How do you prepare for a new year when change seems to be the only constant? From new reporting and regulatory requirements to rapid developments in AI, alongside continuing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, charity finance professionals, trustees and advisers have plenty to navigate.
Our ICAEW Charity Conference on 21 and 22 January 2027 brings together expert insight, practical updates and fresh thinking to help you make sense of the changes and start the year well.
What can you expect?
The conference brings together expert technical updates, thought-provoking discussions and wider perspectives on some of the biggest issues facing charities and the professionals who support them. The virtual conference is designed to help you start the year informed, inspired and equipped for the challenges ahead, with the opportunity to gain up to eight hours of verifiable CPD.
And if you’re thinking of joining us, early bird ticket rates are currently available, so now is a good time to secure your place, with ICAEW members benefiting from an early bird rate of just £30+VAT for the full two-day conference.
Regulation, reporting and the changing operating environment
We will once again begin with an address from the Charity Commission’s CEO David Holdsworth, who will reflect on the regulator’s priorities and the outlook for the charity sector in 2027. The programme then moves beyond the immediate regulatory landscape to consider the bigger forces shaping charities. Professor Anand Menon will explore the political, economic and geopolitical challenges confronting the UK, how these interact, and what they could mean for the charity sector.
With reforms at Companies House changing the regulatory landscape for charitable companies, Claire Jenkins, Senior Policy Adviser at Companies House, will provide an update on changes already in force and what comes next, including the move to digital accounts filing in April 2028. Alongside these sessions, the conference will feature the accounting and taxation updates that have long been at the heart of our annual programme, giving you an opportunity to refresh your technical knowledge.
For those preparing for their first year under the new Charities SORP, we will also explore how charities can prepare for their first audit or independent examination under the new requirements, including the judgements that need to be documented, and the transition evidence auditors will expect.
Join us in January
Whether you work within a charity, advise charity clients, act as a trustee or volunteer your professional expertise, the conference is designed to provide a concentrated update on the issues that matter to the sector. Holding the conference virtually over two days means that you can join from wherever you are, and you will receive recordings of all the live sessions after the event so that you can revisit or catch up on sessions subsequently.
Most importantly, I hope the conference gives Charity Community members the opportunity, not only to keep up with technical and regulatory change, but also to pause, look ahead and hear new perspectives on how charities can respond to a rapidly changing environment.
Early bird rates are still available, so book now to secure your place at the ICAEW Charity Conference on 21 and 22 January 2027.
