Chancellor John Healey delivers his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026, the first under Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Healey has said it will meet the government’s fiscal rules and give businesses and families more stability to plan. Most commentators expect tax rises of some kind, but the Treasury has confirmed very little. 

That leaves clients asking one question: “What does this mean for me?” This guide helps you answer it. It separates what is already law, what is credibly rumoured and what is speculation, and it suggests practical conversations to have with clients before and after Budget day. 

This article is general information, not tax advice. Nothing here is confirmed until the Chancellor’s announcement and the supporting documents are published. We will update it after the Budget. 

1. The political backdrop: what is off the table, and what isn’t

The government has kept Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise the main rates of income tax, VAT or employee National Insurance. That narrows the options, and it is why advisers are looking closely at areas where clients with their own businesses, investments and property are more exposed. 

Thresholds are also frozen until April 2031. Frozen thresholds quietly pull more clients into higher bands as incomes rise, even with no change to headline rates. The Prime Minister has said he will look at the personal allowance before the Budget, so this one is worth watching. 

How to support clients: Start with the reassurance. Headline rates on income, VAT and employee NI are not expected to rise, so the real conversation is about specific reliefs, thresholds and asset taxes. Then identify clients who sit in the exposed groups below. 

2. Already announced: changes clients should plan for now

Several measures are already in motion. Clients often assume these are “Budget news” when they are in fact decisions that need planning regardless of what happens on 28 October. 

• Dividend tax. Rates rose in April 2026 (basic rate 10.75%, higher rate 35.75%). Because dividend tax sits outside the manifesto pledge, many commentators see it as a possible target for further increases. Any change would most likely apply from the next tax year rather than mid-year. 
• Property income. Higher property income tax rates are due from April 2027, which affects landlords whatever the Budget says. 
• Pensions and inheritance tax. Unused pension funds and certain death benefits are due to fall into the inheritance tax net from April 2027, and pension salary sacrifice will be capped for National Insurance purposes from April 2029. 
• Business and agricultural property relief. These reliefs were tightened in April 2026: full relief applies up to a threshold, with reduced relief above it. Check the current threshold and rules on GOV.UK before advising. 
• High Value Council Tax Surcharge. The so-called mansion tax applies from April 2028 to higher-value homes in England, and there are rumours the threshold could be lowered. 

How to support clients: Build a simple “already law” checklist for your client base. Review owner-managed businesses for salary and dividend strategy, landlords for 2027/28 cash flow, and wealthier clients for pension and estate planning. These conversations are valuable now and do not depend on Budget day. 

3. What might change on 28 October?

These are areas to watch, not predictions. Rumour is not a basis for advice, and some leaks are floated to test public reaction. 

Capital gains tax and business disposals 

There has been speculation about higher CGT rates or closer alignment with income tax. Some commentators have also suggested a more generous relief for entrepreneurs and investors, possibly paired with an increase elsewhere. Nothing has been proposed formally. 

How to support clients: If a client is planning to sell a business, shares or property, scenario-model the outcome under current rules and under a higher-rate scenario. Avoid rushing a sale for tax reasons alone. The commercial case still needs to stand up, and the legislation may not apply immediately. 

Inheritance tax, family businesses and farms 

The Prime Minister has reportedly been willing to “look again” at the curtailment of agricultural property relief, and there is wider speculation about business property relief. Direction is uncertain, and changes could loosen or tighten the rules. 

How to support clients: Identify family businesses and farming clients with succession plans in progress. Check wills, ownership structures and valuations, and agree a review point once the detail is published. Hold off recommending irreversible transfers based on press reports. 

Pensions 

Pension tax relief and the tax-free lump sum are the most discussed levers that have not yet been pulled, and providers are lobbying against any cut. Any change would affect high earners, business owners drawing on company pensions, and clients close to retirement. 

How to support clients: Encourage clients not to withdraw or restructure pensions in response to rumour. Review contribution patterns, particularly company contributions for directors, and record each client’s retirement timeline so you can advise quickly if rules change. 

Business rates and the cost of operating 

The government has promised wider business rates reform at the Budget, including changes to Small Business Rates Relief. A 20% cut for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England is confirmed from April 2027, and there are reports that larger warehouses could pay more to help fund relief elsewhere. 

Other areas often raised by business groups include employer National Insurance, the Employment Allowance, capital allowances and hiring support. Nothing has been confirmed in these areas. 

How to support clients: For hospitality, retail and logistics clients, check which rates category they are in and model the effect on cash flow. For growing employers, look at payroll and recruitment plans so you can show the impact of any change to employment costs quickly. 

Online sales and VAT compliance 

There is talk of tougher action on VAT evasion and an online sales levy. The scope and timing are unclear, and we have not seen confirmation of specific marketplace VAT rules. Ecommerce clients should expect more attention on how sales data is recorded and reported. 

How to support clients: Encourage ecommerce and marketplace sellers to reconcile sales regularly and keep clean digital records. That protects them whatever the final rules are. 

4. Making Tax Digital: the change that does not depend on the Budget

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is being phased in for self-employed individuals and landlords, based on qualifying income. Your clients’ obligations depend on their income and the timetable, so check the current thresholds and dates on GOV.UK. 

The Budget is a natural moment to raise MTD with clients, because both involve getting records into shape. Clients with up-to-date digital records are better placed to model Budget changes and meet MTD requirements. 

How to support clients: Map your client list against MTD start dates, identify who still uses spreadsheets or paper, and agree a plan for software and quarterly updates. This protects clients from penalties and gives your practice a clear, recurring advisory service. 

5. Your practical plan

Before 28 October 

1. Segment your clients. Group them as owner-managed businesses, landlords, investors, family businesses and farms, ecommerce sellers, and those approaching retirement or sale. 
2. Send a short holding message. Explain what is known, what is rumoured and when you will follow up. Keep it calm and factual. 
3. Identify live transactions. Flag planned disposals, transfers, pension decisions and investments, and agree that nothing irreversible happens on rumour alone. 
4. Get records current. Reconciled bookkeeping and up-to-date management information make scenario modelling much faster. 

