# The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Ring-fenced Bodies and Core Activities) Order 2014

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U.K.

Statutory Instruments

# 2014 No. 1960

Banks And Banking

# The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Ring-fenced Bodies and Core Activities) Order 2014

Made

23rd July 2014

Coming into force

1st January 2015

The Treasury, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 142A(2)(b), 142B(2), 142F and 428(3) of the Financial Services                           and Markets Act 2000 F1, make the following Order.                        

In accordance with section 142Z of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, a draft of this Order has been laid before                           Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.                        

F12000 c. 8. Sections 142A to 142Z1 were inserted into the Act by the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, section 4.

## **PART 1**U.K.General

### Citation, commencement and interpretationU.K.

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Ring-fenced Bodies and Core Activities) Order 2014.                  

(2) This Order comes into force on 1st January 2015.

(3) In this Order—

“account holder” means any person who has an account with an institution which carries on the activity of accepting deposits;                  

“the 2000 Act” means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000;                  

“the 2006 Act” means the Companies Act 2006 F2;                  

“charity” has the meaning given in section 1 of the Charities Act 2011 F3, section 106 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 F4 or section 1 of the Charities (Northern Ireland) Act 2008 F5;                  

“CIO” means a body constituted and registered as a charitable incorporated organisation under Part 11 of the Charities Act 2011                     or Part 11 of the Charities (Northern Ireland) Act 2008, or as a Scottish charitable incorporated organisation under Part                     1 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005;                  

“company” has the meaning in section 1 of the 2006 Act;                  

“core deposit” has the meaning given in article 2(2);                  

“declaration of eligibility” has the meaning given in article 9(1);                  

“deposit” has the meaning given in article 5 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 F6;                  

“eligible individual” has the meaning given in article 9(1);                  

“excluded activities and prohibitions order” means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Excluded Activities and Prohibitions) Order 2014 F7;                  

“financial year”—

in relation to a company, has the meaning given in section 390 of the 2006 Act,

in relation to a limited liability partnership has the meaning given in section 390 of the 2006 Act as modified by regulation                              7 of the Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008 F8,                           

in relation to an organisation which is—

a charity or a CIO, and

is not a company,

has the meaning given in regulation 3 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 F9,                           

in relation to a registered society—

if that society was registered on or after 8th January 2012, means a year of account for that society as defined in section                                       77 of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 F10,                                    

if that society was registered on or before 7th January 2012 , means a year of account for that society as defined in section                                       78 of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014,                                    

in relation to a Northern Ireland industrial and provident society, means a year of account as defined in section 101(1) of                              the Industrial and Provident Societies Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 F11,                           

in relation to a Northern Ireland credit union, means a year of account as defined in Article 2(2) of the Credit Unions (Northern                              Ireland) Order 1985 F12,                           

in relation to a society registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1974 F13, means a year of account as defined in section 111 of that Act,                           

in relation to a society incorporated in accordance with section 6(1) of the Friendly Societies Act 1992 F14, has the meaning given in section 118 of that Act,                           

in relation to any other organisation—

if that organisation is required to prepare a profit and loss account by its constitution or by the law under which it is                                       established, means any period in respect of which it is required to prepare such a profit and loss account,                                    

if that organisation is not required to prepare a profit and loss account, means any year commencing on the 1st January;

“limited liability partnership” means a body incorporated under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 F15;                  

“Northern Ireland credit union” means a credit union as defined in Article 2(2) of the Credit Unions (Northern Ireland) Order 1985;                  

“Northern Ireland industrial and provident society” means a society registered or deemed to be registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act (Northern Ireland)                     1969;                  

“public body” means any person certain of whose functions are functions of a public nature;                  

“qualifying organisation” has the meaning given in article 3(1);                  

“qualifying organisation declaration” has the meaning given in article 3(1);                  

“qualifying group member” has the meaning given in article 8(1);                  

“qualifying group member declaration” has the meaning given in article 8(1);                  

“quarter” means a period of three months;                  

“recognised accountant” means an accountant who is a member of—                  

the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales,

the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland,

the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland,

the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants,

the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants,

the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, or

a professional body for accountants established in a jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom;

“registered society” has the meaning given in section 1 of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014;                  

“securities” has the meaning given in section 14 of the Banking Act 2009 F16;                  

“UK deposit-taker” means an institution which carries on the regulated activity of accepting deposits in relation to which it has a permission                     under Part 4A of the 2000 Act.                  

F22006 c.46.

