Accountancy Insights

In this special bonus episode, we hear exclusively from the Department for Business, Innovation Science and Trade (BIST) on the government’s plans for corporate reporting, the Modernising Corporate Reporting (MCR) agenda. It’s a potentially huge change and the government wants to implement it quickly, so now is the time to address its implications.

In this episode, we run through the major changes and address some of the concerns expressed by preparers. 
Links
ICAEW: Introduction to Moderinising Corporate Reporting - https://www.icaew.com/technical/corporate-reporting/corporate-reporting-resources/by-all-accounts/articles/2026/introducing-the-modernisation-of-corporate-reporting
ICAEW MCR resources - http://www.icaew.com/mcr
Government Modernising Corporate Reporting page - https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/modernising-corporate-reporting
ICAEW CPD record - https://my.icaew.com/cpdrecord 
Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Debbie Crawshawe, Head of the Accounting and Audit Centre of Expertise, BIST
Sally Baker, Corporate Reporting & Governance Director, ICAEW
Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 14 October
Podcast recorded: 9 October

On the first ever episode of The Audit Report – the podcast that looks at the factors shaping modern audit – we’re discussing the long-awaited consultation on Modernising Corporate Reporting. 

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade is consulting on what it should look like. What could it mean for auditors?
Links
ICAEW: Modernising Corporate Reporting survey - https://www.icaew.com/technical/corporate-reporting/improving-corporate-reporting/modernising-corporate-reporting/mcr-have-your-say
ICAEW: Government consults on sweeping reforms to modernise corporate reporting - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/sep-2026/gov-consults-on-sweeping-reforms-to-modernise-corporate-reporting
ICAEW: Modernising Corporate Reporting hub - https://www.icaew.com/technical/corporate-reporting/improving-corporate-reporting/modernising-corporate-reporting
ICAEW: Beyond finance podcast - https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast
ICAEW CPD record - https://my.icaew.com/cpdrecord 
Host
Alex Russell
Guests
David Smith, Director of Quality and Professional Standards at Kreston Global 
Matt Stroh, Audit Partner, Compliance and Ethics, for Azets 
Katharine Bagshaw, Senior Manager, Audit Standards at ICAEW
Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 6 October
Podcast recorded: 28 September

Cyber criminals spend much of their time working on identity theft. If you hold a responsible position in your organisation, they might very well be working on you. Or worse – they might be lurking in your smart coffee machine.

Identity theft is now recognised as the best path to success for cyber criminals and with more and more information about ourselves and our organisations online, we make it easy for them.  So how can we identify the likely targets on our workplace teams and protect our businesses? 
Links
ICAEW: Cyber Security Awareness - https://www.icaew.com/technical/technology/cyber-security/cybercrime-awareness-month
How identity fraud is changing in the age of AI - https://www.weforum.org/stories/artificial-intelligence/how-identity-fraud-is-increasing-in-the-age-of-ai/
NCSC internet of things guidance - https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/advice-guidance/all-topics/internet-of-things
ICAEW CPD record - https://www.icaew.com/membership/cpd/online-cpd-record
Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Kay Daskalakis, Senior Solutions Architect, SpecterOps
Oli Venn, Watchguard Technologies

Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 8 October
Podcast recorded: 23 September

On 7 September, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey delivered a speech setting out his goals for the Budget, amid twitchiness in the bond markets. What did he hope to achieve, and what does it tell us about the Budget in October? We discuss the speech, the factors that are likely to shape the Budget, and what options the Chancellor has to encourage growth, balance tax and spend, and calm the markets.
Transcript
You can read the full transcript of this episode here -https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast/behind-the-numbers/john-healeys-pre-budget-speech-what-does-it-tell-us/transcript
Links
John Healey’s speech - https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chancellor-john-healeys-growth-speech-2026
The bond market shock and what it means for Andy Burnham - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/bond-markets-andy-burnham-budget-uk-b3043257.html
Jump in energy bills drives UK inflation to highest rate for four months - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrv7jr8n74o
Stock up on food to prepare for extreme weather - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp931m8n3p5o
ICAEW CPD record - https://my.icaew.com/cpdrecord
Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Frances Haque, Chief Economist, Santander UK
David Wooding, Political commentator and former Sunday Express Editor
Suren Thiru, Chief Economist, ICAEW
Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 10 September
Podcast recorded: 7 September

In this episode, we take a look at the government’s Fraud in the Digital Age report: what does it tell us about trends and what can businesses do to protect themselves? And with the first submissions deadline for Income Tax under the new Making Tax Digital system just passed - how did it go? We discuss the lessons learned for the next submission.
Links
ICAEW: HMRC to begin signing up taxpayers for MTD Income Tax - https://www.icaew.com/insights/tax-news/2026/aug-2026/hmrc-to-begin-signing-up-taxpayers-for-mtd-income-tax
ICAEW: Tax Track Podcast: are you (and HMRC) ready for MTD? - https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast/the-tax-track/mtd-live-are-you-and-hmrc-ready-for-mtd
ICAEW: Making Tax Digital Hub - http://icaew.com/MTD
Report Fraud - https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/
Fraud in the Digital Age - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fraud-in-the-digital-age
ICAEW CPD record - https://my.icaew.com/cpdrecord
Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Katy Worobec, Fraud Prevention Consultant, A Jolly Consulting
Lindsey Wicks, Senior Tax Technical Manager, ICAEW

Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 27 August
Podcast recorded: 25 August