Accountancy Insights

A bonus episode recorded following Global Ethics Day, looking at ethics as the world changes around us at a ridiculous pace. Artificial intelligence is reshaping the world of work, but there are considerable ethical considerations that come along with it. How does the Code of Ethics for accountants address this? Links Firm culture and governance exposure draft - https://www.ethicsboard.org/consult...

UK Chancellor John Healey had a huge challenge with his first budget. It had been trailed as a ‘steady as she goes’ budget – was it successful? In our usual budget analysis episode, we break down the various measures outlined in the budget, the economic backdrop that informed the Chancellor’s decisions, the winners and losers, and what it all might mean for the coming year. Links ICAEW Budget page...

In this episode, recorded from ICAEW’s Annual Conference, we speak to the biggest speakers from across the day about the challenges facing businesses in a variety of sectors, and what can be done about them. From the economy to cybercrime and growing in unpredictable environments, we cover a lot of ground. You may also note the change of name: as the podcast has grown, it has attracted a broader a...

In this special bonus episode, we hear exclusively from the Department for Business, Innovation Science and Trade (BIST) on the government’s plans for corporate reporting, the Modernising Corporate Reporting (MCR) agenda. It’s a potentially huge change and the government wants to implement it quickly, so now is the time to address its implications. In this episode, we run through the major changes...

On the first ever episode of The Audit Report – the podcast that looks at the factors shaping modern audit – we’re discussing the long-awaited consultation on Modernising Corporate Reporting.  The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade is consulting on what it should look like. What could it mean for auditors? Links ICAEW: Modernising Corporate Reporting survey - https://www.icaew....

Cyber criminals spend much of their time working on identity theft. If you hold a responsible position in your organisation, they might very well be working on you. Or worse – they might be lurking in your smart coffee machine. Identity theft is now recognised as the best path to success for cyber criminals and with more and more information about ourselves and our organisations online, we make it...

On 7 September, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey delivered a speech setting out his goals for the Budget, amid twitchiness in the bond markets. What did he hope to achieve, and what does it tell us about the Budget in October? We discuss the speech, the factors that are likely to shape the Budget, and what options the Chancellor has to encourage growth, balance tax and spend, and calm th...

In this episode, we take a look at the government’s Fraud in the Digital Age report: what does it tell us about trends and what can businesses do to protect themselves? And with the first submissions deadline for Income Tax under the new Making Tax Digital system just passed - how did it go? We discuss the lessons learned for the next submission. Links ICAEW: HMRC to begin signing up taxpayers for...

For Business, faraway wars feel way closer than they used to. In the current volatile geopolitical environment, businesses need to consider planning for these events. So in this episode, we run through such an exercise: what if Russia tests NATO resolve by firing on Poland and amassing troops near the region? We explore this hypothetical but increasingly plausible scenario in this episode.  Links...

In this episode, EY UK Digital Assurance Leader Richard Harrison joins us to talk about how the firm is using AI agents in audit. How do they divide tasks between people and tech?  And how are they understanding and mitigating risk? Then, Polly Tsang, ICAEW’s Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager tells us about Prediction Markets. While you may not have heard of them, they’re opening up a w...

The question of whether an ‘AI bubble’ is going to burst doesn’t seem to be going away. There’s a compelling case to be made on both sides of the argument, with the growing demand for AI tools, and the huge amount of money and resources needed to deliver on that demand.  So what are the actual risks of an AI bubble, and what would that mean for the tools that businesses and firms are investing in...

We’ll have a new PM soon, while the war in the Middle East rages on. Does this mean more uncertainty for businesses in the second half of 2026? ICAEW’s Chief Economist tries to predict what might happen next.  If that wasn’t enough, there’s a lot going on in tax at the moment, from MTD Income Tax to new agent registration rules and more tax changes than expected mid-year. Lindsey Wicks explains al...

