Upcoming courses
Our 2025 CPD programme is open for bookings on our website.
You can download our booking form and brochure here.
Date – Time – Course – Presenter
14th Mar – 9.30-12.30 – Spring Tax Update – Malcolm Greenbaum
18th Mar – 1.00-2.00 – Effective Communication and Influencing Others – Nicky Clough
19th Mar – 9.30-12.30 – Payroll Update – Rebecca Benneyworth
25th Mar – 9.30-11.30 – Independent Examination of Charities – James Chalrton
25th Mar – 12.30-1.30 – IT Controls Under ISA 315 – James Charlton
1st Apr – 9.30-12.30 – Spring Financial Reporting Update – Peter Herbert
3rd Apr – 9.30-12.30 – Capital Allowances The Fundamentals – Ros Martin
28th Apr – 9.30-11.30 – Pension Scheme Accounts and Audit Fundamentals – Peter Herbert and Maya Norbury
28th Apr – 1.30-3.30 – Housing Association Accounts and Audit Fundamentals – Peter Herbert and Maya Norbury
Our 2025 AML, Ethics and GDPR E-Learning Programmes are available now.
“Excellent delivery, easily understood with some good points raised.” Delegate, Autumn series
FAQs from recent courses
Audit
Should we consider the quality of a client’s control environment when determining our performance materiality figure for audit purposes?
We’re always wary of encouraging firms to ‘take credit’ for internal controls unless they’ve tested them, which many firms don’t as a matter of principle. Performance materiality reflects aggregation risk – the risk that, because not every figure in a set of financial statements is audited, errors might go undetected which in aggregate could be material. We feel that, in practice, the auditor’s view of the control environment will partly inform this conclusion. If, for a longstanding client, there is a good, open relationship and a history of fewer audit adjustments due to robust systems of control, surely the auditor’s assessment of aggregation risk should reflect this?
Practice Regulation
There’s been a lot in the accounting press about firms being able to register as Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs). Is this something we should pursue?
In the future firms that wish to submit information to Companies House on behalf of clients (e.g. financial statements) or to perform verification checks on directors, persons with significant control (PSCs) etc. will need to be registered as ACSPs.
Although, as far as we are concerned, there is no pressing need to register. Companies House recently advised firms that they could do so from 25 February 2025. However, registration has been postponed. Keep an eye on Companies House alerts for updates on this.
Audit
I’ve heard that Practice Note 26 is making a comeback. Is this true?
Potentially! Practice Note 26 on Smaller Entity Documentation was a document that some may remember. It was a very useful guide for auditors of smaller entities about what smaller entity audit documentation should actually look like. It was withdrawn some years ago.
In January 2025 the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) launched a year-long campaign to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access audit services and reduce reporting burdens where possible. On 3 February, it launched a market study which will examine the issues affecting SMEs, including the audit and reporting requirements they must comply with. It also announced that in spring 2025 it will publish for consultation for a Practice Note to support auditors of SMEs.
So nothing is guaranteed but watch this space. If you’re interested in having your view heard on the SME audit consultation you can do that here .
In a recent poll
Do you think there should be an increase in the charity audit threshold?
Although there is, as yet, no formal consultation on this, increases to charity audit thresholds has become an area of focus recently in the light of the Companies (Accounts and Reports) (Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2024, which we discuss in this month’s vlog. Views on increases to the charity audit threshold are slightly more balanced than on changes to the companies size thresholds, which many are in favour of. Watch this space for a forthcoming consultation – and remember that, notwithstanding potential increases in thresholds, some charities might need an audit because their constitution or grant providers require it.
