend the ‘no co-mingling’ requirement in Rule 2.2A(3) of the Solvency Requirements in the Insurance Special Purpose Vehicle (ISPV) Part of the PRA Rulebook, to introduce a limited exception (rule 2.2B) permitting single investors to support multiple risk transformation transactions that are part of a single contractual arrangement.
This exception would reflect a common market practice in the collateralised reinsurance segment of the insurance linked securities (ILS) market. The proposal would not create any material additional risks as the UK ISPV would still be subject to all existing PRA requirements applicable to each risk transformation transaction, including being fully funded at all times, ensuring effective risk transfer, and that the claims of the investor are at all times subordinated to the claims of the cedant. Current UK ISPV reporting requirements still apply.
If there ceases to be a sole investor, the exception in Rule 2.2B would no longer apply and the UK ISPV would need to ensure compliance with Rule 2.2A(3).
The PRA proposes to amend Supervisory Statement (SS)2/25: Prudential considerations for insurance and reinsurance undertakings when transferring risk to Special Purpose Vehicles to reflect this exception, including how a UK ISPV might comply with other ongoing requirements whilst benefitting from it.
Subject to consultation, the PRA considers that these clarifications pose no significant risk to the PRA’s primary objective. Moreover, aligning with common market practice in collateralised reinsurance and enabling more efficient long-term investor relations may further the PRA’s secondary competitiveness and growth objective.
- Draft PRA Rulebook: Solvency II Firms: Insurance Special Purpose Vehicles Instrument (no2) [2025] (pdf)
- Draft amendments to SS2/25: Prudential considerations for insurance and reinsurance undertakings when transferring risk to Special Purpose Vehicles (pdf)
Miscellaneous amendments to the PRA Rulebook
Consultation end date: 13 November 2025
Proposed implementation date: December 2025
The PRA is proposing a collection of miscellaneous low impact amendments to the following parts of the PRA Rulebook to ensure its accuracy:
- The Glossary Part. The PRA proposes amending the definition of ‘Swiss Treaty Agreement’ in the PRA Rulebook Glossary by updating it to reference the current agreement between the UK and Swiss Confederation on direct general insurance.
- The Fundamental Rules Part. The PRA proposes deleting the definition of a ’branch’ in Rule 1.2 of the Application and Definitions Chapter. This term was previously used in Fundamental Rule 3.1(2) but the reference was removed by the Liquidity Standards Consequentials Instrument 2015. The remainder of Rule 3.1 has since been revoked, rendering the definition of a ‘branch’ in Rule 1.2 redundant.
- General Provisions Part. The PRA proposes deleting definitions referring to Temporary Permissions Regime (TPR) firms from Rule 1.2 of the Application and Definitions Chapter and from Rule 3.2 of the Disclosure to Retail Clients Chapter. The TPR was a transitional arrangement following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, running from January 2021 to December 2023. All firms were removed from the regime over that three-year period. This means that the concept of a TPR firm is no longer applicable, and the related definitions are redundant.
- Interpretation Part. Rule 1.1 of the Interpretation Part currently lists who the Part applies to. The PRA considers this list unnecessary and potentially confusing, as the Interpretation Part is intended to apply to all rules within the PRA Rulebook. The PRA therefore proposes deleting the list and clarifying that the part applies to every person that any rule in the PRA Rulebook applies to.
- Notifications Part. Rule 1.1A(2) of the Notifications Part (application to CRR consolidation entities) refers to Rule 2.3(4) but that rule does not exist in the Part. It should have referred to 2.3(A), which applies to CRR consolidation entities. The PRA therefore proposes to correct this typographical error in the rule.
- Policyholder Protection Part. The PRA also proposes deleting references to the TPR in the Policyholder Protection Part.