On and immediately after Budget day 

1. Read the primary sources first. The Budget documents, the OBR forecast and HMRC or Treasury guidance will show what is confirmed and from when. 
2. Triage by segment. Decide which client groups are affected and contact them first. 
3. Separate announcement from implementation. Many measures need legislation and have later start dates or transitional rules. 
4. Follow up with specifics. A short, tailored note saying “here is what this means for you and here is what we recommend next” is far more valuable than a generic summary. 

In the weeks that follow 

Use the Budget as the start of a planning cycle. Update forecasts, review year-end strategy, and book review meetings for clients whose circumstances have changed. 

6. How connected systems help you respond faster

Budget season tests how quickly a practice can answer “what does this mean for me?” across a whole client list. If bookkeeping, payroll, accounts, tax and client records sit in separate systems, the answer takes longer and the risk of error rises. 

Capium’s cloud accounting suite brings these workflows together, so your team can see the information it needs to model changes, prepare for MTD and respond to client questions from one place. That means less time reconciling data and more time advising. 

If you would like to see how this works for your practice, book a demo with Capium. 

The bottom line 

Until the Chancellor speaks on 28 October, much of what is written about the Budget is prediction. What is certain is that several important changes are already scheduled, that clients will want guidance, and that practices with organised client information and a clear communication plan will be best placed to give it.

The post Autumn Budget 2026: What Should Accountants Watch, and How Can You Support Clients? appeared first on capium.

Company secretarial work is an essential part of managing a company’s compliance, but it can also create a significant administrative burden for accountancy practices. From confirmation statements and director changes to shareholder records, statutory documents and filing deadlines, there are numerous details to manage across a client portfolio. 

The right company secretarial software can help practices organise these responsibilities, reduce repetitive administration and establish more consistent workflows. However, purchasing the software is only the first step. To realise its full value, firms need to use it regularly, keep their knowledge up to date and ensure their teams understand the features available to them. 

So, why is company secretarial software important, and how can practices make sure they continue to get the most from it? 

1. Keep Company Information and Compliance Tasks Organised

One of the main reasons to use company secretarial software is to bring essential company information and compliance activities into one place. 

Practices managing multiple companies may need to track confirmation statement dates, director and shareholder changes, people with significant control (PSCs), registered office details and other company records. When this information is spread across spreadsheets, emails, paper documents and separate systems, it can be harder to maintain a clear overview. 

Company secretarial software helps centralise these activities, giving teams a more structured way to manage company records and the tasks associated with them. 

Depending on the software, features may include: 

• Company formation and company record management 
• Confirmation statement preparation and filing 
• Director, officer and shareholder changes 
• PSC calculations and records 
• Document and minutes production 
• Deadline reminders and filing notifications 
• Digital filing with Companies House 

Having these tools available in one place can reduce duplication and make it easier for staff to understand what needs to be done, who is responsible and what remains outstanding. 

2. Reduce Repetitive Administration and Manual Work

Company secretarial tasks can involve a considerable amount of routine administration. Preparing documents, checking company details, requesting client confirmations and submitting information can all take time, particularly when the same processes must be repeated across many companies. 

Software can help streamline these activities by automating or simplifying parts of the workflow. 

For example, automated reminders can help teams keep upcoming deadlines visible. Pre-populated forms and document templates can reduce the need to enter the same information repeatedly, while batch filing and combined workflows can make certain tasks more efficient. 

Some systems also offer client portals and checklists, allowing clients to review company information and confirm whether changes are required before a filing is completed. 

The benefit is not simply about completing individual tasks more quickly. It is about establishing repeatable processes that can be followed consistently across the practice. 

Over time, this can help teams spend less time on routine administration and more time on client service and other higher-value work. 

3. Improve Visibility Across Your Client Portfolio

The more companies a practice manages, the harder it can become to keep track of every deadline, change and outstanding action. 

Without a clear overview, teams may rely on individual reminders, inbox searches or spreadsheets to identify what needs attention. This can make it difficult to see the bigger picture, particularly when several members of staff share responsibility for company secretarial work. 

Company secretarial software can provide a more centralised view of key dates, filing activity and outstanding tasks. Depending on the features available, users may also be able to configure notifications and access permissions to suit different roles within the practice. 

This visibility supports better planning and helps teams identify upcoming work earlier, rather than reacting only when a deadline approaches. 

It is important to remember, however, that software supports compliance management rather than replacing professional oversight. Practices still need to check the accuracy of company information, understand their responsibilities and ensure filings are completed correctly and on time. 

4. Why Continuing to Use the Software Matters

Buying company secretarial software does not automatically make a practice more efficient. Its value depends on how consistently the team uses it. 

If staff continue to maintain separate spreadsheets, store key information in individual inboxes or manage certain filings outside the system, the practice may end up duplicating work rather than reducing it. 

Inconsistent use can also make it harder for colleagues to understand the status of a client, find the latest information or pick up a task when another team member is unavailable. 

To get the most from company secretarial software, practices should make it part of their standard workflow. 

That means agreeing how company records will be maintained, where tasks should be recorded, who is responsible for monitoring deadlines and how staff should handle client information and filing updates. 

It also means reviewing existing processes periodically. If the team is still carrying out tasks manually that could be handled within the software, there may be opportunities to simplify the workflow. 

The aim is to make the software the team’s normal working environment, rather than an additional tool used only for occasional filings. 

5. Keep Up with New Features and Software Updates

Company secretarial software evolves as providers introduce new features, improve existing workflows and respond to changing requirements. 

Yet it is easy for busy practices to overlook product updates, particularly when day-to-day deadlines take priority. 

That can mean missing features that could save time, improve collaboration or make routine tasks easier to manage. 

For example, a software update might introduce improvements to confirmation statement workflows, additional automation, new document-production options or more efficient ways to manage several companies at once. 

If users are unaware of these changes, they may continue following older processes or carrying out work manually when a more efficient option is available. 