F32011 c. 25.

F42005 asp 10.

F52008 c. 12 (N.I.).

F6S.I. 2001/544.This article was amended by S.I. 2002/682.

F7S.I. 2014/[ ].

F8S.I. 2008/1911.

F9S.I. 2008/629.

F102014 c.14.

F111969 c. 24 (N.I.).

F12S.I. 1985/1205 (N.I. 12).

F131974 c. 46. There are amendments to section 111, but none are relevant to this Order.

F141992 c. 40.

F152000 c. 12. There are amendments to the Act, but none are relevant to this Order.

F162009 c. 1. Section 14 was amended by S.I. 2013/3115.

## **PART 2**U.K.Circumstances in which accepting a deposit is not a core activity

### Circumstances in which accepting a deposit is not a core activityU.K.

2.—(1) In relation to a UK deposit-taker, accepting a deposit is not a core activity unless the deposit is a core deposit.                  

(2) A deposit is a core deposit if it is held with the UK deposit-taker in an EEA account except where one or more of the account                     holders is—                  

(a)a relevant financial institution;                  

(b)a qualifying organisation;                  

(c)a qualifying group member; or                  

(d)an eligible individual.                  

(3) In this article—

(a)a reference to an account held with a UK deposit-taker is to an account provided by the institution as part of its activity                        of accepting deposits;                  

(b)an account is an EEA account if it was opened at a branch of the UK deposit-taker located in an EEA state;                  

(c)“branch” means a place of business that forms a legally dependent part of the UK deposit-taker and conducts directly all or some                        of the operations inherent in its business;                  

(d)“relevant financial institution” has the meaning given in the excluded activities and prohibitions order.                  

### Meaning of qualifying organisationU.K.

3.—(1) An organisation is a qualifying organisation in relation to a UK deposit-taker if it has given to that UK deposit-taker a                     declaration in accordance with paragraph (2) (a “qualifying organisation declaration”).                  

(2) A qualifying organisation declaration must—

(a)contain a statement signed and dated by or on behalf of the organisation giving the declaration (the “declaring organisation”)                        confirming that the organisation met the relevant qualifying condition in the relevant financial year; and                  

(b)be accompanied by either—                  

(i)a copy of the annual accounts prepared by that organisation for the relevant financial year, or                  

(ii)a statement signed and dated by a recognised accountant (a “confirming statement”) in accordance with article 6.                  

(3) The relevant qualifying condition is set out—

(a)in the case of a body corporate F17 or a partnership, in article 4;                  

(b)in the case of an organisation which is not a body corporate or a partnership, in article 5.                  

(4) For the purpose of this article, in relation to an organisation giving a qualifying organisation declaration to a UK deposit-taker,                     the relevant financial year is—                  

(a)the last complete financial year of that organisation that ended before the beginning of the financial year of that organisation                        in which the qualifying organisation declaration is being given; or                  

(b)if the declaration is being given by that organisation during its first financial year, the period—                  

(i)beginning at midnight at the end of the day before the day on which the organisation was first established, and                  

(ii)ending at midnight on a day which is not more than three months before the date of the qualifying organisation declaration.                  

(5) The date of a qualifying organisation declaration is the date given by the organisation making the declaration when that organisation                     dates the statement referred to in paragraph (2)(a).                  

F17“Body corporate” is defined in section 417(1) of the 2000 Act. There are amendments to that section, but none are relevant                              to this Order.

### Qualifying condition for a body corporate or a partnershipU.K.

4.—(1) The qualifying condition for a body corporate or a partnership is that during the relevant financial year that body or partnership                     met one or more of the criteria in table 1—                  

#### Table 1

(2) If the organisation has existed for less than one financial year, the maximum figure for turnover must be proportionately                     adjusted.                  

(3) The balance sheet total means—

(a)the aggregate of the amounts shown as assets in the organisation's balance sheet for the relevant financial year; or                  

(b)where the organisation is giving a qualifying organisation declaration during its first financial year and has not yet prepared                        a balance sheet, the aggregate of the amounts which would be shown as assets in a balance sheet prepared not more than six                        weeks before the date of that qualifying organisation declaration.                  

(4) The number of employees means the average number of persons employed (whether full-time or part-time) by the organisation                     in the relevant financial year, determined as follows—                  

(a)find for each month in the relevant financial year the number of persons employed under contracts of service by the organisation                        (whether throughout the month or not);                  

(b)add together the monthly totals; and                  

(c)divide by the number of months in the relevant financial year.                  

