In early July, the PRA issued several policy statements and consultation papers with implications for banks of all sizes. We've summarised the key developments and outlined their practical impact across firm types.

The PRA published Policy Statement PS6/25, outlining measures to strengthen the supervision of branches and subsidiaries of foreign banks, while supporting the UK’s competitiveness.

The PRA has published Consultation Paper 12/25, marking the first phase of a two-stage review of its Pillar 2A methodologies and supporting guidance. This consultation seeks to address the consequential impacts of the PRA’s near-final rules for implementing the Basel 3.1 standards, while also providing additional clarity on its Pillar 2A methodologies.

As part of PS7/25, the PRA has published further details on its approach for calculating SME and infrastructure lending adjustments.

Arriving hot on the heels of our earlier article on what the 2025 Bank Capital Test Means for small- and medium-sized banks, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has quietly published an accompanying set of stress parameters. These include both rates-up (supply shock) and rates-down (demand shock) scenarios, and can serve as a useful benchmark for firms not participating in concurrent stress testing. They may be particularly helpful for use in internal stress testing exercises, including within the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP).

With the Bank of England’s 2025 Bank Capital Stress Test now in motion, small and medium-sized banks should take note. While only the large banks participate directly, it is nonetheless of interest for other firms as they approach their next stress testing exercise. The latest publications bring stress parameters up to date from the 2024 Desk-based Stress Test, and some elements have changed. This article explores what banks can take away from the latest stress programme and how to reflect those developments in their own risk management processes.

On Demand Webinar: Strategies and best practices for small and medium-sized banks

Recorded on: Thursday, 27 March 2025

Mark Your Calendar: Key Dates for Basel 3.1 and SDDT. It has been approximately three months since the PRA released the second part of its near-final rules for implementing the Basel 3.1 standards in the UK. With the official implementation date of 1 January 2026 less than a year away, the clock is ticking for firms to ensure compliance. While the implementation date of 1 January 2026 is top of mind for many, it is essential not to overlook several key milestones in 2025. These will be particularly relevant both for firms seeking SDDT status and banks navigating Basel 3.1 requirements.

On 12 September 2024, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) published the second part of its near-final rules on the implementation of Basel 3.1 standards through Policy Statement 9/24 (PS9/24). The first part of these near-final rules was issued on 2 December 2023, as part of PS17/23.

This article provides an overview of the near-final rules published by the PRA, as part of the UK's implementation of Basel 3.1 (PS9/24).