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Client vulnerability
<h3>Client vulnerability</h3> <p>Discover the factors that may affect your ability to manage your trading account or engage with financial services. Vulnerability can affect anyone at any time, so it’s important to understand how to manage it and the support options available to you.</p> <h3>What is a vulnerable client?</h3> <p>A vulnerable client is regarded as someone who may struggle to make rational decisions due to personal circumstances that can impair their judgment. The FCA, in its guidance note, defines1 it as: “A vulnerable customer is someone who, due to their personal circumstances, is especially susceptible to harm, particularly when a firm is not acting with appropriate levels of care.”</p> <h3>What factors can cause vulnerability?</h3> <p>There are a wide range of factors that can make someone vulnerable, including but not limited to:</p> <ul> <li>Health: Physical or mental health conditions</li> <li>Life events: Unforeseen job loss, bereavement, or relationship breakdown</li> <li>Financial difficulties: Income changes, rising costs, or unexpected expenses</li> <li>Behaviour changes: Trading more than comfortable, fixating on outcomes, or making impulsive trades</li> </ul> <h3>What are the consequences of being a vulnerable client?</h3> <p>If one or more of the factors above has made you vulnerable, it could impair your judgment and lead to the following:</p> <ul> <li>Placing impulsive trades without considering the impact</li> <li>Losing more money than you can afford</li> <li>Using household funds for trading</li> <li>Neglecting work or family responsibilities to trade</li> <li>Suicidal thoughts after losing trades</li> </ul> <h3>How does ThinkMarkets support vulnerable clients?</h3> <p>At ThinkMarkets, we are committed to supporting our clients every step of the way. If you feel vulnerable and it’s impacting your trading experience, you can request for your account to be temporarily or permanently suspended. You can do this by contacting our client support team via live chat, email, or phone.</p> <p>Further, during our communications, if we believe you may be impacted by any of the vulnerability factors, we may seek additional information.</p> <h3>What other support options are available to me?</h3> <p>If you’re seeking further help, there are several organisations that can assist you, including:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/" target="_blank">Citizens Advice</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.samaritans.org/?currency=EUR" target="_blank">Samaritans</a> (mental health support)</li> <li><a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/" target="_blank">Mind</a> – (mental health support)</li> <li><a href="https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en" target="_blank">MoneyHelper</a> – (debt advice)</li> <li><a href="https://www.stepchange.org/" target="_blank">StepChange</a> – (debt charity)</li> </ul> <p>You can also visit our Academy section for resources on trading psychology and behaviour, where we cover the emotional biases you may be susceptible to and how to manage and control them.</p>