(5) In this article “turnover”, in relation to a body corporate or a partnership, means the amounts derived from the provision of goods and services falling                     within the ordinary activities of the body corporate or partnership (“the gross receipts”), after deduction of—                  

(a)trade discounts;                  

(b)value added tax; and                  

(c)any other taxes based on the gross receipts.                  

### Qualifying condition for an organisation which is not a body corporate or a partnershipU.K.

5.—(1) The qualifying condition for an organisation which is not a body corporate or a partnership is that the organisation's gross                     income for the relevant financial year was more than £6.5 million.                  

(2) In this article “gross income” means an organisation's gross income from all sources.                  

(3) For the purpose of paragraph (2)—

(a)the gross income of a charity or a CIO which—                  

(i)is not entered in the register of charities kept under section 3 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005                        F18 (“the Scottish Charity Register”), and                  

(ii)is a member of a group as defined in section 141 of the Charities Act 2011 or paragraph 1(5) of Schedule 6 to the Charities                        (Northern Ireland) Act 2008 F19                  

includes the gross income of any charity or CIO which is a member of the same group, and

(b)the gross income of a charity or a CIO which—                  

(i)is entered in the Scottish Charity Register, and                  

(ii)has one or more subsidiary undertakings (as defined by regulation 1(2) of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006)                        F20,                  

includes the gross income of any of those subsidiary undertakings which are charities or CIOs.

F182005 (asp 10).

F192008 c. 12 (N.I.).

F20S.S.I. 2006/218. There are amendments to regulation 1, but they are not relevant to this Order.

### Qualifying organisation declaration accompanied by a confirming statement: requirements for confirming statementU.K.

6.—(1) A confirming statement provided in accordance which article 3(2)(b)(ii) to accompany a qualifying organisation declaration                     (the “qualifying organisation declaration concerned”) must state that the recognised accountant signing the statement has                     reviewed—                  

(a)the annual accounts for the organisation giving the qualifying organisation declaration concerned for the relevant financial                        year; or,                  

(b)such other relevant information as the recognised accountant—                  

(i)is aware of at the time at which that recognised accountant is asked to give the confirming statement, or                  

(ii)requests from the organisation giving the qualifying organisation declaration concerned;                  

and that nothing has come to the recognised accountant's attention which suggests that the qualifying organisation declaration                     concerned is false.                  

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1)(b) relevant information is information which—

(a)in the case of a company or a partnership, concerns its turnover, balance sheet total or number of employees for the relevant                        financial year for the purposes of article 4; and                  

(b)in the case of any other organisation, concerns its gross income for the relevant financial year for the purposes of article                        5.                  

### Requirements concerning currency when qualifying organisation declaration accompanied by annual accountsU.K.

7.—(1) If an organisation gives to a UK deposit-taker a qualifying organisation declaration which is accompanied by annual accounts                     in accordance with article 3(2)(b)(i), those annual accounts must be—                  

(a)in sterling; or                  

(b)accompanied by a set of those annual accounts with figures converted into sterling.                  

(2) The conversion must be made by reference to an appropriate spot rate of exchange as at the last day of the period in respect                     of which the annual accounts are made up.                  

### Meaning of qualifying group memberU.K.

8.—(1) An organisation is a qualifying group member in relation to a UK deposit-taker if that organisation has provided to that UK                     deposit-taker a declaration in accordance with paragraph (2) (a “qualifying group member declaration”).                  

(2) A qualifying group member declaration must—

(a)contain a statement that the organisation giving the declaration is a member of the same group F21 as a qualifying organisation (the “relevant qualifying organisation”); and                  

(b)be either—                  

(i)accompanied by a declaration (a “supporting declaration”) which complies with paragraph (3), or                  

(ii)accepted by the UK deposit-taker to which the declaration is given without being accompanied by a supporting declaration,                        in accordance with paragraph (4).                  

(3) In relation to a qualifying group member declaration, a supporting declaration must consist of a qualifying organisation declaration                     for the relevant qualifying organisation which—                  

(a)has previously been provided to a UK deposit-taker (other than the UK deposit-taker to which the qualifying group member declaration                        is being given); or                  

(b)will accompany the qualifying group member declaration when that qualifying group member declaration is provided to the UK                        deposit-taker concerned.                  

(4) A UK deposit-taker may accept a qualifying group member declaration without a supporting declaration if, at the date on which                     it receives that qualifying group member declaration, it has previously received a qualifying organisation declaration for                     the relevant qualifying organisation.                  