Regular updates are also important because company secretarial work operates within a changing regulatory environment. Practices should pay attention to relevant software announcements and guidance, understand what has changed and check whether their internal procedures need to be adjusted. 

It is worth distinguishing between product updates and regulatory updates: a software update does not remove the need for users to understand the rules or check that the software supports the requirements relevant to their clients. 

A simple routine can help: 

• Review software release notes and update announcements. 
• Identify new features that could benefit the team. 
• Check whether existing workflows need to change. 
• Share relevant updates with the people who use the software. 
• Make time to explore new functionality before it is needed for a live client task. 

This helps ensure that the practice continues to benefit from the tools it already has. 

6. Make Training Part of Your Practice’s Routine

Even a feature-rich system will deliver limited value if users do not know how to use it effectively. 

Training is particularly important when new employees join, responsibilities change or software introduces new functionality. Without guidance, staff may develop different ways of completing the same task, increasing inconsistency and making processes harder to manage. 

Effective training does not have to mean lengthy sessions or taking the whole team away from client work. 

Short, practical resources can be easier to fit into a busy schedule. These might include: 

• Step-by-step user guides 
• Short screen-recording videos 
• Live demonstrations of common workflows 
• Frequently asked questions 
• Internal checklists and process documents 
• Refresher sessions when new features are introduced 

Training should also be ongoing rather than limited to the initial onboarding period. A member of staff who learned the basics several months ago may not be familiar with features introduced since then. 

It can help to identify a person within the practice who keeps track of product updates and shares relevant information with colleagues. This creates a simple link between software developments and the way the team works. 

The objective is not for everyone to know every feature. It is for users to understand the tools relevant to their responsibilities and know where to find help when they need it.  

You can get in touch with your Capium onboarding manager to find out when the next training sessions are held. 

7. Prepare for Changing Company Secretarial Requirements

The importance of maintaining effective company secretarial processes is reinforced by changes to Companies House requirements. 

For example, identity verification requirements for directors and people with significant control have introduced additional steps for many companies and the professionals supporting them. Companies House has also announced reforms to accounts filing, including a move to software-only filing from April 2028. Practices should monitor official guidance and prepare for changes relevant to their client portfolios.  

These developments underline why company secretarial workflows should be reviewed regularly. 

Practices need to understand which clients are affected, what information must be collected, which deadlines apply and whether their existing processes are suitable for the requirements ahead. 

Software can help organise information, track tasks and support filing processes, but the practice still needs to ensure its procedures reflect the current rules. 

Keeping staff trained and reviewing available software features can help firms adapt more effectively as requirements evolve. 

8. Get More Value from Your Existing Investment

For practices that already have company secretarial software, improving efficiency may not require investing in another system. It may start with making better use of the tools already available. 

A useful review could include asking: 

• Are all relevant company records maintained in the software? 
• Are staff following consistent processes? 
• Are reminders and notifications configured appropriately? 
• Are there manual tasks that could be simplified? 
• Do team members know about the latest features? 
• Is training available when new employees join or workflows change? 
• Are current processes aligned with the latest Companies House requirements? 

The answers can help identify where a small change, a refresher session or better use of an existing feature could make a meaningful difference. 

For practices reviewing their systems, it is also worth checking whether the software offers the functionality they need, including suitable filing options, document production, client collaboration and support. 

Make Company Secretarial Software Work Harder for Your Practice 

Company secretarial software can play an important role in helping accountancy practices organise compliance tasks, reduce repetitive administration and manage company records more consistently. But the benefits do not stop once the software has been purchased and set up. 

Regular use, ongoing training and awareness of new features all contribute to getting more value from the system. They can also help practices maintain consistent processes and respond more confidently as client needs and Companies House requirements change. 

Capium’s Company Secretarial software brings together tools for company formation, confirmation statements, company changes, PSC calculations, document production, filing and deadline management. Features such as Quicksteps, client checklists and automated reminders can help practices streamline recurring tasks and manage their company secretarial work more efficiently.  

If you already use company secretarial software, take time to review how your team uses it and whether there are features you could be making better use of. And if you are considering a new system, look beyond the initial setup to the training, support and ongoing development that will help your practice get lasting value from it. 

Want to see how Capium Company Secretarial could support your practice? Book a demo today.

The post Why Company Secretarial Software Matters for Accountancy Practices  appeared first on capium.

The Companies House identity verification reforms have moved into a new phase. 

Since 18 November 2025, identity verification has been a legal requirement for directors and people with significant control (PSCs). But the first prosecutions for failing to comply have now brought a more immediate message for directors and the professionals supporting them: identity verification is no longer something that can be treated as a future administrative task. 

On 16 September 2026, three directors were convicted in the first prosecutions for Companies House identity-verification offences. The Insolvency Service announced the cases the following day, warning directors that continuing to act without completing the required verification can lead to prosecution.  

For accountants, bookkeepers, company-secretarial teams and Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs), the development has a wider operational significance. 

Verification status now needs to be part of the compliance picture. 

The first prosecutions have changed the conversation 

The three cases involved directors who had failed to complete identity verification and continued to act as directors. 

One of the cases also involved a director who had verified their own identity but failed to take reasonable steps to prevent an unverified co-director from continuing to act. 

The cases also involved failures to file confirmation statements on time. 

The fines themselves were relatively modest, ranging from £80 to £307, but the significance of the cases is less about the amount of the penalties and more about what they demonstrate: the verification requirements are now being enforced.  

The Insolvency Service said that directors have responsibilities not only for their own compliance but also for ensuring unverified individuals do not continue acting as directors. 

That is an important distinction for practices managing company compliance on behalf of clients. 

It is no longer enough to tell a client that they need to verify their identity. Firms need a way of knowing who has verified, who has not, what needs to happen next and when the relevant filing is due. 

18 November 2025 was not a universal deadline 

One area that continues to cause confusion is the significance of 18 November 2025. 

This was the date on which identity verification became a legal requirement. It was not a single deadline by which every existing director had to complete verification. 

