The 30 June 2026 Car Finance Deadline — Everything You Need to Know
Scheme status (updated 5 August 2026): parts of the FCA motor finance redress scheme are temporarily suspended while the Upper Tribunal considers legal challenges. Lenders do not currently have to calculate or pay compensation under the scheme, the original decision and payment dates no longer apply, and no payment under the scheme is guaranteed. If the scheme proceeds, first payments are expected in 2027 at the earliest. Any dates mentioned below were set before the suspension.
30 June 2026 is the most important date in the car finance compensation scandal. It is the priority deadline set by the Financial Conduct Authority under its PS26/3 redress scheme. Miss it and you do not necessarily lose your claim — but you could wait significantly longer for your money, and some routes to compensation may become more complicated.
In this guide
- What Is the 30 June 2026 Deadline?
- Who Does the Deadline Apply To?
- What Happens If I Miss the 30 June 2026 Deadline?
- How Much Could I Be Owed?
- Which Lenders Are Covered by the Scheme?
- What If My Lender Has Gone Bust?
- I Already Complained Directly to My Lender — Does That Count?
- I Had Multiple Car Finance Agreements — Do I Need to Register Each One?
- What Do I Need to Register Before 30 June?
- What Happens After I Register?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Think You May Have a Motor Finance Claim?
Here is everything you need to know about what the deadline means, who it applies to, and what happens if you miss it.
What Is the 30 June 2026 Deadline?
In March 2026 the FCA confirmed the details of its PS26/3 motor finance redress scheme following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in October 2024. The scheme established 30 June 2026 as the priority deadline — the date by which consumers should register their interest in making a claim in order to be prioritised in the first wave of redress payments.
The FCA designed the scheme in two stages. Consumers who registered before 30 June 2026 were to be placed in the priority group and assessed first, with later registrations handled in a second wave. That timetable is now suspended along with parts of the scheme.
This is not a final cut-off date after which claims become impossible. It is a priority deadline — the difference between being at the front of the queue and the back of it.
Who Does the Deadline Apply To?
The 30 June 2026 deadline applies to consumers who had a car finance agreement involving a discretionary commission arrangement (DCA) or a hidden commission paid to the dealer or broker who arranged the finance. Specifically:
- PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) agreements arranged through a dealer between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024
- HP (Hire Purchase) agreements arranged through a dealer between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024
- Conditional sale agreements within the same period
- Agreements where the dealer received an undisclosed commission from the lender
- Agreements where the interest rate you paid was influenced by the commission arrangement
The deadline applies regardless of whether you are still repaying the finance, have already paid it off, or the vehicle has since been sold, written off or stolen.
What Happens If I Miss the 30 June 2026 Deadline?
Missing the deadline does not automatically end your claim but it has significant practical consequences:
- Under the original design you would fall into the second wave rather than the priority group
- Second wave processing was expected to take considerably longer, though all scheme timings are now uncertain while the suspension stands
- Some lenders participating in the scheme may close their priority intake after 30 June and require second wave claimants to use a different process
- The Financial Ombudsman Service route remains available after 30 June but FOS cases are currently taking 12 to 24 months to resolve
- There is no guarantee the scheme terms available before 30 June will remain identical for second wave claimants
The practical effect of missing the deadline is delay — potentially measured in years rather than months — before you receive any compensation.
How Much Could I Be Owed?
The FCA’s own analysis estimated average redress payments of approximately £829 per consumer across the scheme. However individual payouts vary significantly depending on:
- The size of your finance agreement
- The interest rate you were charged compared to the rate you should have received
- The length of your agreement
- The size of the commission paid to the dealer
- Whether you had multiple agreements
Smaller agreements of £5,000 to £10,000 typically generate redress in the range of £200 to £800. Larger agreements of £20,000 to £40,000 can generate redress of £1,500 to £3,000 or more. Consumers with multiple agreements — particularly those who changed car regularly using finance — can receive significantly higher total payouts.
Which Lenders Are Covered by the Scheme?
The PS26/3 scheme covers lenders who operated discretionary commission arrangements during the eligible period. The major lenders confirmed as within scope include:
- Black Horse (Lloyds Banking Group)
- Close Brothers Motor Finance
- Santander Consumer Finance
- Motonovo Finance
- FirstRand / Aldermore
- Barclays Partner Finance
- HSBC Card Services
- Volkswagen Financial Services / Alphera
- BMW Financial Services
- Mercedes-Benz Financial Services
- PSA Financial Services (Peugeot, Citroen, DS)
- Stellantis Financial Services (Vauxhall, Fiat, Alfa Romeo)
- Many smaller specialist motor finance lenders
If your lender is not listed above, your agreement may still be within scope. The commission arrangement matters more than which lender you used. Claims Bible can assess your specific agreement.
What If My Lender Has Gone Bust?
