Guidance is essential for all entities providing audit, accountancy, tax, insolvency or related services in the United Kingdom (including firms providing trust or company services) by way of business, irrespective of membership of a recognised professional body and sets out how to fulfil AML regulatory requirements.

AIA offers extensive guidance and support for supervised firms including:

• firm-wide risk assessment
• internal controls
• policies, controls and procedures
• training
• criminal record checks
• client due diligence
• simplified and enhanced due diligence
• politically exposed persons
• reliance on third parties
• record keeping and data protection
• Trust and Company Service Provision

In addition AIA provides:

• guidance on the legal requirements and best practice for submitting Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)
• events and online courses relating to AML
• compliance checklists and templates
• guidance and updates on emerging risks
• discounted AML compliance software

More guidance on AIA’s Public Practice Regulations and requirements for Members in Practice.

Including:

• Annual Renewal
• Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII)
• AML Supervision
• Continuity of Practice
• Client Money
• Fit and Proper Status
• Engagement Letters
• Whistleblowing arrangements
• Disclosure of Information
• Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation (PCRT)
• Complaints Arrangements
• Data Protection
• Notification requirements

Miscellaneous guidance:

• Professional Clearance

Compliance Awareness – 3- Part Series of Recorded Webinars outlining AIA’s Public Practice Requirements

All AIA members in practice have access to a library of documents providing you with the most up-to-date templates for engagement letters, disengagement letters, continuity agreements, everything you need to make it easy for you to run your practice effectively and in line with current guidance.

Download the available marketing materials to advertise your AIA membership and let your clients know you operate as a regulated practice.

When you apply for, or renew, your practising certificate you agree to co-operate with AIA in our Quality Assurance and practice monitoring process.

AIA’s monitoring and supervision work ensures compliance with the AIA Constitution, Public Practice Regulations and legal and regulatory requirements such as the Money Laundering Regulations. 

As part of AIA’s quality assurance programme members in public practice are subject to regular monitoring by trained reviewers, designed to ascertain the level of compliance with the above by enabling you to demonstrate that you have adequate policies and procedures in place.

International Accountant is the official publication from the Association of International Accountants. The magazine is a highly-regarded member benefit with a worldwide readership. Filled with news, articles, features, technical information and legislative updates, it is an essential way for accountants to keep up to date with developments in their profession.

Contributions are sourced from top practitioners and academics, ensuring the highest standards of content.

To ensure we work in the public interest, and to protect your interests as an AIA member, AIA engages with government, standard setters, regulators and other stakeholders.

The following guidance is recommended reading for Members in Practice acting as tax agents:

• Agent Support Group
• Agent Update
• Agent Forum
• Tax Agent Blog
• Tax Agent Services
• Joint VAT Consultative Committee (JVCC)
• Working Together

AIA has adopted the Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation (PCRT).

This guidance sets out the hallmarks of a good tax adviser and the fundamental principles of behaviour that members are expected to follow. The guidance has been recognised in the courts as ‘setting the standard’ for use by all tax advisers in the UK.

This edition is effective from 1 January 2023 and compliance is mandatory for members advising on UK tax matters.

Our Practice Compliance Team are on hand to answer your technical queries. If you have a technical query that you wish to submit to AIA please contact us using the link below.

Contact the Practice Compliance Team.

Queries will be answered within three working days. For any urgent query please call 0191 493 0277.

N.B.: If your query relates to one of the areas within this Guidance section e.g. Accounting Standards Technical Section, you should refer to the issuing body in the case of regulatory queries or contact one of our Approved Partners in the first instance.

Complete and update your registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office here.

GDPR GUIDANCE AND WEBINARS

AIA is committed to adding value to your membership by collaborating with strategic partners and offering additional benefits. We aim to provide you with essential tools to save you time and money, helping you to grow your business and those of your clients.

