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Insights

Pulling together opinion, analysis, interviews and features on the profession along with a focus on the key issues affecting accountancy and the world of business.

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver the Budget
The Tax Track

Budget 25: Do the tax changes meet the tenets?

  • Podcast
  • ICAEW
In this episode, we rate the Budget against ICAEW’s ten tenets for a better tax system, focusing on the government’s decision to freeze the personal allowance and tax thresholds for an additional three years, the new tax on electric vehicles and changes to the NIC treatment of salary sacrificed pension contributions.
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Latest news

Charities ‘expect fraud to increase’ in 2026
  • Article
  • 12 Dec 2025
The latest Charity Fraud Report from BDO and Fraud Advisory Panel shows a decrease in incidents in 2025, however respondents were concerned about the future.
Your membership: Audit and assurance resources
  • Article
  • 12 Dec 2025
Whether you’re looking for support on ISA 600, guidance on improving audit documentation or real-world insights into how AI is being used in audits, ICAEW offers exclusive resources for members.
Chart of the week: Net migration
  • Article
  • 12 Dec 2025
Our chart this week illustrates the fall, rise and fall again of net inward migration over the past eight years and asks whether it will bounce back to hit the OBR’s long-term assumption by the end of the decade.

Latest tax news

What are salary sacrificed pension contributions?
  • Article
  • 10 Dec 2025
ICAEW’s Tax Faculty explains the circumstances in which the cap on the national insurance contributions (NIC) exemption for salary sacrificed pension contributions, announced at the Autumn Budget 2025, are likely to apply.
Are you ready for MTD income tax?
  • Article
  • 10 Dec 2025
The final countdown for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax is underway, with the first wave of self‑employed clients and landlords coming into scope from April 2026, followed by further tranches in 2027 and 2028.
Tax news in brief 9 December 2025
  • Article
  • 09 Dec 2025
Highlights from the broader tax news for the week ending 9 December 2025, including: a reminder of the arrangements for employers for reporting payments made in December; and the figures for van and car fuel benefits for 2026/27.

Insights specials

A listing of one-off Insights specials that focus on a particular subject, interviewing the key people, identifying developing trends and examining the underlying issues.

How to fix VAT
  • Hub page
ICAEW explores the challenges and opportunities offered in reimagining VAT and it's application. Read about the history of VAT, the lessons that can be learned from outside the UK and the potential of digitalisation.
Global Ethics Day
  • Hub page
ICAEW celebrates Global Ethics Day each year. The 2025 theme is "Ethics Re-envisioned,” challenging us to think boldly about how we embed ethical principles into the heart of our organisations.
Local government finance: skills for the future
  • Hub page
Improving financial skills at local authorities is critical in balancing the books and delivering value for citizens. As backstop dates for audited accounts come into force, ICAEW explores how local authorities can strengthen their approach to financial management.

Accounting Intelligence

ICAEW has created a range of resources to support members in business and practice build their understanding of AI. There are video masterclasses, as well as features discussing opportunities, challenges, limitations, risk management and ethics.

Browse resources Watch AI masterclasses
Computer screen with text relating to generative AI

Videos

AI masterclass Konrad Bukowski-Kruszyna ACA, Head of Audit Data Analytics, RSM UK outlines how generative AI can help ensure that audit sampling is being handled correctly.
AI masterclass on better audit sampling
  • Video
  • 29 Oct 2024
Konrad Bukowski-Kruszyna ACA, Head of Audit Data Analytics, RSM UK outlines how generative AI can help ensure that audit sampling is being handled correctly.
Busy road in London
What is VAT?
  • Video
  • 19 Nov 2024
Value added tax is a vital tool for raising revenue to fund education, healthcare and more. We explain how it works and how it could be improved.
AI masterclass Jenny Blewett FCA, Head of Finance at Costello Medical talks about how she used generative AI to help check her firm’s banking controls when she was new in post
AI masterclass on reviewing company controls
  • Video
  • 30 Oct 2024
Jenny Blewett FCA, Head of Finance at Costello Medical talks about how she used generative AI to help check her firm's banking controls when she was new in post
Video thumbnail - bird's view of a city
Private equity: is it here to stay?
  • Video
  • 22 May 2024
Matt Meadows, Managing Partner, Moore Kingston Smith, and Caroline Monk, Executive Partner, Beever and Struthers, on their views of private equity on the accountancy sector.

The opinions expressed by external guest speakers in interviews or other publications included on this website are, by their nature, those of the speaker. They are not necessarily fully endorsed by the ICAEW or purport to reflect the official policies and views of the ICAEW or its members.

Podcast episodes

Budget 25: where’s the growth?
  • Podcast
  • 01 Dec 2025
This episode is all about the Budget. What was in it? What are the implications? Was there anything positive to glean from it?
Budget 25: Do the tax changes meet the tenets?
  • Podcast
  • 01 Dec 2025
In this episode, we rate the Budget against ICAEW’s ten tenets for a better tax system, focusing on the government’s decision to freeze the personal allowance and tax thresholds for an additional three years, the new tax on electric vehicles and changes to the NIC treatment of salary sacrificed pension contributions.
How should audit firms use AI?
  • Podcast
  • 11 Nov 2025
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.

Charts of the week

A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: Net migration
  • Article
  • 12 Dec 2025
Our chart this week illustrates the fall, rise and fall again of net inward migration over the past eight years and asks whether it will bounce back to hit the OBR’s long-term assumption by the end of the decade.
A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: Budget 2025 debt blues
  • Article
  • 05 Dec 2025
Our chart this week illustrates how despite being a “tax-raising Budget”, the cumulative net effect of all the changes announced last week is to add £61bn to the public sector net debt forecast for 31 March 2030.
A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: Autumn Budget 2025
  • Article
  • 27 Nov 2025
Our chart this week looks at how the Chancellor used tax rises to refill and increase her budget headroom after forecast revisions and spending increases eliminated the projected current budget surplus for 2029/30.

Insights by topic

Student Insights Interviews, guides and features giving you fresh insights, innovative ideas and an inside look at the lives and careers of ICAEW students and members. No matter what stage you’re at in your journey with us, you’ll find content to suit you.
Insights index
  • Listing
This page provides an entry point to the articles that have formed the daily, monthly and weekly member emails, arranged by section and month. It also contains an index of themed Insights specials and the Quarterly magazine.
Climate hub
  • Hub page
Climate change is a crucial issue for the accounting profession. Are you professionally ready to mitigate the risk and maximise the opportunity of climate change? Find inspiration, information and practical resources to support the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Diversity and Inclusion
  • Hub page
ICAEW is committed to Diversity and Inclusion. In this hub we bring together timely D&I resources on the protected characteristics of the Equality Act, along with our latest insights into diversity in the profession.
EU and international trade
  • Hub page
A range of resources on the implications of the UK leaving the EU on 31 December 2020.
Regulatory News
  • Listing
A round-up of regulatory and conduct updates and communications from the ICAEW Professional Standards Department.
Sponsored content
  • Listing
Hear what our partners are saying on topical issues impacting the accountancy profession.