ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.

Practice helpsheets

Contents

Browse more helpsheets and guidance by topic. If you cannot find the answer to your specific question, please contact the Technical Advisory helpline on +44 (0)1908 248 250.

A

Exclusive Are you ready to go into practice checklist
  • 07 Feb 2024
Technical helpsheet checklist produced to help members satisfy themselves that they are ready to go into practice and that it is the right decision for them.
Exclusive Arrangements for alternates - guidance for alternates
  • 20 Jun 2023
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members consider the practical implications on accepting an appointment as a sole principals alternate.
Exclusive Arrangements for alternates - guidance for sole principals
  • 20 Jun 2023
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members consider the practical implications for sole principals in selecting and appointing an alternate.
Exclusive ATOL cold file compliance review checklist
  • 06 Nov 2020
Technical helpsheet providing a checklist of matters firms need to address when they conduct an annual compliance review in accordance with ICAEW’s Licensed Practice Handbook for Licensed firms.
Exclusive ATOL whole firm compliance review checklist
  • 06 Nov 2020
Technical helpsheet providing a checklist of matters firms need to address when they conduct an annual compliance review in accordance with ICAEW’s Licensed Practice Handbook for Licensed firms.
Exclusive Auditor Liability Limitation Agreements
  • 19 Nov 2020
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members understand the background to, and purpose of, auditor liability limitation agreements and the procedures that need to be followed.

B

Exclusive Buying and selling fees
  • 27 Nov 2023
Technical helpsheet to help ICAEW members in practice to identify various issues in connection with the purchase or sale of a block of fees of a practice.

C

Exclusive Change of professional appointment - client acceptance
  • 17 Nov 2023
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members capture information about a prospective client and form their decision on whether or not to accept appointment for a potential engagement. It offers a non-exhaustive list of considerations to act as a starting point for firms in making a client acceptance decision.
Exclusive Change of professional appointment - incoming accountant
  • 17 Nov 2023
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members understand their responsibilities when approached by a prospective client.
Exclusive Change of professional appointment - outgoing accountant
  • 19 Oct 2021
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members understand their responsibilities when existing clients wish to transfer their relationship to a new accountant.
Exclusive Changes in the composition of a firm
  • 23 Sep 2021
Technical helpsheet outlining the considerations to be addressed when a significant change is made to the composition of a firm, such as the arrival or departure of a principal.
Exclusive Clients' money regulations
  • 03 Feb 2022
Technical helpsheet outlining the regulations governing the handling, banking and return of money held on behalf of clients.
Exclusive Clients' money regulations compliance review checklist
  • 01 Jan 2017
Technical helpsheet providing a compliance review programme covering the Clients’ Money Regulations that came into force on 1 January 2017. It does not cover the requirements of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (‘FCA’) Clients’ Money Sourcebook.
Exclusive Closing your practice
  • 28 Nov 2023
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members consider the practical and ethical implications of ceasing to practice; be it retiring from practice or closing your practice.
Exclusive Cold file audit compliance review
  • 17 Apr 2019
This helpsheet provides a checklist of matters to be addressed when conducting an audit compliance cold file review in accordance with the Audit Regulations and Guidance for Registered Auditors regulated by the ICAEW and the International Standard on Quality Control (UK & Ireland) (ISQC 1).

D

Exclusive Disengagement checklist
  • 01 Jan 2020
This checklist will help you assess and record the reasons underlying the client disengagement, highlighting any issues requiring further clarification or action and help you to establish procedures to mitigate any risk of subsequent complaint.
Exclusive Disengagement letters
  • 29 Nov 2021
This helpsheet provides advice and sample structure and content to help members develop effective, comprehensive disengagement letters.
Exclusive DPB compliance review
  • 01 Jul 2022
This helpsheet provides a checklist of matters firms need to address when they conduct an annual compliance review in accordance with ICAEW’s DPB (Investment Business) Handbook for licensed firms.

E

Exclusive Engagement letters and privacy notices
  • 18 May 2022
ICAEW has developed guidance for practice firms on what to include in engagement letters. This page provides a series of sample wordings to help you draft your own engagement letters.

F

Exclusive Fee protection insurance
  • 01 Jan 2020
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members understand the options available to a firm wishing to provide access to fee protection insurance.
Exclusive Fit and proper declaration
  • 18 Oct 2022
Technical helpsheet providing ICAEW members with a pro forma annual fit and proper, independence and confidentiality declaration ready for copying and completion by principals and personnel.

G

Exclusive GDPR helpsheets
These have been renamed UK GDPR... and can now be found listed under U

I

Exclusive Is an entity a member firm and can it use the description 'Chartered Accountant'?
  • 30 Jan 2019
Links to information and flow charts to help you determine whether an entity qualifies to use the description ‘Chartered Accountant’.
Exclusive IT systems compliance review
  • 25 Apr 2023
The aim of this checklist is to assist firms in reviewing their IT systems, and the policies and procedures around those systems. The checklist provides guidance, and due consideration needs to be given to what is appropriate to your firm.

L

Exclusive Letters of representation
  • 24 Jan 2022
Technical helpsheet to help ICAEW members to understand the need for letters of representation in the context of auditing and to consider other situations where a letter of representation may be useful. To assist members in the preparation of letters of representation, this helpsheet also includes an example letter.
Exclusive Limited company example letter
  • 10 May 2022
  • DOCX (44kb)
Example letter template to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements.
Exclusive Limited company letterhead checklist
  • 21 Apr 2022
  • DOCX (44kb)
Checklist is to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements, read in conjunction with: The names and letterheads of practising firms helpsheet.
Exclusive Limited liability partnership example letter
  • 10 May 2022
  • DOCX (43kb)
Example letter template to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements.
Exclusive Limited liability partnership letterhead checklist
  • 21 Apr 2022
  • DOCX (44kb)
Checklist is to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements, read in conjunction with: The names and letterheads of practising firms helpsheet.

