Accountancy Insights

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...

This episode is all about the Budget. What was in it? What are the implications? Was there anything positive to glean from it?  Stepping in for Philippa Lamb on this episode, Guy Ruddle speaks to the usual economic dream team of Santander Chief Economist Frances Haque, David Williamson, who joins us from Portcullis House, and Iain Wright, ICAEW’s Chief Policy and Communications Officer.  They shar...

This episode focuses on the integration of AI in audit processes, emphasising the need for practical guidance from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to build industry confidence, especially with smaller firms. The conversation highlighted the importance of human oversight, the role of third-party technology providers, the challenges of explainability and data security, and the need for clear c...

In this episode, we’re exploring just how useful Large Language Models (LLMs) are when it comes to spreadsheets; what needs to happen by 18 November when it comes to Companies House ID verification; and how the OBR comes to its conclusions. Host Philippa Lamb is joined by Simon Thorne, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, Cardiff Metropolitan University, to talk about his research into LLMs'...

In this episode, we discuss how prepared organisations really are for cyber attacks, what to do if and when your business is affected, and how to manage the communications challenges. We have a great case study from a company that suffered a cyber attack, with plenty of lessons about how to mitigate the impact on customers and return quickly to business as usual. Philippa Lamb is joined by Peter D...

We’re all navigating uncertainty right now. How can accountants manage it professionally and personally? Riaz Shah OBE, former EY Partner and Professor of Practice at Hult International Business School, breaks down the biggest factors affecting the profession at the moment, and how it might shape the role and future of accountants.  Then Paul Guess, Case Management Officer for accountants’ support...

Whistleblowing is a vital process but often fraught with far more risk and emotional upheaval than it should be. In Western Europe, 43% of all occupational fraud cases come to light thanks to whistleblowers. And it’s not just fraud: cases from poor health-and-safety practices to bad team management have all been righted thanks to people speaking out. Although many whistleblowing cases do result in...

In this special episode of Accountancy Insights, we bring you a timely interview of Kemi Badenoch by ICAEW’s Chief Executive Alan Vallance who sat down with her after a speech she gave at Chartered Accountants’ Hall. Badenoch talked about tackling perennial long-term problems like productivity and smarter regulation. She spoke with feeling about her frustration when, as Business Secretary in the p...

Accountancy Insights explores the month’s top stories in the profession. In this episode, we discuss the introduction of four statutory instruments to enforce Companies House reform, as well as the common mistakes to avoid when scaling up a business. We also cover the introduction and content of the Next Generation ACA qualification. Philippa Lamb is joined by Mike Miller, ICAEW Economic Crime Man...

In this episode of Behind the Numbers, we explore what the history of money can tell us about its future. Currency has been evolving for thousands of years, but the pace of change has now escalated with the introduction of online banking and digital currencies. We discuss the parallels between modern and historical advances in currency, and key lessons as central banks look to introduce their own...

ICAEW’s Iain Wright hosts a conversation with Emma Jones CBE, the government’s newly appointed Small Business Commissioner, in this special episode of Accountancy Insights.   Jones discusses the Small Business Plan, launched on 30 July, which introduces new measures to tackle late payments. Estimates place the cost of late payments to the UK economy at £11bn per year as well as contributing to the...

In this episode, we discuss the findings of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s first report, including lessons for other companies around culture and values. We also explore ICAEW’s latest research into mid-tier practices, covering the key drivers of growth and the biggest challenges ahead.   Philippa Lamb is joined in the studio by Peter van Veen, ICAEW Director of Corporate Governance and Stew...