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UK National Overview

Cost of Collective Investment Scheme Services
across the UK

National price data for Collective Investment Scheme Services based on estimated ranges across the UK. Compare regions, find local providers, and understand what affects the price.

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Accreditation & credentials
Trade bodies & what they mean for Collective Investment Scheme Services

# Trade Body Accreditation for Collective Investment Scheme Services

The primary regulatory oversight for collective investment scheme services in the UK comes from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which sets mandatory compliance standards rather than voluntary accreditation. However, providers may also seek membership with industry trade bodies such as the Investment Association, which represents asset managers and investment professionals, or the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), which offers professional qualifications and standards for practitioners. Additionally, some firms pursue recognition through the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) if they provide pension-related investment services. These memberships signal that a provider adheres to higher professional standards, codes of conduct, and continuing education requirements beyond the FCA's baseline regulatory framework. Understanding these distinctions helps you identify whether a provider has chosen to commit to industry best practice rather than simply meeting minimum legal requirements.

Verifying a provider's credentials is straightforward and essential. You can check FCA authorisation through the FCA Register on the regulator's website, which shows whether a firm is licensed to offer collective investment scheme services and any enforcement history or complaints data. For trade body memberships, you can visit the Investment Association, CISI, or PLSA websites to confirm active membership status. It matters because accredited or membered providers typically have undergone external vetting, maintain higher professional standards, and are subject to additional oversight and complaints procedures through their trade body. This reduces your risk of working with an unregulated or poorly-managed firm and provides you with additional recourse if something goes wrong.

Accredited providers and those with strong trade body memberships do typically charge higher fees than bare-minimum compliant alternatives, often by 0.15 to 0.50 percent annually depending on the service complexity. This premium reflects the costs of maintaining professional qualifications, adhering to stricter codes of conduct,

Common questions
Collective Investment Scheme Services — frequently asked questions
How much does Collective Investment Scheme Services cost in the UK?
Collective Investment Scheme Services typically cost between £500 and £5,000 annually, depending on fund size and complexity. Initial setup fees range from £1,000 to £10,000. Ongoing management charges usually represent 0.5% to 2% of assets under administration. Regulatory compliance and reporting services attract additional costs based on scheme requirements and participant numbers.
What affects the cost of Collective Investment Scheme Services?
Five key factors impact pricing: number of participants in your scheme, total assets under management, regulatory complexity and compliance requirements, frequency of valuations and reporting, and whether specialist services like trustee administration are needed. Schemes requiring enhanced governance or operating across multiple jurisdictions incur higher costs. Fund complexity and investment type also influence final pricing significantly.
What does Collective Investment Scheme Services actually include?
Services encompass scheme establishment and regulatory registration, ongoing FCA compliance administration, participant account management and record-keeping, regular fund valuations and pricing, annual reporting and regulatory filings, trustee liaison, and investor communications. Providers also handle scheme documentation updates, regulatory change implementation, and audit coordination. Many offer additional services including investment performance reporting and stakeholder engagement support.
What's the difference between an ICVC and a unit trust scheme?
An ICVC (Investment Company with Variable Capital) is a corporate structure offering daily pricing, whilst unit trusts employ a partnership structure with periodic pricing. ICVCs provide greater flexibility and typically lower costs for larger schemes. Unit trusts suit smaller schemes with simpler structures. Both require FCA authorisation, but administrative requirements and regulatory reporting differ significantly between structures.
What should I check before hiring a Collective Investment Scheme Services provider?
Verify FCA authorisation status and check their financial conduct register entry. Confirm they hold professional indemnity insurance and relevant trustee qualifications. Review their experience with schemes matching your structure type and asset size. Check memberships with relevant trade bodies like The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association. Request references from existing clients and clarify all fee structures transparently.
How long does it take to establish a Collective Investment Scheme?
Establishing a Collective Investment Scheme typically requires 8 to 16 weeks, depending on complexity and FCA responsiveness. Initial documentation preparation takes 2-4 weeks. FCA authorisation review generally takes 6-12 weeks. Once authorised, launch preparation takes 1-2 weeks. Streamlined applications may complete faster; complex multi-class structures require additional time for regulatory approval and detailed scheme customisation.
Do I need a certified professional to manage Collective Investment Schemes?
Yes, Collective Investment Schemes are heavily regulated by the FCA and require certified, authorised professionals for management and administration. Your scheme must appoint an FCA-authorised administrator and trustee. Staff handling scheme management require relevant qualifications such as IMC, CII, or PFS credentials. National providers offering FCA-regulated services ensure compliance; local providers cannot offer authorised administration without proper FCA registration.

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National price data sourced from business and consumer submissions across the UK. Regional averages are indicative. Methodology · Submit a price · List your business