Investors could retrieve money they have lost as a result of their dealings with 11 failed financial firms that the UK's Financial Services Compensation Scheme has declared to be in default during the last month. Entities from the Beaufort Securities empire are prominent on the list.

The firms are: Beaufort Asset Clearing Services Ltd, 63 St Mary Axe, London; Beaufort Securities Ltd, same address; Mortgage Partner Services Limited t/a Blevins Franks Mortgage Services (formerly t/a Blackstone Franks Mortgage Services Limited), Gable House, 239 Regents Park Rd, London; Ebullio Capital Management LLP, RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hants; Active Wealth (UK) Limited, Willenhall, W Midlands; Total Financial Control Ltd, Bramley House, 56 Bramhall Lane South, Bramhall, Cheshire; Alan Driver Financial Services, Leeds; Approved Financial Solutions Ltd, Sheffield; R Kalisiak, C Wells & S Kalisiak t/a Goldsmith Insurance, Nottingham; Regent Wealth Limited, 69 the Ridgeway, Northaw, Hertfordshire; and C3 Financial Services Limited (formerly t/a Foyle & Lagan Limited), 89 Deerpark Rd, Belfast.

The FSCS is the UK’s statutory compensation scheme that protects customers of regulated financial services firms. When it declares a firm to be 'in default' it is satisfied that it cannot pay claims for compensation made against it. This is where its service, which is free to consumers, becomes available. Since it began in 2001, it has helped more than 4½ million people and paid out more than £26 billion in compensation.