Companies House describes it as the beginning of a 12-month transition period. Existing directors are required to verify during that transition according to their individual circumstances and the relevant filing requirements.  

For directors, the key connection is the company’s confirmation statement. 

Companies House guidance states that directors need to provide their Companies House personal code as part of the company’s next confirmation statement. If someone is a director of multiple companies, they need to provide their code for each company.  

This makes the confirmation statement an important checkpoint for practices. 

Confirmation statements now have another dependency 

The operational impact is particularly important. 

Companies House states that a company will be unable to file its confirmation statement unless all its directors are verified. Directors also need to provide their personal codes as part of the process.  

That means a practice could have a confirmation statement prepared and ready to submit, but still be unable to complete the filing because one director has not completed the required verification. 

For firms handling hundreds of companies, that creates a very practical workflow question: 

How do you know which clients are ready to file? 

And perhaps more importantly: 

How early do you know which clients aren’t ready? 

Waiting until the confirmation statement is due could leave very little time to resolve an outstanding verification issue. 

What this means for accountants and company-secretarial teams 

The role of the accountant is changing from simply reminding clients about identity verification to managing it as part of the wider compliance workflow. 

Practices may want to consider keeping visibility of: 

• Which directors have completed identity verification  
• Which directors still need to verify  
• Companies House personal codes  
• Upcoming confirmation statement dates  
• Clients with multiple directorships  
• Changes in directors or PSCs  
• Clients who use an ACSP for verification  
• Any outstanding Companies House actions  

This does not necessarily mean creating another spreadsheet. 

The more important question is whether identity verification is visible alongside the other deadlines and tasks the practice already manages. 

For practices with large client portfolios, this could become particularly important as more companies move through the transition period. 

Personal codes are part of the process 

Verification itself is only one part of the process. 

When an individual successfully verifies their identity, they receive an 11-character Companies House personal code. The code belongs to the individual, rather than to a company.  

Directors use the code to confirm their verified status for each company where they hold a directorship. 

This means practices need to think about the practical administration around the code as well as the verification itself. 

Clients may complete verification but fail to provide their code to the person responsible for the company’s filing. 

That creates another potential point of friction. 

A simple client communication process can help: 

Verify → receive personal code → provide code → record status → complete filing. 

Don’t forget PSCs 

Identity verification isn’t limited to directors. 

PSCs are also required to verify their identities, although the timing and process differ depending on their circumstances. Companies House says PSCs generally have a 14-day period in which to provide their personal code, with the timing depending on factors including when they became a PSC and whether they are also a director.  

That means practices should avoid treating director verification and PSC verification as exactly the same workflow. 

For firms managing company compliance, having a clear distinction between the two will become increasingly important. 

What should practices do now? 

The first prosecutions provide a useful prompt for practices to review how they are managing identity verification. 

1. Review your client list

Identify companies where directors have not yet completed verification and where upcoming confirmation statements could be affected. 

2. Check personal codes

Where clients have verified, make sure the relevant personal codes are available to the person responsible for the filing. 

Personal codes should be handled securely and only shared with people the individual trusts to act on their behalf.  

3. Bring verification into your workflow

Don’t treat identity verification as a standalone reminder. 

Link it to the relevant confirmation statement, director appointment or other Companies House task. 

4. Contact clients before the deadline

If a director needs to verify, earlier communication gives them time to complete the process and resolve any problems. 

5. Review your internal responsibilities

Make sure your team knows who is responsible for checking verification status, requesting personal codes and confirming that a company is ready to file. 

6. Build it into onboarding

For new company clients, identity verification should be considered alongside the other Companies House and compliance checks rather than added later. 

The bigger lesson: visibility matters 

The first prosecutions demonstrate that Companies House identity verification has moved beyond being a future reform. 

For practices, the bigger issue is visibility. 

If a firm’s systems show confirmation statement deadlines but not whether the directors are verified, there is a risk of discovering a problem too late. 

And if identity verification can prevent a confirmation statement from being filed, it belongs much closer to the centre of the practice workflow. 

The firms that manage this effectively won’t necessarily be the ones sending the most reminders. They will be the ones that can quickly answer a few straightforward questions: 

Who needs to verify? 

Who has verified? 

Who has provided their personal code? 

Which confirmation statements could be affected? 

And what needs to happen next? 

The first prosecutions make those questions considerably harder to ignore. 

What this means for practice management 

As Companies House compliance becomes more interconnected, practices need a clear view of deadlines, client responsibilities and outstanding actions. 

A practice management system can help bring these tasks together, giving teams a central place to track work, deadlines, communications and client actions rather than relying on disconnected reminders and spreadsheets. 

For accountants managing identity verification across a large client base, the challenge isn’t simply knowing that the rules have changed. It’s making sure the changes become part of the day-to-day workflow. 

Source 

The Insolvency Service and Companies House announced the first prosecutions on 17 September 2026.  

For the latest official guidance, see Companies House: Verify your identity and Companies House: When you need to verify your identity. 

The post Companies House Identity Verification: Why Accountants Need to Act Now appeared first on capium.

For charities and the accountants supporting them, September brings an important change to the accounting and reporting landscape. 

From 30 September 2026, new financial thresholds will apply to charity accounts in England and Wales. At the same time, SORP 2026 is already in effect for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2026, bringing changes to charity accounting and reporting. 

For practices with charity clients, that means this is not simply a case of updating a few figures in a checklist. The accounting and reporting regime that applies to a charity can now depend on a combination of its structure, income, assets and financial year end. 

The question for accountants is: have your charity workflows, templates and software settings caught up? 

The thresholds are moving 

The Charity Commission has confirmed that several key thresholds will increase for financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026. 

The changes include: 

The Charity Commission says the changes are intended to make accounting requirements more proportionate to the size of charities.  

But the important point for practitioners is that the new thresholds do not apply simply because the calendar has reached 30 September. 

They apply according to the charity’s financial year end. 

That distinction matters. 

The year end could change the accounting treatment 

Consider a charity with income of £400,000. 