Browse the current benefits available to AIA members using the links to the right to view offers that may be available to your practice, business or clients. Benefits of membership include:

• preferential rates for business services
• free software
• discounted business growth advice
• personal health insurance

AIA members are recognised by major UK banks and building societies as being eligible to sign the accounts of clients seeking finance, mortgages or other supporting documentation.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is publicised following interaction with AIA members.

AIA’s Policy and Public Affairs Team regularly seek and achieve recognition from additional institutions as notified by members in the course of their activities on behalf of clients. If you have queries or issues with particular banks and building societies please contact us.

AIA is recognised under UK Visas and Immigration guidance allowing members to provide accountants’ evidence for Tier 1 (General) immigration applications and are also included in the policy guidance for Entrepreneurs coming to the UK under Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) of the Points Based System. For the full guidance for Tier 1 (Entrepreneurs) please click here and for the full guidance for Tier 1 (General) click here.

AIA is included in the Charities Act 2011 in the list of bodies whose members are able to act as independent examiners for the accounts of charities with an annual income of up to £1,000,000.

You can find detailed guidance from the Charity Commission for England and Wales on their website, including guidance on ‘Independent examination of charity accounts: Directions and guidance for examiners (CC32).’

Read more guidance.

AIA members are eligible to register under the ATOL Reporting Accountants’ Scheme. Registration with the Scheme is essential if you have clients that hold an Air Travel Organisers’ Licence (ATOL) to enable you to submit ATOL Reports on behalf of those clients to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

AIA members in practice in the UK are licensed to instruct barristers directly. The licence holder can instruct any member of the Bar for advice, and in some circumstances representation, on their own behalf or another’s behalf in the specialist area.

This Licence permits:
• UK members of the Association working in public practice, with current AIA practising certificates to instruct the Bar directly, on behalf of their clients and members of the organisation, for advice and for representation in all courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for arbitration, adjudication, and mediation.

This Licence does not authorise the holder to undertake any reserved legal activities.

AIA is recognised under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules allowing members to sign a high net worth exemption statement.

Under articles 60H and 60Q of the Regulated Activities Order, agreements with high net worth individuals are exempt from regulation, subject to certain conditions. One of these conditions is that a statement of the person’s income or assets be made in accordance with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The relevant rules are set out in Appendix 1 to Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC), and CONC App 1.4.3R specifies that the statement must be signed by the lender or owner (subject to App 1.4.4R) or by an accountant who is a member of any of the bodies listed or of a professional body for accountants established in a jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom.

AIA members are recognised by Safeagent (formerly the National Approved Letting Scheme) to sign an Accountant’s Report.

AIA is included as a relevant professional body per Article 4(1) of the UK/Swiss tax agreement, which states: “A Swiss paying agent may only accept a relevant person as a non-UK domiciled individual when provided with a certificate produced by a lawyer, an accountant or a tax adviser who is a member of a relevant professional body confirming that the relevant person is not domiciled within the United Kingdom and has claimed the remittance basis of taxation for the relevant tax years.”

As an accountant, and business adviser, employers are likely to ask you for help to choose and run a good quality pension scheme for automatic enrolment, and it’s not just about pensions – automatic enrolment will impact upon most areas of your clients’ businesses.

Members of the Association of International Accountants (AIA) can now apply to be included in the panel of accountants which has been established as part of Abhaile – the State funded scheme of Aid and Advice for borrowers in home mortgage arrears.

Under the Abhaile scheme, eligible borrowers can be referred for independent financial advice and assistance to a panel of accountants. The panel comprises accountants who agree to provide specified fixed services free of charge to the borrower, at fixed fees payable by the scheme, in accordance with the terms and conditions.

Members who are interested in the scheme should read the full terms and conditions which are available here and if you still wish to proceed, contact policy@aiaworldwide.com  to opt in.

Further details on the Abhaile service for Borrowers in Home Mortgage Arrears is available at this link https://www.mabs.ie/en/abhaile/.

AIA members are recognised by the Quality Care Commission to complete and sign financial viability reports.