Accountancy Insights

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

For Business, faraway wars feel way closer than they used to. In the current volatile geopolitical environment, businesses need to consider planning for these events. So in this episode, we run through such an exercise: what if Russia tests NATO resolve by firing on Poland and amassing troops near the region? We explore this hypothetical but increasingly plausible scenario in this episode. 
Links
Charles Hecker’s book - https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/zero-sum/
US intel finds Putin could test NATO’s resolve with limited incursion - https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/u-s-intel-finds-putin-could-test-natos-resolve-with-limited-incursion-e3b02e2c
Atlantic Council on likely Russian attack on NATO - https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/western-weakness-is-encouraging-putin-to-test-nato/
Oakwood Risk Group - https://oakwoodriskgroup.com/
ICAEW CPD record -  https://my.icaew.com/cpdrecord
Host
Philippa Lamb
Guests
Luke Blake, Founding Director, Business advisors Oakwood Risk Group
Charles Hecker, Geopolitical Risk Expert, Author of Zero Sum: The Arc of International Business In Russia
Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 19 August
Podcast recorded: 28 July

In this episode, EY UK Digital Assurance Leader Richard Harrison joins us to talk about how the firm is using AI agents in audit. How do they divide tasks between people and tech?  And how are they understanding and mitigating risk?

Then, Polly Tsang, ICAEW’s Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager tells us about Prediction Markets. While you may not have heard of them, they’re opening up a whole new market for Insider Traders. Polly explains how they work, where the risks lie and what needs to happen to minimise them.

Links
EY principles of responsible AI - https://www.ey.com/en_uk/insights/ai/principles-for-ethical-and-responsible-ai?channel=TxtV-B
Prediction markets spark insider trading fears - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/09/prediction-markets-spark-insider-trading-fears-how-firms-are-responding.html
Microsoft bans prediction markets - https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-prediction-markets-employee-policy-2026-7
Prediction markets are minting a new type of insider trader - https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-polymarket-traders-who-knew-the-future/
Google worker charged with using internal data to make $1.2m - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c052yv259jvo
ICAEW CPD record - https://www.icaew.com/membership/cpd/online-cpd-record
 Host: Philippa Lamb
 Guests:  
Richard Harrison, UK Digital Assurance Leader, EY
Polly Tsang, ICAEW’s Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager
 Producer: Natalie Chisholm
 Series Lead:  Mark Rowland
 Episode first published: 4 August
 Podcast recorded: 27 July

The question of whether an ‘AI bubble’ is going to burst doesn’t seem to be going away. There’s a compelling case to be made on both sides of the argument, with the growing demand for AI tools, and the huge amount of money and resources needed to deliver on that demand. 
So what are the actual risks of an AI bubble, and what would that mean for the tools that businesses and firms are investing in right now? We interrogate the various indicators of whether there might be a bubble or not, and discuss the considerations and failsafes that businesses should consider when adopting AI software.
Links
Data centre planning policy - https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-10315/CBP-10315.pdf
Gas use in data centres - https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/dramatic-increase-in-data-centre-developers-wanting-gas-grid-connections-21-04-2026/
Water use for data centres - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/688cb407dc6688ed50878367/Water_use_in_data_centre_and_AI_report.pdf
AI company IPOs - https://www.blackrock.com/us/financial-professionals/insights/mega-ai-ipos-and-index-inclusion
Increasing demand for AI – Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/advisor/uk/business/software/uk-artificial-intelligence-ai-statistics/
AI boom leaves data centre demand beyond supply - https://datacentrenews.uk/story/ai-boom-to-leave-data-centre-demand-far-above-supply
ICAEW CPD record - https://my.icaew.com/cpdrecord
Host
Philippa Lamb
Guests
Tom Pugh, Chief Economist, RSM UK
Tasmin Lockwood, tech and environment journalist
Hothyfa Elbeera, Senior Software Engineer, Claimsgate, MoJ 
Producer
Natalie Chisholm
Series Lead
Mark Rowland 
Episode first published: 15 July
Podcast recorded: 08 June