Under the previous thresholds, that level of income would mean accruals accounts were required for an eligible non-company charity. 

But if its financial year ends on or after 30 September 2026, the new threshold means it may be able to prepare receipts and payments accounts instead, assuming there is no requirement in its governing document to prepare accruals accounts. 

The Charity Commission gives a similar example of an unincorporated charity moving from a requirement to prepare accruals accounts to having a choice under the new thresholds.  

That creates an important workflow consideration. 

A practice cannot necessarily look at a client’s income figure in isolation and apply a standard rule. It needs to consider: 

• The charity’s legal structure  
• Gross income  
• Gross assets where relevant  
• Group income where relevant  
• Financial year end  
• Whether its governing document imposes additional requirements  
• Whether SORP 2026 applies  
• Whether the accounts require an independent examination or audit  

In other words, the threshold is only part of the decision. 

Independent examination: £25,000 becomes £40,000 

One of the most visible changes is the increase in the income threshold for independent examination. 

For financial years ending before 30 September 2026, charities with income above £25,000 generally need an independent examination or audit, subject to the relevant rules. 

For financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026, that threshold rises to £40,000.  

That could mean some smaller charities that previously needed their accounts independently examined will no longer have that statutory requirement. 

However, accountants should not automatically assume that an examination is no longer needed. 

The Charity Commission notes that a charity’s governing document or a funding agreement may still require an independent examination or audit.  

So, this is another area where simply changing the threshold in a spreadsheet isn’t enough. 

The audit threshold is changing too 

The main income threshold for mandatory audit is increasing from £1 million to £1.5 million. 

There is also a revised income-and-assets test. 

For financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026, a charity can fall within the mandatory audit requirement where it has: 

• Gross income above £1.5 million; or  
• Gross income above £500,000 and gross assets above £5 million.  

The previous thresholds were £1 million, or £250,000 income combined with assets above £3.26 million.  

Again, the effect will depend on the individual charity. 

Some organisations may move out of mandatory audit territory. Others will remain subject to an audit because of their income, assets, structure or other requirements. 

For practices, that makes client-by-client review more useful than a blanket communication. 

And then there is SORP 2026 

The threshold changes are not happening in isolation. 

SORP 2026 applies to charities across the UK for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2026.  

The updated SORP introduces changes across areas including income recognition, leases, expenses, balance sheet reporting and disclosures. 

For example, the updated guidance includes changes reflecting FRS 102 and provides new or revised guidance around income, including exchange and non-exchange transactions. It also introduces changes to lease accounting and disclosures.  

Larger charities also face enhanced reporting expectations. 

That means practices need to think about both sides of the change: 

Has the charity crossed into a different accounting or scrutiny regime because of the new thresholds? 

And: 

Does SORP 2026 change how its accounts need to be prepared or presented? 

Those are separate questions, and both need to be considered. 

The software challenge 

This is where charity accounting changes become particularly relevant to accounts-production software. 

For an accounting practice, the ideal workflow should make it straightforward to identify the relevant reporting treatment based on the client’s circumstances. 

But threshold changes can create problems if templates, product logic or internal processes continue to reflect the previous rules. 

For example, practices may need to check: 

• Charity-specific accounts templates  
• Threshold logic  
• Accruals versus receipts and payments workflows  
• Independent examination requirements  
• Audit triggers  
• Group accounting thresholds  
• SORP 2026 reporting requirements  
• Disclosure requirements  
• Client onboarding questions  
• Internal review checklists  

The risk is not necessarily that the numbers are wrong. 

It is that the right numbers end up in the wrong reporting process. 

Don’t just update the number 

For practices with a portfolio of charity clients, now is a good time to run a structured review. 

1. Identify affected charity clients

Start with clients whose financial years end on or after 30 September 2026. 

Then look at their income and assets against both the old and new thresholds. 

Clients sitting close to the thresholds deserve particular attention. 

2. Check the charity’s structure

The rules differ depending on whether the organisation is a charitable company, CIO, trust or unincorporated association. 

The Charity Commission has separate guidance for the main structures.  

3. Review the current accounting basis

Could a charity that previously required accruals accounts now qualify for receipts and payments accounts? 

Conversely, is there a reason it must continue preparing accruals accounts? 

The answer should be documented rather than assumed. 

4. Review examination and audit requirements

Check the new income and asset thresholds, but also consider governing documents, funding agreements and any other applicable requirements. 

5. Check SORP 2026

For charities preparing accruals accounts, make sure the accounts-production process reflects the relevant SORP 2026 requirements. 

6. Communicate with clients

For some charities, the change could mean a different level of external scrutiny or a different approach to preparing their accounts. 

That is something worth discussing with trustees before the accounts are due, rather than discovering it during year-end work. 

A good time to review your charity workflow 

The biggest risk with regulatory change is often not the change itself. It is missing the point at which an existing process stops being appropriate. 

With the new charity thresholds taking effect for financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026, and SORP 2026 already applying to relevant periods, practices have a clear reason to revisit how they handle charity accounts. 

That could mean reviewing client records, updating checklists, checking accounts-production software and making sure the team understands which rules apply to which clients. 

For accountants, the goal is not simply to know that the thresholds have changed. 

It is to make sure the right accounting treatment, scrutiny level and reporting requirements are applied automatically and consistently throughout the practice. 

The practical takeaway 

Charity accounting is moving into a new phase, but the changes are not one-size-fits-all. 

The new thresholds may reduce the regulatory burden for some charities, while SORP 2026 introduces new accounting and reporting requirements for others. The financial year end, legal structure, income, assets and other circumstances all matter. 

For practices supporting charities, now is the time to check the client list, review the workflows and make sure the software and processes behind the accounts are ready for the new rules. 

Because when the rules change, the workflow needs to change with them. 

The post Charity Accounting Has Changed. What Do Accountants Need to Check?  appeared first on capium.

For accountants and their clients, compliance is becoming harder to manage. 

Recent survey evidence points to a familiar problem: more legislative change, more administrative burden and too many disconnected processes. 

