Compliance and UX aren't enemies: Here's how to make them work together

Financial services is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world - and for good reason. When people trust you with their money, their future, and their financial well-being, the stakes are high.

But regulation often feels like it's working against good design. Complex eligibility criteria needs explaining without overwhelming. Product information must be comprehensive, yet digestible. Every customer touchpoint has to balance legal accuracy with human clarity.

The result? Websites and apps cluttered with jargon, buried in caveats, and designed more to protect the organisation than serve the customer.

It doesn't have to be this way. Good UX and regulatory compliance aren't opposing forces - when done right, they reinforce each other.

The FCA Consumer Duty: A UX opportunity in disguise

The Financial Conduct Authority's Consumer Duty, which came into force in 2023 and continues to evolve with updates for 2026, fundamentally changes the relationship between financial firms and their customers.

At its core, the Consumer Duty requires firms to:

• Act to deliver good outcomes for retail customers.
• Enable and support customers to make informed decisions.
• Avoid causing foreseeable harm.

This isn't just a compliance requirement - it's a UX mandate.

The four key outcomes of the Consumer Duty have direct design implications:

1. Products and services: Designed to meet customer needs and provide fair value.
2. Price and value: Communicated clearly so customers understand what they're paying for.
3. Consumer understanding: Information presented in a way that can be understood and acted upon.
4. Consumer support: Customers can get help when they need it, through channels that work for them.

If your UX doesn't support these outcomes, you're not just delivering a poor experience, you're potentially in breach of regulatory expectations.

Making regulated content usable

One of the biggest UX challenges in finance is presenting mandatory information - risk warnings, terms and conditions, eligibility criteria - in a way that's both compliant and comprehensible.

Here's how good UX achieves this with clear, accessible information presented at the point of decision, in language customers can understand:

• Use progressive disclosure: Don't dump everything on users at once. Provide key information upfront, with the ability to expand for more detail when needed.
• Write in plain English: Regulatory language can be translated into clear, customer-friendly copy without losing legal accuracy. Work with compliance teams to find the balance.
• Design for scannability: Use headings, bullet points, and visual hierarchy to help users find what matters to them quickly.
• Contextual help: Place explanations and definitions exactly where users need them - tooltips, expandable sections, or inline microcopy that clarifies without overwhelming.

Risk warnings that actually work

Financial products carry risk. Communicating that risk clearly is both a regulatory requirement and an ethical obligation.

But risk warnings are often designed to be noticed, not understood. Bright colours, bold text, and prominent placement tick the compliance box, but do users actually comprehend what they're being warned about?

Better risk communication means:

• Using scenarios and examples, not just abstract statements. "You could get back less than you invest" is clearer than "Capital at risk."
• Placing warnings in context, not just at the top of the page. Explain risk at the point where users are making the decision.
• Testing comprehension, not just visibility. Can users actually explain the risk back to you after reading it?

The Consumer Duty's focus on consumer understanding means firms need to demonstrate that their communications are effective, not just present.

Designing for vulnerable customers

The 2026 updates to the Consumer Duty place even greater emphasis on identifying and supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances.

Vulnerability isn't a fixed characteristic - it can be situational (job loss, bereavement), temporary (mental health episode), or permanent (disability, age-related decline).

UX plays a critical role in supporting vulnerable customers:

• Accessible design ensures everyone can use your services, regardless of ability.
• Clear, jargon-free language helps users who may be stressed, confused, or overwhelmed.
• Flexible journeys allow users to pause, save progress, or return later without losing information.
• Visible, easy-to-access support options provide a safety net when digital self-service isn't enough.

Designing with vulnerability in mind isn't about creating separate experiences, it's about building flexibility, clarity, and empathy into every journey.

Compliance as a design constraint, not a barrier

The best designers understand that constraints drive creativity. Regulation doesn't have to result in cluttered, defensive design.

Instead, think of compliance requirements as design challenges:

• How do we communicate complex terms in a way that's clear and engaging?
• How do we make risk warnings meaningful, not just visible?
• How do we balance legal protection with customer empowerment?

When marketing, design, legal, and compliance teams work together from the start - not in a last-minute review cycle - you create experiences that are both compliant and genuinely customer-focused.

The takeaway for financial marketers

The Consumer Duty isn't just a regulatory hurdle - it's an opportunity to redesign customer experiences around clarity, fairness, and understanding.

When UX and compliance work together, you don't just meet regulatory expectations. You build trust, reduce complaints, and create experiences that genuinely serve customers.

Because in the end, good regulation and good UX want the same thing: customers who feel informed, supported, and confident in their financial decisions.

Where do you start?

Review your key customer journeys through a Consumer Duty lens, decide if you’re genuinely enabling informed decision-making, communicating risk in an understandable way and helping vulnerable customers navigate your services with confidence.

Those questions aren't just compliance checks - they're UX opportunities.

If you’re redesigning a regulated journey or questioning whether your current experience truly supports Consumer Duty outcomes, let's talk, message me.