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News

Up-to-date coverage of all that is happening in the worlds of accountancy and finance. Analysis and insights of the latest trends affecting the profession along with podcasts and videos offering fresh perspectives on accountancy.
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Polly Tsang, Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager
Accountancy Insights

Understanding tokenisation plans; rethinking the audit report

  • Podcast
  • 03 Jun 2026
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.
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Latest news

A person holding a tablet device displaying various graphs
How to identify AI errors in financial models
  • 05 Jun 2026
While artificial intelligence (AI) can now help build financial models much more effectively than it could even a year ago, it still needs close human review.
Three things keeping accountants awake at night and what to do about them
  • 05 Jun 2026
Technological change, economic volatility and time pressures are causing accountants concern, but there are tools you can use to set boundaries and manage stressors.
Chart of the week: OBR forecast evaluation
  • 05 Jun 2026
Our chart this week looks at the Office of Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast evaluation for the year ended 31 March 2025, showing the very large differences between the OBR’s pre-election March 2024 one-year forecast and the 2024/25 outturn.
Caroline Smale, ICAEW's President 2026-27
New President Caroline Smale: ‘I’m determined to make a difference’
  • 04 Jun 2026
Caroline Smale, ICAEW’s new President, is setting an ambitious agenda for her year in office, championing members, strengthening the profession’s voice and opening up opportunities for the next generation.

Latest tax news

New standard for customs intermediaries launched
  • 05 Jun 2026
The standard sets out expectations for professional conduct, capability and service delivery in a move that the government hopes will improve the quality and consistency of services provided by customs intermediaries.
HMRC publishes detailed guidance on mandatory tax adviser registration
  • 04 Jun 2026
The mandatory tax adviser registration manual explains some aspects of the rules and confirms the transitional arrangements applying in some circumstances. However, further explanation is to be added and not all areas are covered.
Tax news in brief 3 June 2026
  • 03 Jun 2026
Highlights from the broader tax news for the week ending 3 June 2026, including a reminder from HMRC for agents not to use clients’ log-in details.
Government’s AI chatbot now available for tax queries
  • 02 Jun 2026
Users of the GOV.UK app can use a new AI tool, GOV.UK Chat, to answer questions on a range of areas, including tax. As for all AI tools, responses should be treated with caution.

Podcasts

Polly Tsang, Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager
Understanding tokenisation plans; rethinking the audit report
  • 03 Jun 2026
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.
Guy Ruddle, Tristan Yelland and Will Christopher
Are you taking fraud seriously enough?
  • 20 May 2026
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?
Stephen Relf and Lindsey Wicks
Modernising and mandating agent registration
  • 13 May 2026
Finance Act 2026 introduces a package of measures designed to drive up standards in the tax advice market, including mandatory agent registration with HMRC. In this episode, we explain how the process will work and discuss the consequences for advisers of having their registration suspended.

Videos

Showcasing recent news-related video content from ICAEW.
Displaying 1-5 of 35 results
ICAEW's latest research into the evolution of mid-tier accountancy firms
ICAEW's latest research into the evolution of mid-tier accountancy firms
  • 13 May 2026
  • 00:00:45
Chief Executive, Alan Vallance, introduces the 2026 edition of ICAEW's research into the activities of the UK's mid-tier accountancy firms and their plans for the future.
ICAEW Annual Report 2025
ICAEW Annual Report 2025
  • 24 Apr 2026
  • 00:01:07
Alan Vallance recaps some of the highlights in 2025. To find out more read the ICAEW Annual Report 2025 at https://www.icaew.com.
Looking ahead: financial services in 2026
Looking ahead: financial services in 2026
  • 24 Feb 2026
  • 00:00:52
Polly Tsang, ICAEW's Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager, previews the year ahead in financial services.
Looking ahead: technology and cyber security in 2026
Looking ahead: technology and cyber security in 2026
  • 18 Feb 2026
  • 00:00:56
Esther Mallowah, ICAEW's Head of Tech Policy, previews the year ahead in technology and cyber security.
Looking ahead: regulation policy in 2026
Looking ahead: regulation policy in 2026
  • 18 Feb 2026
  • 00:01:03
Sophie Wales, ICAEW's Director, Regulatory Policy, previews the year ahead for regulation policy in accountancy and finance.
Displaying 1-5 of 35 results

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.

Charts of the week

Chart of the week: OBR forecast evaluation
  • Article
  • 05 Jun 2026
Our chart this week looks at the Office of Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast evaluation for the year ended 31 March 2025, showing the very large differences between the OBR’s pre-election March 2024 one-year forecast and the 2024/25 outturn.
Chart of the week: fuel prices
  • Article
  • 28 May 2026
Our chart this week is on fuel prices, illustrating both how the price at the pump is made up and how prices have risen over the last four months.
Chart of the week: UK defence spending
  • Article
  • 21 May 2026
Our chart this week returns to the subject of defence spending and how the extra money for defence being announced by the government is only a small step on the way to the NATO target of spending 3.5% of GDP.

News specials

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

Cheery tree with blossom
Mental health and wellbeing
  • 07 May 2026
There is now a far greater understanding that we should look after our mental health with the same care as our physical health. Discover ICAEW's and caba's resources for maintaining your mental health..
Road winding through hilly countryside with sun rising in the background
Prepare for 2026
  • 25 Feb 2026
Accountants face some significant challenges, but also some key opportunities in 2026. Hear from ICAEW experts on the important issues that members need to be thinking about over the next 12 months.
Diverse group of people smiling and looking up
Global Ethics Day
  • 07 Oct 2025
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.

Featured sections

Diversity and Inclusion
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 news into diversity in the profession.
Regulatory News
A round-up of regulatory and conduct updates and communications from the ICAEW Professional Standards Department.
Sponsored content
Hear what our partners are saying on topical issues impacting the accountancy profession.
News and Insights index
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 news and the Quarterly magazine.
News archive
In this section you can read some of the best material that was in ICAEW's monthly magazine, Economia, as well as from the Insights section published in 2020.

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