LIBERTY SIPP
Liberty SIPP Limited was a UK-based Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) provider authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with Firm Reference Number (FRN) 476409.
In October 2018, Liberty SIPP sold its client book to EBS Pensions Limited, a subsidiary of the Embark Group. This transaction transferred the administration of client assets to EBS Pensions, while Liberty SIPP retained liabilities associated with past business activities.
Liberty SIPP entered administration on 27 April 2020 due to financial difficulties arising from numerous claims related to high-risk, non-standard investments. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) declared the firm in default on 25 January 2021 and has been processing claims from affected clients.
Transferring Pensions
Liberty SIPP first experienced problems when it was caught allowing clients to invest in unregulated and high risk investments like Gravity Child Care Ltd, Invest US, Sustainable Agro Energy, Gas Verdant, Global Plantation, and Ethical Forestry.
Clients were introduced through unregulated, third party introducers such as PFR Services, SJ Stone, Anton Barr, and Avacade. These companies were not authorised to give investment advice or information on transferring their pension.
Introducers That Weren’t Regulated
It is evident that Liberty SIPP didn’t correctly manage their clients as they accepted business from introducers that weren’t regulated, this left clients open to the possibility of significant losses.
If you have dealt company and made investments based on their advice you should immediately review each and every one of your transactions . If you find anything of concern regarding the performance or the advice you were given please get in contact with us.
Next Steps
Call us now for a phone or video consultation with one of our legal experts on 0800 041 8358 to find out if you are entitled to compensation, you may even be entitled to additional compensation if you have successfully claimed in the past.
Company background (public record)
The company was incorporated at Companies House on 10 September 2007 under company number 06365953. Its status at Companies House is recorded as administration.
Registered office: Riverside House, Irwell Street, Manchester, M3 5EN.
Nature of business (SIC): 66110.
Company timeline (public record)
Key dated events for this firm, drawn from public records. Each entry shows its source.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 2007 | Company incorporated | Companies House |
| 10 Sep 2007 | Elisabeth Therese Lilley appointed secretary | Companies House |
| 10 Sep 2007 | Tm Company Services Limited appointed corporate-secretary | Companies House |
| 10 Sep 2007 | Reynard Nominees Limited appointed corporate-director | Companies House |
| 10 Sep 2007 | Tm Company Services Limited appointed corporate-director | Companies House |
| 13 Sep 2007 | John Damien Fox appointed secretary | Companies House |
| 13 Sep 2007 | John Damien Fox appointed director | Companies House |
| 13 Sep 2007 | Elisabeth Therese Lilley resigned as secretary | Companies House |
| 13 Sep 2007 | Ronald Alexander, Mr. Mcdonald appointed director | Companies House |
| 01 Oct 2007 | Reynard Nominees Limited resigned as corporate-director | Companies House |
| 06 Feb 2008 | FCA status recorded as: Authorised | FCA Register |
| 05 Nov 2010 | Ian William Currie approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 30 Sep 2011 | Ronald Alexander, Mr. Mcdonald resigned as director | Companies House |
| 17 Apr 2012 | David Robert Southworth resigned as director | Companies House |
| 02 May 2012 | Michael Stewart Taylor appointed director | Companies House |
| 15 Mar 2013 | Michael Taylor approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 23 Jun 2016 | Matthew James Rankine approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 22 Dec 2016 | David Robert Southworth appointed director | Companies House |
| 28 Apr 2017 | Matthew James Rankine appointed director | Companies House |
| 31 Dec 2019 | Julie Dean resigned as director | Companies House |
| 31 Dec 2019 | Matthew James Rankine resigned as director | Companies House |
| 27 Apr 2020 | Company entered administration (in administration) | Companies House |
| 27 Apr 2020 | FSCS update: To consider claims against a failed firm, FSCS must be satisfied that customers have first exhausted any right to claim … | FSCS |
| 05 Jun 2020 | FSCS update: FSCS has been working closely with the administrators and has received the due diligence files from Liberty SIPP | FSCS |
| 14 Aug 2020 | FSCS update: FSCS is in the process of receiving further due diligence documents from the administrators to help us with our investig… | FSCS |
| 25 Jan 2021 | Declared in default by the FSCS | FSCS |
| 26 Jan 2021 | FSCS update: Our investigation has concluded that FSCS might be able to compensate customers who invested in Liberty SIPP | FSCS |
| 12 Feb 2021 | FSCS update: We are gathering information from Liberty SIPP to help assess claims we’ve received | FSCS |
Focused on the firm’s early history and the events leading up to and following its failure. 9 routine entries from its active years are omitted.
Who was involved?
The following individuals are listed on public records in connection with the firm. These are matters of public record only and their inclusion does not imply any wrongdoing by any named person.
- John Damien Fox. Listed on the FCA Register as having held SMF17 Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) (from 09/12/2019), SMF16 Compliance Oversight (from 09/12/2019), SMF3 Executive Director (from 09/12/2019), CF11 Money Laundering Reporting (06/02/2008 to 08/12/2019) at the firm.
- Ian William Currie. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF2 Non Executive Director (05/11/2010 to 08/12/2019) at the firm.
- John Damien Fox. Listed on the FCA Register as having held SMF17 Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) (from 09/12/2019), SMF16 Compliance Oversight (from 09/12/2019), SMF3 Executive Director (from 09/12/2019), CF11 Money Laundering Reporting (06/02/2008 to 08/12/2019) at the firm.
- Michael Taylor. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF2 Non Executive Director (15/03/2013 to 08/12/2019) at the firm.
- Julie Ann Dean. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF1 Director (01/04/2010 to 08/12/2019), SMF3 Executive Director (09/12/2019 to 09/01/2020) at the firm.
- David Robert Southworth. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF2 Non Executive Director (15/11/2016 to 08/12/2019) at the firm.
- Ronald Alexander McDonald. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF1 Director (06/02/2008 to 30/09/2011), CF8 Apportionment and Oversight (06/02/2008 to 31/03/2009) at the firm.
- Matthew James Rankine. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF1 Director (23/06/2016 to 08/12/2019), SMF3 Executive Director (09/12/2019 to 09/01/2020) at the firm.
- Michael Stewart Taylor. Listed at Companies House as director (appointed 2012-05-02).
- Elisabeth Therese Lilley. Listed at Companies House as secretary (appointed 2007-09-10, resigned 2007-09-13).
Review page sources: FCA Register (FRN 476409) · Companies House (06365953) · FSCS. Public records, provided for transparency.
