Judgment Hand Down: Re Equity for Growth (Securities) Limited [2026] EWHC 696 (Ch)

On 25 March 2026 judgment was a handed down in Re Equity for Growth (Securities) Limited [2026] EWHC 696 (Ch) ordering the winding up Equity for Growth (Securities) Limited (the “Company”) under both the insolvency and just and equitable grounds of section 367(3) of FSMA.

The petition arose against a background of some £2.7 million of consumer redress claims made against the Company, a number of which have already been considered and/or adjudicated by the Financial Ombudsman Service.  The judgment follows a hard-fought trial that took place over two days in December 2025 at which the Company’s director was cross-examined.

ICC Judge Agnello KC considered detailed submissions on every line item of the Company’s balance sheet, as well as the materiality of the redress claims and the potential for the Company to defend them or otherwise pay them out of future trading and/or insurance proceeds. The Judge found in favour of the FCA on almost every single point. 

The Judge also accepted the FCA’s submissions on the just and equitable ground, noting the Company’s combative stance to the redress claims and failure to treat its customers fairly, which is a core principle of regulated activity under the FCA’s Rules.

As a result of the winding up order, the redress claims may now be administered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Charlotte Cooke and Charlotte Ward were instructed by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Read the full judgment here.