F21“Group” is defined in section 421 of the 2000 Act.

### Meaning of eligible individualU.K.

9.—(1) An individual is an eligible individual in relation to a UK deposit-taker if—                  

(a)that individual has provided to that UK deposit-taker a statement complying with paragraph (2) (a “declaration of eligibility”);                        and                  

(b)that declaration of eligibility is—                  

(i)accompanied by a statement signed and dated by a recognised accountant in accordance with paragraph (5) (a “confirming statement”),                        or                  

(ii)accepted by the UK deposit-taker to which that declaration is given without a confirming statement, in accordance with paragraph                        (6).                  

(2) A declaration of eligibility must—

(a)confirm that the individual giving the declaration meets the condition in paragraph (3);                  

(b)specify the period in respect of which the individual giving the declaration has calculated that they meet the condition in                        paragraph (3) (the “eligibility calculation period”); and                  

(c)be signed and dated by the individual giving the declaration.                  

(3) The condition mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) is that on average during the eligibility calculation period the individual giving                     the declaration of eligibility held assets to the value of not less than £250,000, as calculated in accordance with article                     10.                  

(4) An eligibility calculation period specified in a declaration of eligibility in accordance with paragraph (2)(b) must be a                     period of twelve months ending on a day which falls not more than three months before the date of the declaration of eligibility                     in which it is specified.                  

(5) A confirming statement given in accordance with paragraph (1)(b)(i) must state that the recognised accountant signing the                     statement has reviewed—                  

(a)the declaration of eligibility; and                  

(b)any information relating to the assets on which the declaration of eligibility is based—                  

(i)of which the recognised accountant was aware at the time at which the recognised accountant was asked to make the confirming                        statement, or                  

(ii)which the recognised accountant has subsequently requested from the individual giving the declaration of eligibility,                  

and that nothing has come to the recognised accountant's attention which suggests that the declaration of eligibility is false.

(6) A UK deposit-taker may accept a declaration of eligibility without a confirming statement if it is satisfied that the declaration                     of eligibility is true.                  

(7) The date of a declaration of eligibility is the date given by the individual making the declaration when that individual dates                     the declaration.                  

### Declaration of eligibility: determining assets held by an individualU.K.

10.—(1) For the purpose of preparing a declaration of eligibility the assets of an individual (“A”) must be calculated as follows—                  

(a)at the end of each quarter in the eligibility calculation period calculate the value of such assets held by A as are necessary                        to demonstrate that A meets the condition specified in article 9(3) to give quarterly totals; and                  

(b)add the quarterly totals together and divide by four.                  

(2) For the purpose of calculating quarterly totals—

(a)any money on deposit in a joint bank account for which A is one of the account holders shall be treated as held by A alone;                  

(b)if A holds any other asset jointly with one or more other persons, A shall be treated as holding —                  

(i)a share of the asset determined in accordance with any agreement between the owners of the asset concerning the shares in                        which they hold the asset, or                  

(ii)if there is no such agreement, a share of the value of the asset which is equal to the total value of the asset concerned                        divided by the number of joint owners.                  

(3) In this article “assets”, in relation to an individual, means assets of one of the kinds mentioned in paragraph (5) which are held—                  

(a)by that individual as legal and beneficial owner, solely or jointly with others; or                  

(b)by another person for the benefit of that individual (solely or jointly with others) under a trust.                  

(4) For the purpose of paragraph (3)(b) assets which are held in a part of the United Kingdom other than England or Wales or in                     a country or territory outside the United Kingdom are to be regarded as held under a trust if they are held under an arrangement                     under the law of that part, country or territory which corresponds to a trust.                  

(5) The kinds of asset referred to in paragraph (3) are—

(a)money, including money held on deposit; or                  

(b)transferable securities as defined in Article 4.1(18) of the markets in financial instruments directive F22.                  

(6) In this article “joint bank account” means an account—                  

(a)opened in the name of two or more persons; or                  

(b)over which two or more persons have rights that are exercised by means of the signature of one or more of those persons.                  

(7) In this article, a reference to a quarter is a reference to any complete quarter falling within a core deposit calculation                     period for a UK deposit-taker.                  

F22The “markets in financial instruments directive” is defined in section 425(1)(a) of and paragraph 4C of Schedule 3 to the                              2000 Act. Paragraph 4C of Schedule 3 was inserted by, and section 425(1)(a) was amended, by S.I 2006/2975.

