Shop Direct Finance Company Limited
Reference number: 312190
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.
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Website
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Phone number
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Address
Skyways House, Speke Road, Speke, Liverpool, Merseyside, L70 1AB, United Kingdom
In the full report: 3 background checks
- When very.co.uk first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
- What kind of line 0844 292 1000 is, and the other firm that gives it
- Who else gives the postcode L70 1AB
Other names (15)
If you were contacted under any of these names, it is this firm.
- Littlewoods Trading name: A name it trades under now.
- very Trading name: A name it trades under now.
- very pay Trading name: A name it trades under now.
- Littlewoods Finance Company Limited Former name: A name it was registered under before.
- Additions Direct Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- Choice Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- Empire Stores Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- Great Universal Stores Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- isme Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- Kays Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- K&Co Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- Marshall Ward Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- Nationwide Debt Recovery Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- VERY EXCLUSIVE Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
- Woolworths Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
FCA permissions and consumer protection
- Manage or trade investments FSCS may applyEligible investment and pension claims are typically FSCS-protected up to £85,000 per person, depending on the product and your circumstances.
- Lend or arrange credit No FSCS coverConsumer credit is not covered by the FSCS, so there is no compensation scheme if the firm fails.
- Complaints Ombudsman, freeYou can refer a complaint about this firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, whichever activity it relates to.
Show FCA detail (7 permissions)
- Arranging (bringing about) deals in investments
- Credit Broking
- Dealing in investments as agent
- Debt-collecting
- Entering into regulated credit agreement as Lender (Excluding high-cost short-term credit, bill of sale agreement, and home collected credit agreement)
- Exercising/having right to exercise lender's rights and duties under a regulated credit agreement (excluding high-cost short-term credit, bill of sale agreement, and home collected credit agreement)
- Making arrangements with a view to transactions in investments
Financial Ombudsman complaints
Ombudsman complaints
- new complaints, January–June 2025
- 641
- upheld, against a 31% median
- 29%
- about banking and credit
- 636
A bigger firm gets more complaints simply because it has more customers.
Companies House record
The company behind the firm: its status, age, registered office and directors.
- Company number
- 04660974 (opens Companies House in a new tab)
- Company status
- Active
- Company type
- Private limited company
- Incorporated
- 10 February 2003 (23 years old)
- Registered office
- First Floor, Skyways House,, Speke Road, Speke, Liverpool, L70 1AB, United Kingdom
- Nature of business
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- Other credit granting not elsewhere classified (SIC 64929)
- Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified (SIC 64999)
Directors and company secretaries
| Name | Role | Born | Appointed | Other companies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Alan Franklin | Director | Sep 1961 | 6 Jan 2022 | 7 other companies |
| Julie Nicholson | Director | Apr 1965 | 21 Apr 2023 | 9 other companies |
| Nicholas John Mcbrien | Director | Nov 1976 | 31 May 2024 | 12 other companies |
| Garry George Stran | Director | Oct 1965 | 8 Dec 2025 | 24 other companies |
Other companies run by these 4 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
- 47
- closed down
- 7
- went insolvent
- 3
In the full report: all 47 companies, named
- What each company does, and whether it is still trading
- Which of these 4 directors sit on each board, and since when
- The 3 that went into liquidation or administration
- The 14 on the FCA register
- The 3 companies these 4 directors run together
- All 24 people who have ever been directors, with their dates
Key dates in its history
Shop Direct Finance Company’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.
2016
6 April 2016
- Shop Direct Group Financial Services Limited took control (75–100% of shares)
Companies House
2013
1 April 2013
- Regulated by the FCA from this date
FCA register
2009
6 January 2009
- Changed its registered name from "Littlewoods Finance Company Limited"
FCA register
2005
8 March 2005
- Board replaced: its only director left and 5 new directors took over
Companies House
14 January 2005
- Regulated by the Financial Services Authority from this date
- Became authorised by the FCA
FCA register
2003
10 February 2003
- Incorporated at Companies House
Companies House
In the full report: all 81 events
- All 81 events in its history (7 shown here)
- Every director appointment and resignation: 42
Firms connected to Shop Direct Finance Company
Other FCA-listed firms that share a director, phone number or address with Shop Direct Finance Company. A link shows who the firm is tied to, not whether either can be trusted.
- connected firms
- 4
- share a director
- 3
- share its phone number
- 1
In the full report: all 4 connected firms, named
- How each is linked: shared directors (3), the same phone number (1), the same postcode (1)
- Who links each one: the named directors, with dates
- 9 past links through former directors
Firms like Shop Direct Finance Company
Other firms of the same type (lender), nearest first.
In Liverpool
Acorn Insurance and Financial Services LimitedLiverpoolAuthorisedA & E E Callan LimitedLiverpoolAuthorisedA & S SuppliesliverpoolAuthorisedAlan O'connorLiverpoolAuthorisedAsh Loans LimitedLiverpoolAuthorisedBrighter Lending LimitedLiverpoolAuthorised
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 Shop Direct Finance Company
Everything on this page, plus everything locked above, in one dated PDF you can keep, file or send on.
- 47 other companies its directors have run, named
- 3 background checks on its contact details
- All 81 events in its history
- 4 connected firms, named, and who links them
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Frequently asked questions about this firm
Is Shop Direct Finance Company Limited FCA authorised?
Yes, Shop Direct Finance Company Limited (FRN 312190) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities. It has held its current authorisation since January 2005 and works as a lender. The FCA has placed no limits on its permissions.
What is Shop Direct Finance Company’s phone number and website?
The FCA register lists the phone number 0844 292 1000 and the website very.co.uk for Shop Direct Finance Company. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further. The same number is also given by one other FCA firm.
Is Shop Direct Finance Company a scam or clone?
Shop Direct Finance Company 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 Shop Direct Finance Company?
Its FCA permissions do not allow it to hold or control client money. It depends on the product, but eligible claims may be protected by the FSCS. You can also refer complaints about Shop Direct Finance Company to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge.
Who owns Shop Direct Finance Company?
Shop Direct Finance Company is owned by Shop Direct Group Financial Services Limited, which holds 75–100% of shares, 75–100% of votes and can appoint and remove the board, since 6 April 2016.
Who runs Shop Direct Finance Company?
Companies House lists 4 directors of Shop Direct Finance Company: Timothy Alan Franklin, Julie Nicholson, Nicholas John McBrien and Garry George Stran.
How long has Shop Direct Finance Company been in business?
The company was formed on 10 February 2003, and has held its current FCA authorisation since January 2005.
How many complaints does Shop Direct Finance Company get?
In January–June 2025, the Financial Ombudsman Service received 641 new complaints about Shop Direct Finance Company, and upheld 29% of those it decided.
Does Shop Direct Finance Company use any other names?
It trades as Littlewoods, very and very pay. It has previously used 12 other names, including Littlewoods Finance Company Limited, Additions Direct and Choice.
Sources and links
- Its entry on the FCA register register.fca.org.uk
- Its Companies House record gov.uk
- Check your FSCS cover fscs.org.uk
- Complaints the Financial Ombudsman Service can help with financial-ombudsman.org.uk
- Ombudsman complaints data, January–June 2025 financial-ombudsman.org.uk
- Report a scam to the FCA fca.org.uk