Already Received Car Finance Compensation — Can You Claim More?
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.
If you received some compensation related to your car finance agreement previously, you may wonder whether the FCA redress scheme (PS26/3) means you can receive additional money on top. The answer depends entirely on what the earlier compensation covered and how it was calculated.
The Core Rule — No Double Recovery
The FCA scheme operates on the principle of no double recovery. If you have already been fully compensated for a specific agreement under the same grounds covered by PS26/3, you will not receive additional scheme compensation for that agreement. However there are important nuances that frequently work in claimants favour.
If Your Previous Complaint Was Rejected
If your complaint was rejected — particularly if assessed only against DCA criteria before the scheme expanded — you can and should resubmit under the full PS26/3 grounds. The confirmed scheme covers three grounds: DCA, unfairly high fixed commission, and contractual ties. A rejection on DCA grounds alone does not prevent a new complaint on high fixed commission grounds, and many agreements that were rejected on DCA criteria are eligible on commission grounds.
If You Received a Partial Payout
If you received compensation lower than the hybrid remedy calculation would produce, you may be entitled to a top-up. The FCA scheme requires lenders to ensure all eligible customers receive the correct scheme amount. If a previous payment was less than the PS26/3 formula produces, the lender must pay the difference when assessed under the scheme.
If Your Complaint Went Through the Financial Ombudsman
FOS decisions made under earlier frameworks may not have used the hybrid remedy calculation. If the PS26/3 calculation produces a higher figure, you may be entitled to a top-up. However if the FOS settled your complaint using a comparable calculation on the same grounds, further recovery for the same agreement is unlikely.
Court Claims and Scheme Exclusion
Customers who pursue court claims for a specific agreement are excluded from the scheme for that agreement. You must choose one route — court action or FCA scheme. You cannot pursue both simultaneously for the same agreement.
Other Agreements Are Unaffected
Previous compensation for one agreement has no impact on eligibility for other agreements. Each agreement is assessed independently.
Related Pages
Multiple Car Finance Agreements
Frequently Asked Questions
My lender paid me £200 a few years ago. Can I get the difference up to £829?
Potentially. If your earlier payment was assessed under older criteria that produced a lower figure than the PS26/3 hybrid remedy, the lender must assess whether the full scheme amount exceeds what you previously received and pay any difference.
I received a cheque from my lender recently. Does that mean I am done?
Check what the payment was for. If specifically described as PS26/3 redress for a particular agreement, that agreement is settled. If it was a goodwill payment or older criteria settlement, you may still have a claim for the balance.
The FOS ruled in my favour. Can I claim again?
If the FOS paid you the correct scheme amount on the same grounds as PS26/3, further recovery for the same agreement is unlikely. If the FOS ruling predated PS26/3 and used different calculation criteria, contact your lender referencing PS26/3 and ask whether the earlier payment fully satisfies the scheme requirements.
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.
