Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers Limited

Reference number: 171748

Instant download

Authorised by the FCA

This firm is on the FCA register and authorised to carry out regulated activities.

Website, phone number and address

Compare these against whatever you were given. Scammers clone real firm names and reference numbers but use their own phone number and website, so a detail that does not match the register is the clearest warning sign there is.

In the full report: 3 background checks

  • When octopusmoneydirect.com first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
  • What kind of line 0345 528 8852 is
  • Who else gives the postcode EC1N 2HT
Instant PDF download
Other names (6)

If you were contacted under any of these names, it is this firm.

  • Octopus Money Direct Trading name
  • Virgin Direct Personal Financial Service Ltd Former name
  • Virgin Direct Unit Trust Managers Ltd Former name
  • VIRGIN MONEY UNIT TRUST MANAGERS LIMITED Former name
  • Virgin Money Unit Trust Managers Ltd Former name
  • Virgin Money Former trading name

FCA permissions and consumer protection

  • Hold or safeguard your money · Manage or trade investments · Run or oversee funds FSCS may apply
    Eligible investment and pension claims are typically FSCS-protected up to £85,000 per person, depending on the product and your circumstances.
  • Complaints Ombudsman, free
    You can refer a complaint about this firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, whichever activity it relates to.
Show FCA detail (9 permissions)
  • Arranging (bringing about) deals in investments
  • Arranging safeguarding and administration of assets
  • Dealing in investments as agent
  • Dealing in investments as principal
  • Establishing/operating/winding up a personal pension scheme
  • Making arrangements with a view to transactions in investments
  • Managing a UK UCITS
  • Managing investments
  • Safeguarding and administration of assets (without arranging)

Limits on what they may do

  • Limited to certain box management activities
    Virgin Money Unit Trust Managers is restricted from (i) carrying out box management activity for the purposes of making a profit from such activity and (ii) having aggregate exposures to its managed funds of more than £500,000.

FCA disciplinary action and complaints

No FCA disciplinary action.

The Financial Ombudsman Service only publishes complaint figures for firms with 30 or more new complaints in six months, so there are none here for this firm.

Companies House record

The company behind the firm: its status, age, registered office and directors.

Company number
03000482
Company status
Active
Company type
Private limited company
Incorporated
12 December 1994 (31 years old)
Registered office
6th Floor 33 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HT, England
Nature of business
  • Activities of unit trusts (SIC 64302)
  • Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified (SIC 64999)

Directors and company secretaries

Name Role Born Appointed Other companies
Simon Andrew Hynes Director Nov 1968 11 Mar 2024 6 other companies
Paula Marion Moore Director Jun 1963 16 Apr 2024 14 other companies
Richard John Milne Director Jan 1979 1 Jul 2025 3 other companies
Daniel Marsh Director Jul 1991 30 Nov 2025 24 other companies
Paul James Titterton Director Oct 1972 30 Nov 2025 16 other companies
OCTOPUS COMPANY SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED Corporate secretary Not published 30 Nov 2025 –

Other companies run by these 5 directors

A firm is run by people, and their other companies are their track record: what they built, what closed, and anything that failed. It is the check most people never think to make.

other companies
51
closed down
12
went insolvent
1

In the full report: all 51 companies, named

  • What each company does, and whether it is still trading
  • Which of these 5 directors sit on each board, and since when
  • The one that went into liquidation or administration
  • The 14 on the FCA register
  • The 10 companies these 5 directors run together
  • All 69 people who have ever been directors, with their dates
Instant PDF download

Key dates in its history

Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (17) All events (158)

2025

2 December 2025

  • Changed its registered name from "VIRGIN MONEY UNIT TRUST MANAGERS LIMITED"

FCA register

30 November 2025

  • Clydesdale Bank PLC gave up control
  • Opv 1 Limited took control (75–100% of shares)

Companies House

2 October 2025

  • Changed its registered name from "Virgin Money Unit Trust Managers Ltd"

FCA register

2024

24 June 2024

  • Abrdn Holdings Limited stopped being a part-owner

Companies House

2022

4 August 2022

  • FCA imposed a requirement (Limited to certain box management activities)