## **PART 3**U.K.Circumstances in which UK deposit-takers are not ring-fenced bodies

### Circumstances in which UK deposit-takers are not ring-fenced bodiesU.K.

11.—(1) A UK deposit-taker is not a ring-fenced body if—                  

(a)it carries out the regulated activity of effecting or carrying out contracts of insurance as principal in accordance with                        a permission under Part 4A of the 2000 Act;                  

(b)it is a registered society, a Northern Ireland industrial and provident society or a Northern Ireland credit union;                  

(c)it complies with the condition set out in paragraph (2) (the “relevant event condition”); or                  

(d)it complies with the condition set out in article 12 (the “core deposit level condition”).                  

(2) In relation to a UK deposit-taker, the relevant event condition is—

(a)that the UK deposit-taker would not be a ring-fenced body but for the occurrence of a relevant event; and                  

(b)not more than four years have passed since the date of that relevant event.                  

(3) In this article “relevant event”, in relation to a UK deposit-taker, means an event of one of the following kinds—                  

(a)as a result of a transfer effected by an instrument or order made under or in accordance with any provision of the Banking                        Act 2009 F23 the UK deposit-taker or a member of its group—                  

(i)acquires property, rights or liabilities from another institution, or                  

(ii)acquires securities issued by another institution;                  

(b)any other power conferred by or as a result of Part 1 of the Banking Act 2009 is exercised in relation to the UK deposit-taker.                  

F232009 c. 1.

### Core deposit level conditionU.K.

12.—(1) The core deposit level condition is that at any particular time (‘T’)—                  

(a)in the case of a UK deposit-taker which is not a member of a group, its average core deposit total is equal to or less than                        £25 billion;                  

(b)in the case of a UK deposit-taker which is a member of a group, the sum of the average core deposit totals for each member                        of the group that is a relevant group member is equal to or less than £25 billion.                  

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1)(b) a group member is a relevant group member if—

(a)it is a UK deposit-taker; and                  

(b)it does not carry out the regulated activity of effecting or carrying out contracts of insurance as principal in accordance                        with a permission under Part 4A of the 2000 Act.                  

(3) Subject to article 13, the average core deposit total for a UK deposit-taker is determined as follows—

(a)calculate the total core deposits held by the UK deposit-taker at the end of each quarter in the core deposit calculation                        period to produce quarterly totals; and                  

(b)add those quarterly totals together and divide by the number of quarters in the core deposit calculation period.                  

(4) The core deposit calculation period is—

(a)in the case of a UK deposit-taker that has existed for three financial years or more, the period of three consecutive financial                        years of that UK deposit-taker which ends immediately before the start of the financial year in which T falls;                  

(b)in the case of any other UK deposit-taker, the period for which that UK deposit-taker has existed at T.                  

(5) If a UK deposit-taker holds core deposits in a currency other than sterling, the quarterly totals referred to in paragraph                     (3) must be calculated by converting financial amounts representing such deposits into sterling.                  

(6) The conversion must be made by reference to an appropriate spot rate of exchange as at the last day of the quarter to which                     a quarterly total relates.                  

(7) In this article a reference to a quarter is a reference to any complete quarter falling within a core deposit calculation                     period for a UK deposit-taker.                  

### Deposits excluded from determination of core deposit levelU.K.

13.—(1) For the purpose of determining the average core deposit total for a UK deposit-taker the quarterly totals referred to in article                     12(3) do not include deposits if—                  

(a)the deposits concerned are held by the UK deposit-taker as a result of the transfer to it of all or part of the business of                        another institution, other than by way of an excluded transfer; and                  

(b)not more than four years have passed since the date of completion of that transfer.                  

(2) For the purpose of calculating the sum referred to in article 12(1)(b) the average core deposit total for a UK deposit-taker                     is not included if—                  

(a)the relevant UK deposit-taker (the “target institution”) became a member of the group concerned as a result of another member                        of that group (the “acquiring institution”) acquiring securities issued by the target institution;                  

(b)at the date of that acquisition the target institution was not a ring-fenced body;                  

(c)that acquisition would, but for the provisions of this paragraph, have resulted in the group of which the acquiring institution                        is a member ceasing to meet the condition in article 12(1)(b); and                  

(d)not more than four years have passed since the date of completion of the acquisition.                  

(3) In this article “excluded transfer” means a transfer which is made—                  

(a)by way of a ring-fencing transfer scheme; or                  

(b)to a UK deposit-taker from an institution which is a member of the same group as the UK deposit-taker as at the date of the                        transfer.                  