M

Exclusive Managing the professional liability of accountants: Illustrative wordings
  • 14 Aug 2019
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.

P

Exclusive Partnerships example letter
  • 09 Oct 2017
  • DOCX (37kb)
Example letter template to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements.
Exclusive Partnerships letterhead checklist
  • 21 Apr 2022
  • DOCX (43kb)
Checklist is to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements, read in conjunction with: The names and letterheads of practising firms helpsheet.
Exclusive Practice Assurance compliance review
  • 29 Nov 2023
Technical helpsheet and checklist designed to help firms to carry out a compliance review, ensuring a quality output with effective risk management.
Exclusive Practice names and letterheads
  • 24 Jan 2022
This helpsheet provides guidance on the selection of practice names and the requirements for use of descriptors, legends etc. for letterheads and other formal stationery.
Exclusive Professional Indemnity Insurance
  • 16 Sep 2022
Technical helpsheet issued to provide guidance to ICAEW members on Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).

R

Exclusive Reproduction of ICAEW content
  • 27 Nov 2020
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members to understand more about the reproduction of ICAEW content, the role of the Copyright Licensing Agency and its relationship with ICAEW.
Exclusive Retiring from practice
  • 15 Jun 2023
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members consider the practical and ethical implications of ceasing to practice; be it retiring from practice or closing your practice.

S

Exclusive Services directive
  • 17 Mar 2020
This helpsheet gives guidance on the requirements of the Provision of Services Regulations. It deals with the information that the regulations require accountancy firms to provide to clients (and those wishing to use the firm's services) and the additional information that must be provided if requested.
Exclusive Sole practitioner example letter
  • 09 Oct 2017
  • DOCX (37kb)
Example letter template to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements.
Exclusive Sole practitioner letterhead checklist
  • 21 Apr 2022
  • DOCX (43kb)
Checklist is to help you to satisfy yourself that your letterhead meets the ICAEW guidance and legal requirements, read in conjunction with: The names and letterheads of practising firms helpsheet.
Exclusive Subcontracting accountancy services
  • 16 Sep 2022
This helpsheet covers the circumstances under which you may find yourself working as a subcontractor and the responsibilities you have when doing so.

T

Exclusive Training materials: What good looks like - going concern
  • 27 Sep 2021
Training materials to assist ICAEW members in embedding what good looks like in their firm in the context of the audit of going concern. Includes case studies based on real scenarios supplemented by video content and discussion questions.

U

Exclusive UK GDPR – Client files
  • 17 Nov 2023
Helpsheet issued by ICAEW’s Technical Advisory Service to help ICAEW members to understand the requirements of the GDPR as it relates to client files applied to common situations experienced by a member.
Exclusive UK GDPR – Communicating safely with clients
  • 01 Feb 2021
Helpsheet issued by ICAEW’s Technical Advisory Service to help ICAEW members to understand the requirements of the GDPR in relation to communicating safely with clients.
Exclusive UK GDPR – Data Breaches
  • 01 Feb 2021
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members understand the requirements of the GDPR in relation to a data breach. Detailed guidance is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Exclusive UK GDPR – Data mapping and documentation
  • 01 Feb 2021
Helpsheet issued by ICAEW’s Technical Advisory Service to help ICAEW members to understand how data mapping and documentation can assist in meeting the requirements of the GDPR.
Exclusive UK GDPR – Data processor or data controller?
  • 01 Feb 2021
Helpsheet issued by ICAEW’s Technical Advisory Service to help ICAEW members to make their own assessment whether they act as a data processor or data controller under the GDPR.
Exclusive UK GDPR – Lawful basis for processing
  • 17 Nov 2023
Helpsheet issued by ICAEW’s Technical Advisory Service to help ICAEW members to understand the requirements of the GDPR in relation to lawful basis for processing.
Exclusive UK GDPR – Rights of an individual
  • 17 Nov 2023
Helpsheet issued by ICAEW’s Technical Advisory Service to help ICAEW members to understand the requirements of the GDPR in relation to the rights of an individual.
Exclusive Use of 'chartered accountant'
  • 19 Oct 2021
This helpsheet outlines the conditions and restrictions governing the use of the title ‘chartered accountants’ by firms.

W

Exclusive What good looks like – Audit of accounting estimates
  • 26 Jul 2022
The audit of accounting estimates can be a complex area. Here we address the changes brought in by ISA (UK) 540 (Revised December 2018) and demonstrate what a good audit file looks like in the context of auditing accounting estimates.
Exclusive What good looks like – Going concern
  • 27 Sep 2021
Practical guidance helping ICAEW members better understand how to conduct and document their audit of going concern in a way that stands up to scrutiny. Includes case studies based on real scenarios to illustrate what good looks like.
Exclusive Whole firm audit compliance review
  • 01 Jun 2018
This helpsheet provides a checklist of matters to be addressed when conducting a whole firm audit compliance review in accordance with the Audit Regulations and Guidance and International Standard on Quality Control (UK) and (Ireland) (ISQC 1) for a Registered Auditor regulated by ICAEW.
Exclusive Withholding signature or service
  • 01 Jan 2020
Helpsheet providing information on the legal and practical considerations when deciding whether to withhold signature or service.
Ask ICAEW Technical Advisory Service

Get an opinion from the experts. Our experienced technical advisors can help you with your questions and offer practical advice on a wide range of specialist topics.