Who is eligible for PCP compensation?

You may be eligible if: your PCP or HP finance was arranged through a car dealer (not directly with a lender online); the agreement was between April 2007 and January 2021; the lender was a major motor finance provider such as Black Horse, Santander Consumer Finance, Close Brothers, MotoNovo, Moneybarn, or Volkswagen Financial Services; and you have not previously settled a claim for the same agreement. You do not need to still own the vehicle.

Does it matter if I still owe money on the agreement?

No. Whether you still have payments outstanding, have paid off the agreement, or have returned the vehicle does not affect your eligibility to claim. The mis-selling claim relates to the DCA commission applied at the time the agreement was entered into, not its current status.

Can I claim if I used PCP finance for a motorcycle, van, or commercial vehicle?

The FCA's review focuses on regulated consumer credit agreements for motor vehicles. Motorcycles financed under consumer credit are generally covered. Vans and commercial vehicles financed under consumer credit may be covered if you purchased in a personal capacity. Business use agreements are less straightforward — consult a specialist.

What if I can't find my original finance agreement?

Your agreement number is the most important piece of information, but even without it you can usually proceed. Lenders are required to hold records for at least 6 years. Submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) to your lender — they must provide all personal data held, including agreement details, within 30 days. Your credit report may also show the agreement.

Am I Eligible for PCP Compensation? — Full UK Car Finance Eligibility Checker

Interactive eligibility checker

Check your eligibility — step by step

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Was your car finance arranged through a dealer?

Question 1 of 5

Your finance needs to have been arranged through a car dealership — not applied for directly online or by phone with a lender.

DCAs were banned from 28 January 2021. Agreements after this date used fixed commissions and are not eligible for DCA-based claims.

The FCA review covers PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) and HP (Hire Purchase). Other finance types may also be covered following the Supreme Court ruling.

Some lenders are more confirmed in the FCA review than others. Select your lender:

Have you previously settled a claim or received compensation for this specific agreement?

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You look eligible — your agreement likely qualifies

Based on your answers, your car finance agreement appears to meet the key FCA eligibility criteria: dealer-arranged, within the DCA period, PCP or HP type, and with a lender named in the review.

✓ Dealer arranged✓ Within DCA period✓ Qualifying lender

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Your next step: calculate your compensationUse our free PCP calculator to estimate how much you may be owed, then submit a formal complaint to your lender. It costs nothing to complain directly — no specialist needed for the first step. Go to calculator →

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Possibly eligible — specialist advice recommended

Your answers suggest your agreement may qualify, but there are factors that need specialist review — such as the lender type or your uncertainty about the agreement date. A specialist can confirm eligibility before you proceed.

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Get a free eligibility assessmentA specialist can access your credit records and lender data to confirm whether a DCA applied to your agreement. No cost, no commitment. PCP claims hub →

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Less likely to be eligible under the DCA rules

Based on your answers, your agreement may not fall within the FCA's DCA review criteria — either because it was arranged directly with a lender, after January 2021, or a prior settlement has been accepted. However, the Supreme Court ruling is broader than DCAs alone — consult a specialist if you're unsure.

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Still worth checking your other agreementsIf you've had multiple car finance agreements, run the checker for each one. You may have one that qualifies. Start again →

Full eligibility criteria

What makes a PCP or HP agreement eligible?

✅ Finance arranged through a dealer

The DCA was an arrangement between the dealer and the lender. If you applied directly to the lender (online or by phone), no dealer was involved to apply a DCA commission. Dealer-arranged finance is the key qualifier.

✅ Agreement between April 2007 and January 2021

DCAs were common practice from at least 2007. The FCA banned them on 28 January 2021. Agreements outside this window are not covered by the DCA review, though the broader undisclosed commission argument may apply to earlier agreements.

✅ PCP, HP, or conditional sale

Personal Contract Purchase and Hire Purchase are the primary products. Conditional Sale agreements from the same period may also qualify. Standard personal loans from a bank (not motor finance) are not covered.

✅ A major motor finance lender

Black Horse, Santander Consumer Finance, Close Brothers, MotoNovo, Moneybarn, Volkswagen Financial Services, and BMW Financial Services are all confirmed as using DCAs. Some smaller lenders also used them — a SAR can confirm.

⚠️ Within the limitation period

Standard 6 years from agreement date, or 3 years from date of knowledge — whichever is later. Pre-2019 agreements may need the knowledge-based clock. See our deadline guide for detail.

❌ No previous settlement accepted

If you previously accepted a settlement for this specific agreement and signed a full and final settlement release, you cannot generally claim again for the same agreement. Rejected complaints or ongoing complaints are not settled.

FAQs

Eligibility questions answered

I financed a motorbike — am I eligible?+

Motorcycles financed through a dealer under a regulated consumer credit agreement are generally within scope of the FCA review. The key test is the same: dealer-arranged, within the date range, and using a lender that operated DCAs. Run the eligibility checker treating the motorcycle purchase the same as a car purchase.

Can I claim for multiple cars financed under PCP?+

Yes — each separate agreement is a separate potential claim. If you've had three PCP agreements between 2012 and 2020, all three may be eligible. You need to complete the eligibility check for each agreement separately. The FCA's average overcharge of £1,100 applies per agreement — multiple qualifying agreements could mean a significantly larger total claim.

I have a bad credit history — does that affect my eligibility?+

No. Your credit history doesn't affect your eligibility for PCP compensation. The claim is about whether a DCA inflated your interest rate — not about your creditworthiness. In fact, people with lower credit scores who were offered higher interest rates may have paid larger DCA overcharges and could be owed more.

I used a personal loan to buy a car — is that covered?+

Probably not by the DCA review. A personal loan from a bank or building society doesn't involve a dealer setting an interest rate — it's negotiated directly with the lender. The DCA-specific review only covers motor finance products (PCP, HP, CS) arranged through a dealer. However, if you had a personal loan alongside a dealer-arranged agreement, the dealer arrangement is the relevant one.

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