And clients are increasingly looking for a different approach. 

Compliance overload is becoming a real problem 

In HMRC’s and the Administrative Burdens Advisory Board’s survey, 61.6% of respondents said the legislative tax-compliance burden had worsened over the previous year, while 62.8% said legislative change had affected them. 

For accountants, the impact goes beyond keeping up with new rules. 

Every change can mean new client conversations, updated processes, additional checks and more time spent helping clients understand what they need to do. 

The compliance workload can quickly become administrative workload. 

Clients don’t necessarily want another system 

There is also a clear signal about how people want technology to work. 

When asked about record keeping and tax submissions, 57.9% preferred integrated day-to-day record keeping and tax submission, compared with 42.1% who preferred separate systems. 

That difference matters. 

For clients, moving information between platforms can create additional work and opportunities for errors. For accountants, disconnected systems can mean rekeying information, checking data and managing multiple workflows. 

The attraction of integration is therefore not simply convenience. 

It is about removing unnecessary steps from the compliance process. 

More guidance isn’t always the answer 

There is another interesting finding. 

Among those responding to the relevant question, 72% said GOV.UK guidance had not helped them complete their task. 

The reasons reported included complexity, generic information, poor navigation and reliance on an accountant. 

That does not mean guidance is unimportant. It highlights a bigger issue: having information available is not the same as making a task easy to complete. 

For accountants, this creates another layer of work. Clients may have access to the rules, but still need help translating those rules into practical action. 

Technology needs to create capacity 

This is also reflected in what accountancy practices are looking for from technology. 

ICAEW’s recent mid-tier research found that growth from existing clients is increasingly important alongside winning new clients, with firms placing greater emphasis on service mix, technology and capacity. 

That changes the conversation around software. 

The question is not simply: 

“Can technology help us charge more?” 

It is: 

“Can technology help us deliver more value without creating more administrative work?” 

If routine processes can be automated, information can flow between modules and client data is available in one connected workflow, practices can potentially create capacity for higher-value work. 

That could mean better client service, broader services or more time for advisory conversations — without relying entirely on increasing fees or taking on more clients. 

From compliance burden to connected workflows 

The evidence points towards a common theme. 

Clients are dealing with increasing complexity. Accountants are managing more compliance requirements. And disconnected systems can add to the workload rather than solve it. 

Technology cannot remove regulatory change. 

But the right technology can help reduce the administrative friction around it. 

For accountancy practices, that means looking beyond individual features and asking a more fundamental question: 

How much unnecessary work is your current technology stack creating? 

The opportunity is not simply to digitise compliance. 

It is to build more connected workflows that give accountants and their clients time back. 

The post Compliance Is Getting Harder. Could Better Technology Help? appeared first on capium.

Accountants spend their working lives telling business owners to protect margin, review costs and charge for the value they deliver. So why do so many practices still struggle to do the same thing themselves? 

A Capium point of view 

There is a number that should make any practice owner stop and think. 

AAT says it supports more than 6,000 AAT Licensed Accountants and Bookkeepers running their own practices, with average fee income for an AAT Licensed Accountant of £72,000.  

Now put that against the cost of running a practice: software, professional memberships, professional indemnity insurance, AML supervision, CPD, filing fees and — perhaps most importantly — the hours that never make it onto an invoice. 

Then ask a deceptively simple question: 

How was your current pricing actually decided? 

For a profession built around financial discipline, the answer is not always as rigorous as you might expect. 

Sometimes it is based on what the fee was last year, what competitors appear to charge, what the client will tolerate, or what the practice has always charged. 

That approach becomes increasingly difficult to defend when the cost of delivering the work keeps changing. 

Part one: The costs you don’t control 

Start with the side of the equation you didn’t choose. 

The cost of running a UK practice has continued to move. 

Companies House fees 

Companies House increased a number of fees from 1 February 2026. Digital incorporation increased to £100, while the digital confirmation statement fee increased to £50. The ACSP registration fee is £63.  

Whether those increases are passed directly to clients, absorbed into your fees or treated as overhead, they have an impact on the economics of providing company-related services. 

The software stack 

Software is another obvious example. 

Xero’s current UK pricing lists Ignite at £18 a month, Grow at £39, Comprehensive at £55 and Ultimate at £70, excluding VAT. Its plans also include usage limits and optional or additional charges for certain services.  

The point isn’t whether any particular supplier’s pricing is reasonable. 

The point is that your own pricing model has to keep pace with your cost base. 

If the cost of delivering a service changes while the client’s fee remains untouched, the difference comes directly out of margin. 

And software isn’t the only cost. 

The profession itself 

Professional memberships, practising requirements, CPD, AML compliance, insurance and training all form part of the cost of running a professional practice. 

None of these costs are particularly surprising. The question is whether they are properly reflected in what you charge. 

Suppliers review their prices. 

Regulators review their fees. 

Professional bodies review theirs. 

When did you last review yours? 

Part two: What are successful practices doing? 

There is evidence that some firms are already responding through their pricing and client relationships. 

ICAEW’s 2026 research into the UK mid-tier found that 94% of surveyed firms reported fee growth in their most recent financial year. Increased spend from existing clients was one of the leading contributors, alongside growth in fees from new clients.  

That is significant because it points towards something more interesting than simply winning more clients. 

Growth can come from getting more value from the relationships you already have. 

That might mean additional services, better-defined packages, advisory work, or simply bringing fees into line with the work and value already being delivered. 

And this matters particularly for smaller practices. 

A practice doesn’t necessarily need hundreds of new clients to improve its financial position. It may need a clearer understanding of: 

• What each client actually costs to service  
• What work is included in the current fee  
• How much unbilled work is being carried  
• Where scope creep is occurring  
• Which services are genuinely profitable  
• Where technology can reduce delivery costs  

That brings us to pricing. 

Part three: Stop looking for the “right” price 

There isn’t necessarily one correct price for a tax return, bookkeeping package or annual accounts job. 

