The Civil Service Benevolent Fund: FCA regulated?

Authorised by the FCA

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

Authorised for 12 years
Complaints covered by the Ombudsman
No FCA actions
Active company since 2010
1 thing worth a closer look in the background checks

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.

Website

cfcs.org.uk (opens in a new tab)
Phone number

020 8240 2400
Address

5 Anne Boleyns Walk, Sutton, Surrey, SM3 8DY, United Kingdom

In the full report: 3 background checks, 1 thing worth a closer look

When cfcs.org.uk first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
What kind of line 020 8240 2400 is
Who else gives the postcode SM3 8DY

Other names (1)

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

The Charity for Civil Servants Former name: A name it was registered under before.

The firm, by virtue of its constitution or any enactment, must be:(i) required (after payment of outgoings) to apply the whole of its income and any capital it expends for charitable or public purposes, and (ii) prohibited from directly or indirectly distributing amongst its members any part of its assets (otherwise than for charitable or public purposes); And the firm must not have any associate (other than a not-for profit debt advice body) which carries on debt adjusting or debt counselling or providing credit information services.)

FCA permissions and consumer protection

Lend or arrange credit No FSCS cover
Consumer credit is not covered by the FSCS, so there is no compensation scheme if the firm fails.
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 (3 permissions)

Debt Adjusting
Debt-counselling
Providing Credit Information Services

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: 07286399 (opens Companies House in a new tab)
Company status: Active
Company type: Private company limited by guarantee
Incorporated: 16 June 2010 (16 years old)
Registered office: 5 Anne Boleyns Walk, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey, SM3 8DY
Nature of business: Other business support service activities not elsewhere classified (SIC 82990)

Directors and company secretaries

Name	Role	Born	Appointed	Other companies
Sonia Clare Phippard	Director	Jan 1960	6 Dec 2021	1 other company
Michael Jonathan Smith	Director	May 1971	8 Jul 2022	2 other companies
Luke John Treadwell	Director	Jun 1992	31 Mar 2023	None
Angela Jane Macdonald	Director	May 1970	12 Jul 2024	1 other company
Alban Stowe	Director	Oct 1988	28 Feb 2025	None
Amrita Brember	Director	Jun 1983	25 Jul 2025	2 other companies
Anne Spinali	Director	May 1980	28 Nov 2025	None
Catherine Luise Blair (Dr)	Director	Aug 1983	28 Nov 2025	2 other companies
Malini Nebhrajani	Director	Jan 1969	15 May 2026	3 other companies
Jerome Glass	Director	Oct 1980	15 May 2026	None
Oak Watson	Director	Dec 1997	8 Jul 2026	None
Hannah Riley	Director	Nov 2000	8 Jul 2026	None
Joanna Elizabeth Clare Shanmugalingam	Director	May 1978	8 Jul 2026	2 other companies
Inigo Churchill	Secretary	Not published	28 Aug 2026	–

Other companies run by these 13 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: 12
closed down: 3
is FCA-registered: 1

In the full report: all 12 companies, named

What each company does, and whether it is still trading
Which of these 13 directors sit on each board, and since when
Any that went into liquidation or administration
The one on the FCA register
The 1 company these 13 directors run together
All 48 people who have ever been directors, with their dates

Key dates in its history

The Civil Service Benevolent Fund’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (5) All events (91)

2020

1 May 2020

Changed its registered name from "The Charity for Civil Servants"

FCA register

2014

1 April 2014

Regulated by the FCA from this date
FCA imposed a requirement (Not for profit firm)
Became authorised by the FCA

FCA register · Companies House

2010

16 June 2010

Incorporated at Companies House

Companies House

In the full report: all 91 events

All 91 events in its history (5 shown here)
Every director appointment and resignation: 83

Firms connected to The Civil Service Benevolent Fund

Other FCA-listed firms that share a director, phone number or address with The Civil Service Benevolent Fund. A link shows who the firm is tied to, not whether either can be trusted.

past link: 1

In the full report: all 0 connected firms, named

1 past link through former directors

Firms like The Civil Service Benevolent Fund

Other firms of the same type (debt advice or management), nearest first.

In the Sutton (SM) postcode area

Sutton Borough Citizens Advice BureauxWallingtonAuthorised Citizens Advice Reigate And Banstead LimitedBansteadAuthorised

Elsewhere in the UK

King's College LondonLondonAuthorised University of YorkYorkAuthorised University of LiverpoolLiverpoolAuthorised Loughborough University Student Advice & Support ServiceLoughboroughAuthorised

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 The Civil Service Benevolent Fund

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

12 other companies its directors have run, named
3 background checks on its contact details, 1 flagged
All 91 events in its history

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is The Civil Service Benevolent Fund FCA authorised?

Yes, The Civil Service Benevolent Fund (FRN 624489) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities. It has held its current authorisation since April 2014 and works as a debt advice or management. The FCA has placed no limits on its permissions.

What is The Civil Service Benevolent Fund’s phone number and website?

The FCA register lists the phone number 020 8240 2400 and the website cfcs.org.uk for The Civil Service Benevolent Fund. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.

Is The Civil Service Benevolent Fund a scam or clone?

The Civil Service Benevolent Fund 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 The Civil Service Benevolent Fund?

Its FCA permissions do not allow it to hold or control client money. Protection depends on which product you hold and how The Civil Service Benevolent Fund handles your money, so check the specific product before you commit. You can also refer complaints about The Civil Service Benevolent Fund to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge.

Who runs The Civil Service Benevolent Fund?

Companies House lists 13 directors of The Civil Service Benevolent Fund: Sonia Clare Phippard, Michael Jonathan Smith, Luke John Treadwell, Angela Jane Macdonald, Alban Stowe, Amrita Brember and 7 more.

How long has The Civil Service Benevolent Fund been in business?

The company was formed on 16 June 2010, and has held its current FCA authorisation since April 2014.

Does The Civil Service Benevolent Fund use any other names?

It has previously used the name The Charity for Civil Servants.