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What counts as CPD and what is verifiable?

Helpsheets and support

Published: 24 Apr 2023 Updated: 05 Jul 2024 Update History

Guidance outlining the types of professional development activity that could qualify as verifiable for the purpose of ICAEW's CPD Regulations.

Under ICAEW's CPD Regulations members, and other individuals regulated by ICAEW, have to undertake a prescribed minimum number of hours of continuing professional development (CPD) each year.

The number of hours required depends upon which CPD category best fits your role. Each CPD category sets out the minimum number of hours and the  proportion of those hours that must be verifiable.

 

CPD category

Minimum number
of hours

Minimum number of verifiable hours

Practice

Category 1 40

30

Category 2 30 20
Category 3

20

10

Working outside practice

Category 1

40

15

Category 2

30

10

Category 3

20

5

Executives/trustees of charities working pro bono.

ICAEW's CPD video for charity trustees  or training with similar learning outcomes.
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Relevant CPD

For an activity to count as CPD you need to show in your CPD record how it is relevant to your role and has helped to meet your learning needs.

CPD is not restricted to activities focused on technical accounting or finance. The development of non-technical skills, such as communication, leadership and change management, are equally considered professional development.

How to verify CPD activities

For a CPD activity to be verifiable there must be evidence of its completion that is:

  • objective - fact based, rather than based on personal perspectives;
  • corroborated - can be confirmed to be accurate by an independent source; and
  • retained - in a format that can be included in your CPD record. 

Verifiable CPD is not limited to structured courses. Independent evidence can be provided for a wide-range of actions from your day-to-day work, from attending peer discussion groups and consulting experts, to on-the-job research of technical areas and writing academic articles.

Verifying CPD activities on icaew.com

As part of the new online CPD record, ICAEW’s AddCPD tool verifies your engagement with articles, videos and podcasts on icaew.com. AddCPD enables you to add the page you're browsing to your online CPD record and verifies that activity.

Whenever you see the AddCPD logo on the bottom right of a page, then that content can also contribute to your verifiable CPD hours.

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More examples of verifiable CPD

The list below provides example CPD activities and how they can be evidenced. Please note that only one form of evidence is required for each verifiable CPD activity in your record.

More support

Guidance on what constitutes verifiable CPD and potential evidence that would be acceptable under ICAEW's CPD Regulations, as well as the downloadable form for verifying on-the-job learning

Verifiable CPD examplesOn-the-job learning form

CPD activity

Verifiable Example evidence type

Attendance on external courses.

Yes
• Certificate of attendance. 
• Booking confirmation from course supplier.
Attendance on internal courses. Yes – if your organisation provides evidence of your attendance.
• Attendance record.
• Certificate of attendance from internal system/training coordinator.
Formal study and/or passing exams leading to a designation, degree, certificate or diploma.

Yes

• Enrolment record.
• Attendance schedule.
• Certificate of completion.
• Exam certificate.
Attending or participating in:
• webinars,
• lectures,
• symposiums,
• conferences,
• seminars,
• workshops,
• presentations with defined learning outcomes, or
• peer learning discussion groups.

Yes

Proof of participation or attendance (for example a registration email for a webinar or a certificate/email confirming completion).
Preparing to lecture/teach new content.

Yes

• Session materials.
• Record of event.
Carrying out technical research. Yes – where the results of that research can be produced in presentations, reports, file notes or similar documents.
• Presentation/report/file note/other document summarising the research.
• List of source references used.
• Certificate summarising time spent on research activity, signed by line manager.
• Research on icaew.com can be verified using the AddCPD tool at the bottom right of the webpage. Click on the logo to record your activities on your online CPD record and they will appear as verified.

Technical reading.

Only verifiable if the reading can be evidenced. Otherwise, would count as non-verifiable CPD if it is relevant to the learning needs of your role.  • Reading technical articles and PDFs on icaew.com can be verified using the AddCPD tool at the bottom right of the webpage. Click on the logo to record your activities on your online CPD record and they will appear as verified.

Listening to podcasts.

Only verifiable if the listening can be evidenced. Otherwise, would count as non-verifiable CPD if it is relevant to the learning needs of your role. 

• Listening to podcasts on icaew.com can be verified using the AddCPD tool at the bottom right of the webpage. Click on the logo to record your activities on your online CPD record and they will appear as verified.

Writing technical or academic articles, papers or books. Yes – where it is published.
• Copy of article.
• Source references.
• Publication dates.
• Details of time spent in preparation.
On the job training that helped develop or maintain professional competence. Yes – if records provided by another person, eg employer, performance manager, mentor or tutor. • Certificate or other documented records, confirmed by an employer, performance manager, mentor or tutor, for time spent. 
• ICAEW has created a downloadable form to record on-the-job learning and enable verification by a senior colleague. Find out more.
Participation in meetings/discussion groups on technical topics, for example, ICAEW District Society meetings.

Yes

Evidence of meeting, for example, minutes, diary dates or an attendee list.
Consulting experts to resolve technical or ethical issues. Yes – if consultation is evidenced.
• Record of expert(s) consulted.
• List of resources accessed. 
• Copies of correspondence with expert.
Participation in professional board that developed and maintained competence.

Yes

Records confirmed by the professional board for time spent participating.

CPD resources included in your ICAEW membership

As part of your ICAEW membership you have access to a range of resources that can support you in meeting your CPD obligations, many of which will be verifiable using the AddCPD tool. These include:

  • faculty content covering: audit and assurance, corporate reporting and tax;
  • content produced by more than 30 communities, focused on individual industry sectors and specialisms;
  • practical guidance and helpsheets from ICAEW's Technical Advisory Services;
  • current affairs updates through ICAEW insights, which offers daily updates, as well as three regular podcasts, and
  • online training courses, covering ethics, technology and charity trustees’ responsibilities.
     

CPD resources

ICAEW membership includes a significant range of online content, including webinars, podcasts and insights. Members also have access to content created by our faculties and communities.

Find out more about how ICAEW's CPD Regulations are changing after 1 November 2023
Changelog Anchor
  • Update History
    27 Apr 2023 (12: 00 AM BST)
    Guidance amended to provide examples of acceptable evidence for webinar attendance and to clarify that only one item of evidence is required per verifiable CPD activity within a CPD record.
    26 May 2023 (12: 00 AM BST)
    Insertion of 'CPD resources included in ICAEW membership' section.
    25 Jul 2023 (12: 00 AM BST)
    Clarification added over potential verifiability of podcast listening and additional text to 'relevant CPD' section to reaffirm that CPD activities are not restricted to technical accountancy and finance subjects.
    31 Aug 2023 (12: 00 AM BST)
    Inclusion of information about verification of CPD activities on icaew.com and the creation of a form to support the verification of on-the-job learning
    05 Dec 2023 (12: 00 AM GMT)
    Links have been added to the new online CPD record.
    05 Jul 2024 (12: 00 AM BST)
    Amended in light of AddCPD tool being live.