How many Consumer Duty cross-cutting rules are there?

Acting in good faith

The first rule. A firm must act in good faith toward retail customers. It does not prevent the firm from pursuing legitimate commercial interests or seeking profit, and it does not impose a fiduciary duty. What it demands is process evidence: documented decisions, training records, governance trail.

Avoiding foreseeable harm

The second rule. A firm must avoid causing foreseeable harm to retail customers. Foreseeable harm is the harm a prudent firm, applying reasonable care and expertise, should be able to anticipate. The rule demands pattern evidence: case-level audit trails, root-cause MI, a documented rectification track record.

Enabling customers to pursue their financial objectives

The third rule. A firm must enable and support retail customers to pursue their financial objectives. The rule is positively framed: not just avoiding harm, but actively supporting movement toward customer goals. It demands outcome evidence: suitability data tied to stated objectives, switching, persistency, satisfaction.

The number isn't decorative. Each rule is a distinct evidence shape; treating "the three rules" as a single composite requirement is the most common Year-2 board-report failure the FCA called out in April 2026. The three rules also sit under Principle 12 and apply across the four Consumer Duty outcomes (Products and Services, Price and Value, Consumer Understanding, Consumer Support). That makes the evidence grid 4 × 3 = twelve cells, not four. Most reports populate four. The pillar guide unpacks the full grid.

For the operational evidence layer, the full 4 × 3 grid, and what each rule actually demands at case level, see the pillar guide: What is the FCA Consumer Duty? The 2026 guide for regulated firms. For the workflow when a Consumer Duty audit lands, see how to prepare for an FCA Consumer Duty audit.