The trustees of hundreds of pension schemes are to be ordered to urgently review the data they hold as part of a crackdown on poor record-keeping by The Pensions Regulator (TPR), which could result in fines of up to £50,000 for those found to be non-compliant
Top 50 accounting firm BKL is the first practice outside the Big Four to offer clients a Bitcoin payment facility. Jon Wedge, financial services partner, explains the due diligence process undertaken before launching the cryptocurrency payment service
Two Irish accountancy firms, both members of the DFK International association, are to merge to create a combined practice with an annual fee income of over €8m (£6.9m)
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on new rules for discretionary commission models, after research in the motor finance market revealed the potential for annual savings of £165m for consumers through changes to the way brokers are paid
Raising finance is always a challenge and taking the equity crowdfunding route requires additional due diligence. John Auckland of TribeFirst sets out key pointers for start-ups and growth stage companies
There has been a 20% increase in the total number of claims for R&D tax credits, according to the latest HMRC figures, primarily driven by a rise in the number of SME claims, with the department forced to add extra resource to meet the demand
Two-thirds of SMEs have hired an accountant – making them the most popular professional adviser with this group – but a quarter says they only did so when faced with a crisis, according to research from Direct Line for Business
ICAEW has signed an agreement with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for mutual recognition of their qualifications and to create a pathway for their members to become members of the other’s institutes
The design for the new £20 polymer note featuring artist JMW Turner has been revealed by the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, at the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate
Mid-tier firm Grant Thornton has confirmed it is shedding a ‘small number’ of partners in a bid to save costs, in a year which has seen the firm pay a hefty fine over audit failing at AssetCo and come under the microscope over its audit of collapsed café chain Patisserie Valerie
Audit fees could increase by up to 25% over the next three years as auditors come under regulatory pressure to provide higher quality audit to listed companies, warns Paul Eagland, BDO managing partner. Sara White reports
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has overhauled its leadership team with the appointment of Simon Dingemans and Sir Jon Thompson as chair and chief executive
‘Trust fund syndrome’ is gripping family-owned businesses and forcing many of them out of family ownership after two generations, warns Smith & Williamson
