Key resources and support
Practice helpsheets
Helpsheets prepared by ICAEW Technical Advisory Services to assist you in your day-to-day work. We offer practical advice, respond to frequently asked questions and highlight the issues you may need to consider.
Bloomsbury Accounting and Tax Service
Eligible firms have free access to Bloomsbury Professional’s comprehensive online library, comprising around 80 titles from some of the country’s leading tax and accounting subject matter experts.
ICAEW Data Analytics Certificate
ICAEW Data Analytics Certificate programme will help you combine your commercial acumen and business knowledge with data analytics expertise.
Developing a specialism
Communities
- Listing
- 12 Apr 2022
Information, insights, guidance and networking opportunities on a range of industry sectors, professional specialisms and at various stages throughout your career. Free for ICAEW members and students.
Support for business advisers
- Hub page
- 01 Jan 2024
Resources that will help you grow your advisory role and evolve your practice.
Probate services
- Hub page
- 15 Jul 2024
- Business Law
ICAEW is an approved regulator and licensing authority for probate services. This enables us to accredit firms to offer probate services to their clients. Here we explain the benefits of accreditation and the application process, provide support for accredited firms and also information for consumers including a register of ICAEW accredited for probate firms.
Designated Professional Body (Investment Business) licence
- Regulations
- 14 Jul 2021
- Personal Financial Planning Community
Find out how you can enhance the services you already offer your clients with a Designated Professional Body (Investment Business) licence. This section explains what regulated investment business is, who is regulated, and how your firm can apply for a DPB (Investment Business) licence.
Working in the regulated area of audit
- Hub page
- 30 Nov 2011
- Professional Standards Department
Firms working in the regulated area of audit are required to comply with the Audit Regulations and guidance. On this page, you'll find links to advice and guidance to help your firm remain compliant.
Local public audit in England
- Helpsheets and support
- 30 May 2024
- Professional Standards Department
ICAEW is responsible for the licensing, registering and monitoring of auditors who wish to carry out audits of local public bodies. This page explains what accountancy firms and individuals need to do to become a registered local auditor under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
Marketing your practice
Promoting your business or practice
- Hub page
- 23 Feb 2024
Generate new business and advertise your business or practice at discounted rates.
Record keeping and documentation
Documents and records
- Helpsheets and support
- 16 Mar 2014
- Professional Standards Department
Guidance for members in practice on which documents the member owns; how long documents should be kept; if the client owns the documents, whether the member always has to hand them over; and the member's obligations to allow others access to documents.
Exclusive
Document retention
- Helpsheets and support
- 28 Nov 2023
- Technical Advisory Services
This helpsheet highlights key considerations relating to document retention for accountants.
Pricing
Fees and charge-out rates
- Helpsheets and support
- 08 Jan 2015
- Practice Department
Advice on agreeing fees and setting charge-out rates.
Time recording
- Helpsheets and support
- 03 Jun 2015
- Practice Department
Effective time recording and the continuing need for the timesheet.
Consumer credit
- Listing
- 04 May 2023
- Practice Department
The DPB (Consumer Credit) Handbook sets out the regulations for firms to provide consumer credit services.
Risk management
Client screening
- No content type
- 04 Mar 2022
- ICAEW Library and Information Service
Obtain client screening reports checking against global risk and compliance data, including government sanctions, Politically Exposed Persons, a wide range of watch lists and negative news profiles.
Exclusive
Managing the professional liability of accountants: Illustrative wordings
- Helpsheets and support
- 14 Aug 2019
- Technical Advisory Services
Technical helpsheet providing illustrative wordings in a limited number of cases for consideration by members in practice seeking to manage their risk of potential liability because of an act or omission resulting in financial loss.
Arrangements for incapacity or death
- Helpsheets and support
- 01 Jan 2009
- Professional Standards Department
Guidance for sole practitioners on finding solutions to the problems that might arise in the event of their incapacity or death.
Support for member firms
Is your entity a member firm?
- Helpsheets and support
- 25 Nov 2016
- Professional Standards Department
Guide to determine if your entity is a member firm and whether ICAEW is your firm’s money laundering supervisor.
Maintaining your firm's record
- Helpsheets and support
- 26 Aug 2021
It is important to maintain an accurate ICAEW firm record. Use this guide to find out what to consider when changing the structure of your firm.
Annual return to ICAEW
- Helpsheets and support
- 24 Mar 2023
- Practice Department
Get the most up-to-date information on the online annual return, links and FAQs.
The ICAEW Practice Assurance scheme
- Hub page
- 29 Jan 2024
- Professional Standads Department
Our Practice Assurance (PA) scheme provides ICAEW member firms and practising certificate holders with a framework of principles-based quality assurance standards to operate to. It outlines procedures to follow with your clients, and how to maintain the highest quality of work and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, eg, those relating to anti-money laundering and protection of client data.
Guidance on your duty to report misconduct
- Listing
- 26 Jun 2024
- Professional Standards Department
We expect ICAEW Chartered Accountants to maintain the highest standards of practice and conduct. All ICAEW members, firms, affiliates and 'relevant persons' have a duty to report any event which may indicate that they and/or another member, firm affiliate or 'relevant person' may be liable to disciplinary action by the ICAEW Conduct Department, regardless of the type of organisation you or they work for.
Supporting your staff
Human resources and employment law
- Hub page
- 13 Apr 2022
- ICAEW Library and Information Service
Access articles, books and online resources on human resources and employment law.
Technology
Free CPD: Get to grips with AI
- Article
- 28 Nov 2024
- ICAEW Insights
What is (and isn’t) artificial intelligence (AI)? What are the different types of AI and what benefits can they deliver in finance? These CPD-verifiable practical resources will help you expand your AI knowledge as well as providing the latest thinking.
November cyber round-up
- Article
- 27 Nov 2024
- ICAEW Insights
This month we look at criminals’ latest techniques, the 10th birthday of Cyber Essentials, fraud risk in the utilities sector, and how an artificial intelligence grandmother has joined the fight against cybercrime.
Free CPD: sustainability reporting resources
- Article
- 26 Nov 2024
- ICAEW Insights
Do you want a high-level understanding of sustainability reporting requirements but don’t know where to start? This article explains how you can find verifiable CPD resources to bring you up to speed.
The most desired skills for AI-assisted accountants
- Article
- 20 Nov 2024
- ICAEW Insights
Speaking to recruiters and partners, we break down the types of skills that firms are trying to develop and attract, including an understanding of AI implementation and its limitations.
How to make AI work for risk and compliance
- Article
- 20 Nov 2024
- ICAEW Insights
Accounting intelligence case study: risk-management company Cential has developed several use cases for AI in the governance, risk and compliance space, with controls to ensure privacy and accuracy.
Masterclass 4: Understanding differences in reporting standards
- Article
- 30 Oct 2024
- ICAEW Insights
Jenny Blewett FCA, Head of Finance at Costello Medical shows how she has used generative AI to help her transition from reporting under IFRS to UK GAAP.
Types of AI: when humans need to step in
- Article
- 19 Nov 2024
- ICAEW Insights
Accounting intelligence: to harness the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, does there always need to be a human in the loop?
The new Code of Ethics: understanding professional behaviour
- Article
- 19 Nov 2024
- ICAEW Insights
As part of the updated Code of Ethics for 2025, the provision for professional behaviour has been reworded to reflect the modern world.
CPD and training
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an integral part of being a successful ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Find out about your annual CPD requirements and access a wealth of CPD resources.
