From mid-November, all individual ICAEW members will have access to the Financial Services Faculty, which provides technical expertise and support to those working in or with the banking, insurance and investment management sectors.

Sharing expert insights

The Financial Services Faculty is a cornerstone of ICAEW’s support for the UK financial services sector, fostering excellence, insight and collaboration among its members. 

It provides technical expertise and thought leadership across banking, insurance and investment management, while engaging with regulators, policymakers and industry bodies on behalf of members.

All ICAEW individual members can now join the Financial Services Faculty at no additional cost and gain access to the faculty’s full range of technical content and publications. This includes helpsheets on navigating accounting for crypto assets and annual safeguarding audits for regulated firms.

The faculty also provides analysis of hot topics across the sectors, offering insight on regulatory change, technology and sustainability. In recent months the team has explored the arguments for reforming UK defined benefit pensions schemes and the vulnerabilities in non-bank financial intermediation.

ICAEW members can also access the faculty’s webinar back catalogue with eight to watch from this year alone. In October the faculty was taking a closer look at CASS 5 audits, and it has also tackled IFRS 17 and how the financial services sector can navigate the quantum threat in 2025.

Alongside the faculty’s existing resources, members can benefit from discounts to the faculty’s live events and conferences, which are a great way to engage with ICAEW’s financial services community. 

Looking ahead

In the year ahead, the faculty’s work will centre on equipping members to succeed in a rapidly evolving economic, technological and regulatory environment. This includes exploring the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s) proposed safeguarding rules and what they will mean in practice for auditors and firms in a webinar in January.

Key priorities for support include:

• Driving competitiveness in financial services: championing a balanced approach to regulatory reform that supports innovation, minimises risk and maintains the UK’s position as a leading global financial hub.
• Empowering the sector for tomorrow’s economy: helping professionals understand and apply emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and digital assets, shaping the future of financial services.
• Promoting excellence in reporting and assurance: supporting high standards across IFRS 9 and 17, CASS and regulatory reporting to ensure transparency, consistency and confidence in financial disclosures.
• Accelerating the transition to sustainable economies: advancing the sector’s contribution to achieving net-zero goals through sustainability reporting, green finance and climate-related risk management.