There is, however, a more disciplined way of arriving at a price. 

A useful framework is: 

Floor — What does this client actually cost you? 

Start with your fully loaded cost of delivery, including realistic productive hours, supervision and relevant technology costs. 

The objective isn’t to sell at cost. It is to understand where the floor sits before profit. 

Scope — What exactly are you agreeing to deliver? 

What is included? 

What isn’t? 

What happens when the client sends another company to deal with, adds payroll, misses deadlines or needs work outside the original agreement? 

Clear scope protects both the client and the practice. 

Load — What additional risk and compliance does the client bring? 

AML checks, onboarding, ID verification, MTD requirements, additional reporting and complexity all consume time and resources. 

Those costs don’t disappear simply because they aren’t separately itemised. 

Lift — What is the service worth to the client? 

This is where pricing moves beyond cost. 

A client isn’t necessarily buying 10 hours of an accountant’s time. They may be buying certainty, expertise, compliance, decision support and the ability to spend their own time running their business. 

The question becomes: 

What value does the service create, and how should that be reflected in the fee? 

Run the numbers on a real client 

Take a hypothetical VAT-registered limited company receiving monthly bookkeeping and year-end accounts. 

Suppose the work takes 14 hours a year and your fully loaded cost is £85 an hour. 

That’s £1,190 before adding the other costs associated with servicing the client. 

Now add the relevant software, compliance and overhead costs. 

The point isn’t that every client should be priced using exactly these figures. 

The point is that you should know your own figures. 

If the client is paying £1,800 because that is what they’ve always paid, you need to know whether that fee still makes commercial sense. 

If it doesn’t, the answer isn’t necessarily to lose the client. 

It may be to change the scope, change the service, change the price — or understand why you are choosing to retain the work at that level. 

And then there’s recovery 

Pricing isn’t the only issue. 

ICAEW’s guidance on fees and charge-out rates highlights the often-hidden cost of under-recovery. Its example considers a practice generating £400,000 of fees at an 85% recovery rate — meaning a significant amount of work has effectively gone unrecovered.  

That’s why practice owners need to look beyond headline fees. 

A client paying £2,000 isn’t necessarily a £2,000 client if the practice consistently spends considerably more time delivering the agreed work. 

Revenue tells you what you billed. Recovery tells you what you actually earned from the work. 

Three questions for your next partners’ meeting 

1. When did you last reprice an existing client?

Not a new client. 

Not when they asked for additional work. 

When did you proactively review the fee against the work you’re actually delivering today? 

2. Which costs are you absorbing?

Software, filing fees, additional compliance work and other third-party costs can gradually become invisible if they are simply absorbed into the overall fee. 

Make sure you know what you are absorbing — and why. 

3. Can you explain your price without talking about hours?

If your explanation starts and ends with “it takes us X hours”, you may be selling the input rather than the outcome. 

What does good pricing look like? 

There is no single pricing model that works for every practice. 

But practices that approach pricing deliberately tend to share some characteristics. 

They: 

• Review fees regularly rather than waiting for a crisis  
• Define packages and scope clearly  
• Track profitability and recovery by client  
• Identify additional work before it becomes free work  
• Make software and third-party costs visible where appropriate  
• Price advisory and specialist expertise according to its value  
• Use technology to reduce the cost of delivering routine work  
• Have a clear process for communicating price changes  

Most importantly, they know why they charge what they charge. 

A word about your software supplier 

It would be slightly convenient for a software supplier to write an article about pricing without acknowledging that software is part of the equation. 

So apply the same test to Capium. 

When comparing accounting software, don’t just look at the headline monthly price. 

Ask: 

• What is included?  
• What is charged separately?  
• How predictable is the cost as your practice grows?  
• What happens when clients add services or entities?  
• How does the platform support MTD?  
• How much duplication can you remove from your existing workflows?  
• What does the total cost look like over three years, not three months?  

For a practice, software isn’t simply an overhead. 

It’s part of the cost of delivering your service — and potentially part of the opportunity to deliver it more efficiently. 

Capium brings bookkeeping, accounts production, tax, payroll, practice management and Making Tax Digital capabilities together in one cloud platform, giving practices an alternative to managing multiple disconnected systems. 

The objective isn’t simply to reduce the software bill. 

It is to understand the total cost of running the practice, and make better decisions about where technology can reduce admin, improve workflows and create capacity. 

The real pricing question 

The strongest practices in the years ahead won’t necessarily be the ones that increase their fees the most. 

They’ll be the ones that understand why they charge what they charge. 

They’ll know what each client costs to serve, where their margins are being lost, which services create value and where technology can improve delivery. 

And they’ll be able to explain their prices with confidence. 

Because if you can help your clients understand the numbers in their business, you should be able to do the same for your own. 

Want to take the conversation further? 

Pricing is just one part of building a stronger, more sustainable practice. Join Tushir Patel, Co-founder of Capium, and a panel of experienced accountancy practitioners on 23 September at 12pm BST for a practical conversation about winning clients, improving efficiency and growing a practice without simply adding more work. 

Register for the webinar → 

Capium is a UK cloud accounting platform built for accounting practices, covering bookkeeping, accounts production, tax, payroll, practice management and Making Tax Digital compliance. 

The post The Advisers Who Can’t Price Themselves appeared first on capium.

For many accountancy firms, growth is the goal. But growth can bring its own challenges — more clients, more work, more deadlines and more pressure on teams and systems.

So how do you grow a successful practice without simply creating more work for yourself?

From winning those first clients to building efficient processes and knowing when to invest in people and technology, the decisions firms make as they grow can have a lasting impact.

Growth isn’t just about winning more clients

Bringing in new business is important, but sustainable growth requires more than a strong pipeline.

As a practice moves from its first 10 clients to 50, 100 and beyond, the way it operates often needs to change. Processes that worked when the firm was small can become time-consuming, technology can start to feel fragmented, and keeping on top of client work can become increasingly difficult.

At the same time, firms need to maintain the personal service that helped them win those clients in the first place.