## **PART 4**U.K.Requirements for non ring-fenced bodies

### Rules about information to be provided by a non ring-fenced body to individual account-holdersU.K.

14.—(1) The FCA must make rules specifying the information a non ring-fenced body must provide at any specified time (“specified information”)                     to—                  

(a)individuals who have applied to open an account with that non ring-fenced body (including a joint account); and                  

(b)account-holders of that non ring-fenced body who are individuals.                  

(2) The specified information must include a description of—

(a)any excluded activity F24 which the non ring-fenced body is carrying on; and                  

(b)any prohibited action which the non ring-fenced body has taken;                  

at the time at which rules made by the FCA under paragraph (1) specify the information must be provided.

(3) In this article—

(a)“non ring-fenced body” means a UK deposit-taker which is not—                  

(i)a ring-fenced body, or                  

(ii)an institution which is exempt from the definition of a ring-fenced body by virtue of section 142A(2) of the 2000 Act or any                        order made under that section;                  

(b)“prohibited action” means any action which a ring-fenced body is prohibited from taking by the excluded activities and prohibitions order.                  

F24“Excluded activity” is defined in section 142D of the Act. Section 142D was inserted into the Act by the Financial Services                              (Banking Reform) Act 2013 (c 33), section 4.

David Evenett

John Penrose

 Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury

23rd July 2014

## Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order specifies classes of institution which are exempted from the definition of “ring-fenced body in section 142A of                        the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (c.8) (“the Act”). The classes of institution which are exempted are insurance companies, societies registered under s. 1 of the Co-operative                        and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (which include credit unions and industrial and provident societies), Northern Ireland                        credit unions, Northern Ireland industrial and provident societies, banks which hold less than £25 billion core deposits,                        and bodies which would only have become ring-fenced bodies as a result of action being taken under the Banking Act 2009 to                        stabilise a bank in financial difficulty where not more than four years has passed since the date of that action.                     

Article 2 defines core deposit and provides that if a deposit is not a core deposit, then the activity of accepting it is                        not a core activity. A deposit is a core deposit if it held in an EEA account unless one or more of account holders is a relevant                        financial institution; a qualifying organisation; a member of a qualifying group, or an eligible individual.                     

Article 3 defines a qualifying organisation as an organisation that has confirmed to a UK deposit-taker that it met the qualifying                        condition in the relevant financial year.                     

Article 4 specifies the qualifying condition for a body corporate or a partnership. The condition is that in a relevant financial                        year the organisation meets at least one of three conditions: its turnover is not less than £6.5 million; its balance sheet                        total is not less than £3.26 million; it employs not less than 50 people.                     

Article 5 specifies the qualifying condition for a public body, a charity or a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO).                        The condition is that in a relevant financial year the organisation has a gross income of more than £6.5 million.                     

Article 6 sets out the requirements for the confirming statement which must be provided with the declaration made by a qualifying                        organisation.                     

Article 7 requires an organisation which providing to a UK deposit-taker a qualifying organisation declaration that is supported                        by annual accounts, to provide those annual accounts in sterling, or accompanied by a set of those annual accounts converted                        into sterling.                     

Article 8 defines “qualifying group member” and sets out the requirements for the declaration which must be made by the qualifying                        group member.                     

Article 9 defines when an individual is an eligible individual and how they may certify this is the case by providing a declaration                        of eligibility. An individual is eligible if they have provided a statement that they held not less than £250,000 in assets                        on average during the period of one year ending with the date of the declaration of eligibility.                     

Article 10 makes provision about how to determine the assets held by an individual and the value of those assets (which must                        consist of money or transferable securities) for the purpose of preparing a declaration of eligibility.                     

Article 11 specifies types of UK deposit-taker which are not ring-fenced bodies.

Article 12 sets out the core deposit level condition which determines whether or not a deposit-taker is a ring-fenced body,                        and makes provision for calculating the average core deposit total for UK deposit-takers.                     

Article 13 makes provision for the exclusion of certain deposits from the average core deposit total.

Article 14 requires the FCA to make rules applicable to non ring-fenced bodies specifying information they must provide to                        their account holders in specified circumstances.                     

An Impact Assessment of the effect of the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, and the secondary legislation to be                        made under it (including this Order) on the costs of business and the voluntary sector has been prepared and is available                        on HM Treasury's website (www.gov.uk/treasury) or from the HM Treasury, 1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ and is annexed                        to the Explanatory Memorandum for this Order.