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The papers are aimed at helping small advisory firms up to date with the impending deadline and will provide a methodology on how to consider an adviser's existing and required management information under TCF.

The help papers also include how to analyse and relate the MI to the FSA's six consumer outcomes and will include two "pen portraits" which represent examples of two firms' real life interpretation of the FSA MI requirements.

Chris Cummings, director general of Aifa, said the group had worked very closely with the FSA in producing the information for the papers and the regulator had had the opportunity to review the material in draft and make suggestions.

"The March deadline is for firms to have the relevant MI in place. There is another deadline in December when firms need to show that they are using this MI to demonstrate that they are treating customers fairly. Our material will help for our members meet these deadlines." Mr Cummings said.

Ben Willis, head of research for Whitechurch Securities, said: "We are already prepared for the TCF deadlines and have been since quite early on as we introduced a Treating Customers Fairly charter last October."

He added: "The implementation of TCF could take longer for some of the bigger firms but I would imagine most firms are already on the ball with introducing the measures and making sure they are adopted by management and all staff."