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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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Insights special

Prepare for 2026

  • Hub page
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.
Browse resources

Latest news

Why value creation matters to finance teams
  • Article
  • 13 Apr 2026
The finance function is under more pressure to deliver value for organisations. But what exactly is meant by 'value creation' in the context of finance and how must the profession adapt?
How to build macros in Copilot for Excel
  • Article
  • 13 Apr 2026
Copilot can potentially make macro building a whole lot easier by generating the code needed very quickly. Here’s where to start when creating macros with Copilot and examples of how to use them.
Supply chain fraud: how to spot the signs
  • Article
  • 10 Apr 2026
Supply chain fraud is quite common, and notoriously difficult to spot. Here are the steps you need to take to minimise the risks.

Latest tax news

New HMRC tool for providing details of directors’ loans
  • Article
  • 09 Apr 2026
ICAEW’s Tax Faculty explores recent developments relating to loans made by close companies to participators, including a new tool for providing information to HMRC about loan repayments.
Building a better tax system
  • Article
  • 07 Apr 2026
The UK tax system is creaking under the weight of decades of accumulated complexity. ICAEW is launching a major programme of work to diagnose what is wrong and set out what good looks like.
HMRC clarifies position on Making Tax Digital and cessations
  • Article
  • 02 Apr 2026
The taxpayer or their agent should notify HMRC by phone or webchat where the taxpayer is within Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax from April 2026 but all of their sources of income for MTD income tax ceased before that date.

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.

Prepare for 2026
  • Hub page
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.
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.

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
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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.
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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
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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

Making sure a tax return is correct and complete
  • Podcast
  • 07 Apr 2026
In this episode, we explore the implications of recent changes to how tax returns should be prepared and HMRC enquiries are conducted, focusing on new HMRC guidelines for ensuring that a tax return is correct and complete and changes to the requirement to notify HMRC of an uncertain tax treatment.
What does the Iran conflict really mean for British business?
  • Podcast
  • 31 Mar 2026
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.
UK SRS – what’s in it, and the FCA consultation
  • Podcast
  • 10 Mar 2026
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?

Charts of the week

Chart of the week: international trade
  • Article
  • 10 Apr 2026
This week’s chart illustrates how a £205bn surplus on trade in services was offset by a £243bn deficit on trade in goods to result in a net trade deficit of £38bn in 2025 – or £16bn if trade in precious metals is excluded.
Chart of the week: the start of a new fiscal year
  • Article
  • 02 Apr 2026
Our first chart of the financial year starting 1 April 2026 looks at the government’s £1.4tn budget for 2026/27.
Chart of the week: council tax in England 2026/27
  • Article
  • 27 Mar 2026
Our chart this week celebrates the start of a new financial year by looking at the average level of council tax across England.

Insights by topic

Student Insights
  • Hub page
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.
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.
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.
Insights archive
  • Listing
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.