Several motor finance lenders have entered administration or ceased trading. If your lender has gone bust, the scheme route may not be available but the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and the Financial Ombudsman Service may still provide routes to compensation. The 30 June 2026 deadline is less relevant for claims against insolvent lenders — what matters is acting quickly through the appropriate alternative route. See our guide on claiming when your lender has gone bust.
I Already Complained Directly to My Lender — Does That Count?
It depends on when you complained and what response you received. If you complained to your lender before 28 January 2025 — the date the FCA extended its complaints handling pause — your complaint may already be within the scheme without needing further action; note the priority timetable itself is now suspended.
If you complained after 28 January 2025 or if your lender has not acknowledged your complaint under the scheme, you should confirm your position before 30 June to ensure you are treated as a priority claimant.
Claims Bible can review your complaint history and confirm whether any action is needed before the deadline.
I Had Multiple Car Finance Agreements — Do I Need to Register Each One?
Yes. Each finance agreement is treated as a separate claim. If you had three PCP agreements with different lenders during the eligible period, you potentially have three separate claims — each requiring separate registration. The average payout of £829 applies per agreement, so multiple agreements can significantly increase your total entitlement.
Many consumers who regularly changed their car using finance — for example every two or three years — may have had five or more eligible agreements without realising it. Claims Bible checks all agreements simultaneously as part of the registration process.
What Do I Need to Register Before 30 June?
The registration process is straightforward. You do not need your original finance documentation to register — Claims Bible can identify your agreements using your personal details. To register you need:
- Your full name as it appeared on the finance agreement
- Your date of birth
- Your address at the time of the agreement — or your current address if you have moved
- The approximate date of the agreement and the lender name if you know them — though this is not essential
Claims Bible handles the identification, registration and claim submission process on your behalf. The check is free and there is no fee unless your claim is successful.
What Happens After I Register?
Once you register with Claims Bible before 30 June 2026, the process is:
- Claims Bible identifies all eligible agreements in your name across all lenders
- Formal complaints are submitted to each lender on your behalf
- Lenders have eight weeks to respond under FCA rules
- If lenders are participating in the PS26/3 scheme, your claim enters the priority queue
- Claims Bible monitors your claim and updates you on progress
- When redress is calculated and approved, payment is made to you directly less Claims Bible’s fee
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 30 June 2026 definitely the deadline or could it be extended again?
The FCA confirmed 30 June 2026 as the priority deadline in its March 2026 PS26/3 policy statement following the Supreme Court ruling. The FCA extended the original January 2025 deadline once to allow the Supreme Court process to conclude. A further extension is possible but cannot be relied upon — the FCA has indicated it wants the scheme to proceed and has set firm expectations with lenders around the June timeline.
I heard some lenders are not in the FCA scheme. Can I still claim against them?
Yes. Not all lenders are participating in the PS26/3 scheme. Lenders outside the scheme are still subject to FCA rules on commission disclosure and the Financial Ombudsman Service has jurisdiction over complaints against them. The 30 June deadline is specific to the FCA scheme — claims against non-scheme lenders follow the standard complaints process with its own timelines.
My car finance was through a dealership, not a bank. Does the deadline apply?
Yes. The commission arrangement was between the dealership and the finance lender — your agreement was with the lender. The fact that the finance was arranged at a dealership rather than directly with a bank does not affect your eligibility or the application of the deadline.
I cannot find my original finance paperwork. Can I still register?
Yes. You do not need your original paperwork to register. Claims Bible can identify your agreements using a Subject Access Request to the lender and by cross-referencing your personal details. Missing paperwork is not a barrier to making a claim.
What does it cost if my claim is successful?
Our introducing service costs you nothing. If your claim is handled by our law firm partner, they charge a success fee only if your claim results in a payout — capped by law and set out clearly at claimsbible.com/fees. If your claim is unsuccessful there is nothing to pay.
Can I claim myself without using a CMC?
Yes. You have the right to complain directly to your lender and escalate to the FOS without using a claims management company, entirely free, and any fee a claims company or law firm charges comes out of your compensation. Some people still choose to have the process handled for them — typically those with several agreements across different lenders or a previously rejected complaint. Our guide on whether you need a CMC sets out both routes honestly so you can decide.
Related Guides
What Happens After I Submit My Claim?
My Claim Was Rejected — What Next?
How Is My Compensation Calculated?
Multiple Agreements — Can I Claim More Than Once?
Lender Gone Bust — Can I Still Claim?
Do I Need a Claims Management Company?
Back to Car Finance Claims Hub
You will be redirected to our partner’s website to complete your claim.
Think You May Have a Motor Finance Claim?
The FCA estimates average compensation of around £830 per eligible agreement, but eligibility and payment amounts vary. Some customers may receive nothing. Complaints about agreements started from 1 April 2014 should be submitted by 30 June 2026 to be considered under the earlier timetable. Different dates apply to older agreements. The scheme is currently subject to legal challenge, so dates and payment timings may change.