FCA register

2020

10 December 2020

  • Clydesdale Bank PLC took control (75–100% of shares)
  • Virgin Money Holdings (UK) PLC stopped being the majority owner

Companies House

2019

31 July 2019

  • Abrdn Holdings Limited became a part-owner (25–50% of shares)

Companies House

2016

6 April 2016

  • Virgin Money Holdings (UK) PLC became the majority owner (50–75% of shares)

Companies House

2013

1 April 2013

  • Regulated by the FCA from this date

FCA register

2002

6 February 2002

  • Changed its registered name from "Virgin Direct Unit Trust Managers Ltd"

FCA register

2001

1 December 2001

  • Regulated by the Financial Services Authority from this date
  • Became authorised by the FCA

FCA register

1996

17 May 1996

  • Changed its registered name from "Virgin Direct Personal Financial Service Ltd"

FCA register

1994

12 December 1994

  • Incorporated at Companies House

Companies House

1901

1 January 1901

  • Regulated by the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation from this date

FCA register

In the full report: all 158 events

  • All 158 events in its history (17 shown here)
  • Every director appointment and resignation: 134
Instant PDF download

Firms connected to Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers

Other FCA-listed firms that share a director, phone number or address with Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers. A link shows who the firm is tied to, not whether either can be trusted.

connected firms
9
share a director
9
share its postcode
4

In the full report: all 9 connected firms, named

  • How each is linked: shared directors (9), the same postcode (4)
  • Who links each one: the named directors, with dates
  • 3 past links through former directors
Instant PDF download

Firms like Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers

Other firms of the same type (investment or fund manager), nearest first.

In London

UBS Asset Management (UK) LtdLondonAuthorisedUBS Asset Management Funds LtdLondonAuthorisedRevolut Trading LtdLondonAuthorisedBlackRock Advisors (UK) LimitedLondonAuthorisedBlackRock Fund Managers LimitedLondonAuthorisedBlackRock Investment Management (UK) LimitedLondonAuthorised

Firms are listed by type and location, best known first. Being listed is not a recommendation: check any firm before you deal with it.

Get the full report on Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers

Everything on this page, plus everything locked above, in one dated PDF you can keep, file or send on.

  • 51 other companies its directors have run, named
  • 3 background checks on its contact details
  • All 158 events in its history
  • 9 connected firms, named, and who links them

Instant PDF One-off payment Secure checkout by Stripe

Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers Limited FCA authorised?
Yes, Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers Limited (FRN 171748) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities. It has held its current authorisation since December 2001 and works as an investment or fund manager. The FCA has placed a limit on what it may do.
What is Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers’ phone number and website?
The FCA register lists the phone number 0345 528 8852 and the website octopusmoneydirect.com for Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.
Is Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers a scam or clone?
Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers is a genuine FCA-listed firm, and the FCA has published no warnings about fake versions of it. Scammers do copy real firms, though, so check that any contact details you were given match the ones on the register.
Is my money safe with Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers?
It is permitted to hold and control client money, which it must keep separate from its own. It depends on the product, but eligible claims may be protected by the FSCS. You can also refer complaints about Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge.
Who owns Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers?
Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers is owned by Opv 1 Limited, which holds 75–100% of shares, 75–100% of votes and can appoint and remove the board, since 30 November 2025. Before that, it was controlled by Clydesdale Bank PLC, Abrdn Holdings Limited and Virgin Money Holdings (UK) PLC.
Who runs Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers?
Companies House lists 5 directors of Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers: Simon Andrew Hynes, Paula Marion Moore, Richard John Milne, Daniel Marsh and Paul James Titterton.
How long has Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers been in business?
The company was formed on 12 December 1994, and has held its current FCA authorisation since December 2001.
Does Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers use any other names?
It trades as Octopus Money Direct. It has previously used 5 other names, including Virgin Direct Personal Financial Service Ltd, Virgin Direct Unit Trust Managers Ltd and VIRGIN MONEY UNIT TRUST MANAGERS LIMITED.

Sources and links

The full report on Octopus Money Unit Trust Managers Limited

£19.99 · Instant PDF download

Loading secure checkout…