Last year CEO pay rose 20 times faster than workers’ pay, according to new research from Oxfam and the International Trade Union Confederation. At the most extreme end of that pay scale, investors approved an executive package for Elon Musk worth a potential $1tn. So when does CEO pay become too high?  What are the commercial, ethical and cultural implications for organisations if they’re perceive...

The government has plans to tokenise financial markets. What exactly is tokenisation? What might it look like in practice and what are the big questions about it that still need answering? Polly Tsang, ICAEW’s Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager, explains. After that, audit reports: ICAEW has created the Auditor Reporting Lab, alongside audit firms, to encourage modernisation in the marke...

Fraud is the largest reported crime in England and Wales, and the UK government wants to bring numbers down. With failure to prevent fraud now an offence, there is some onus on business to address the issue. But are enough businesses taking it seriously? In this episode, we take a look at the common types of fraud, what businesses should be vigilant of, and how can they protect themselves? Links U...

Everyone’s talking about energy costs at the moment. Greenfields Energy Group’s co-founder LIAM CONWAY walks us through the energy impacts of the Iran War and outlines the best ways for businesses to protect themselves from global energy shocks.    Elsewhere on the episode, we discuss new guidance from the Financial Reporting Council on managing the risks for auditors when it comes to AI adoption;...

AI is already having an impact on the make-up of audit teams and there’s some evidence it’s already reducing the number of junior roles. But it’s all still new, and developing all of the time. What about the medium and longer term effects? How might it change training and career paths and will it ultimately boost or diminish the appeal of a career in accountancy? We’re joined by a young accountant...

We’ve already seen immediate spikes and fluctuations in the oil price and the wider financial and commodity markets.  But how will the UK economy be affected in the months to come and how heavy a price will British Business pay? RSM Chief Economist Tom Pugh shares his thoughts.  Liz Barclay is Co-founder of Business 111, Special Adviser on Small Business & Entrepreneurship at the Institute of...

UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) are bringing sustainability reporting in line with international standards. So who will be mandated to use them and how will they apply in practice? The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on this at the moment. One of the people behind the international standards joins us and ICAEW’s Sustainability Reporting and Assurance Director to disc...

There’s just one month to go till Making Tax Digital kicks in for Income Tax; we take a look at how the transition will go. There’s also a lot happening in corporate reporting at the moment – Sally Baker brings us up to speed. Links ICAEW: Making Tax Digital - https://www.icaew.com/technical/tax/making-tax-digital ICAEW: MTD: How to prepare your clients - https://www.icaew.com/insights/tax-news/20...

This episode looks at routes to the C-suite, and the traits, skills and capabilities you’ll need to get you there. Accountants are highly represented in the C-suite, with one in four CEOs holding the qualification according to research by Robert Half. However, the working world is going through rapid technological and cultural transformation. So how is that changing the competencies that organisat...

This episode covers AI and tax work and ISA 600 on group audits, following the release of two pieces of guidance on the topics.  With several tax cases in which AI has been used and provided incorrect or misleading information, we outline how to apply the five fundamental ethical principles to AI use.  ISA 600 on group audits was revised, effective for audits of financial statements for periods co...

Celsius network claimed to be a safe place to trade digital currencies and assets. In reality, it was using customers’ money for its own ends. In the first Behind the Numbers of the New Year, we explore the collapse of digital currency platform Celsius network, the scandal that followed, and its lasting impact on crypto asset regulation, particularly custody.   Since that scandal, international re...

In the first episode of 2026, our usual team of soothsayers David Williamson, Frances Haque and Iain Wright review the events of the past 12 months, and look ahead to what we might expect in the coming year. Will 2026 be more of the same, or will there be some reasons to be cheerful? Could the AI bubble burst, or will it just deflate? And did our panel get anything right last year? Transcript Read...

With Christmas round the corner, we’ve put together a special best of episode of Behind the Numbers, featuring some of the most memorable conversations from throughout the year.  From discussions of Trump and tariffs on our 100th episode to one of our favourite conversations on the history of money, it’s an excellent way to remind yourself of what went on this year – or catch up on what you’ve mis...