The challenge is finding the right balance between growth, efficiency and client experience.

Building the foundations for sustainable growth

For newer practices, getting the foundations right can make a significant difference.

That includes having clear pricing, effective onboarding, consistent processes and technology that supports the way the practice wants to work — rather than creating more administration.

For established firms, the challenge can be different. Systems and processes that once worked well may no longer be suitable for a larger client base or growing team.

Knowing when to review, automate or change the way you work can be just as important as winning the next client.

Finding the right clients — and the right growth strategy

There isn’t one route to practice growth.

Some firms build their client base through referrals and recommendations. Others use partnerships, targeted marketing or a specialist niche to stand out in a competitive market.

Finding the right approach depends on the firm’s ambitions, capacity and target clients.

And growth doesn’t necessarily mean pursuing every opportunity. Winning the right clients can be more valuable than simply winning more clients.

Scaling without creating more admin

One of the biggest risks of growth is that every new client brings additional administration.

Without effective workflows, firms can find themselves spending increasing amounts of time chasing information, managing deadlines and moving data between systems.

Automation and better processes can help firms work more efficiently, but technology is only part of the answer. Successful scaling also requires clear responsibilities, consistent workflows and a client experience that can be maintained as the practice grows.

The goal isn’t simply to do more work. It’s to build a practice that can handle growth without everything becoming harder to manage.

What can established practitioners teach us?

Every practice has a different growth journey, which is why hearing directly from practitioners can be particularly valuable.

What worked when they started? Which decisions made the biggest difference? What would they do differently? And what lessons have they learned as their firms have grown?

These are the kinds of real-world experiences that can help other practice owners make better decisions about their own next stage of growth.

Join the Modern Practice Growth webinar

If you’re starting a practice, building your client base or looking to scale an established firm, join us for a practical discussion on what successful accountancy firms are doing differently.

The panel will explore:

• Building your first 10, 50 and 100 clients
• Marketing, referrals, partnerships and finding the right niche
• Getting technology, pricing, processes and onboarding right
• Knowing when to automate or recruit
• Creating workflows that keep work moving
• Improving efficiency while maintaining client service
• Scaling sustainably without losing control

Meet the panel

Host: Tushir Patel
Co-founder, Capium

Shane Lukas
Managing Director, AVN – The Accountant’s Network

Alan Wood
Director, Woods2

Tracey Aldous FMAAT
Director, TAG Accountancy Services

The panel will share real experiences, practical insights and lessons learned from building and growing accountancy practices.

Modern Practice Growth: What Successful Accountancy Firms Are Doing Differently

Wednesday 23 September 2026 | 12pm BST

Real experiences. Practical strategies. Ideas you can put into action.

👉 Register now to book your spot.

The post Modern Practice Growth: What Successful Accountancy Firms Are Doing Differently appeared first on capium.

Accountex Manchester is almost here, and the Capium team is ready to meet you!

Tomorrow, 15 September, we’ll be at Accountex Manchester at Stand H5, showcasing how Capium can help accounting and bookkeeping practices simplify their software, reduce admin and manage more from one connected platform.

Come and meet the team to:

• See Capium in action across bookkeeping, payroll, accounts, tax and practice management
• Discover how our solutions can help you streamline workflows and save time
• Find out how Capium can support your practice with Making Tax Digital (MTD)
• Ask our team your questions and explore the solutions that could work for your firm

Whether you’re looking to consolidate your software, improve efficiency or prepare for what’s next, we’d love to chat.

📍 Find us at Stand H5

Heading to Accountex Manchester? Make sure Capium is on your list!

👉 Come and say hello at Stand H5.

Can’t make it to Accountex?

—> Join our webinar this week.

The post We’re Heading to Accountex Manchester Tomorrow! appeared first on capium.

AML compliance is becoming an increasingly important consideration for accountancy and payroll firms. With further regulatory changes expected later this year, now is the time to review your processes and make sure your firm is prepared. 

For many accountancy firms, anti-money laundering compliance has long been part of the day-to-day responsibilities of running a practice. Client due diligence, identity checks, risk assessments, ongoing monitoring and record keeping are all familiar requirements. 

But the AML landscape continues to evolve. 

As regulatory expectations develop and more businesses come within scope of AML requirements, firms need to think beyond simply completing individual checks. They need to consider whether their overall AML processes are consistent, proportionate and robust enough to support the way their practice operates today. 

For payroll providers in particular, changes expected from November 2026 make this an important area to understand now. 

Why AML should be on your agenda in 2026 

AML compliance isn’t simply about responding to a regulatory requirement. Effective processes can help firms understand who their clients are, identify potential risks earlier and create a clearer audit trail around important decisions. 

For growing practices, however, maintaining those processes can become increasingly difficult. 

Client numbers increase. Teams grow. New services are introduced. Different people become responsible for different parts of the client journey. 

Without clear processes, AML checks can become another source of manual administration. 

A client may provide information during onboarding, only for the same information to be requested again later. Risk assessments may be completed differently by different members of the team. Records can end up spread across emails, spreadsheets and separate systems. 

Individually, these may seem like small issues. Across hundreds of clients, they can create significant administrative overhead — and make it harder to demonstrate that your firm’s AML procedures are being followed consistently. 

What’s changing for payroll providers? 

One of the key areas firms need to understand is the anticipated AML changes affecting payroll providers from November 2026. 

For businesses that may be affected, the important question isn’t simply “What are the new rules?” 

It’s also: 

“What do we need to change in our business to comply with them?” 

That could mean reviewing existing client onboarding procedures, updating AML policies, assessing training requirements and considering how checks and records are managed across the practice. 

The earlier firms understand what the changes mean for them, the more time they have to identify gaps and make changes without having to overhaul their processes at the last minute. 

Does your AML process stand up to scrutiny? 

A strong AML framework should extend well beyond an initial identity check. 

Firms should consider the complete compliance journey, including: 

1. Business-wide risk assessment

Your firm’s risk assessment should reflect the nature of your business, your clients, the services you provide and the markets you operate in. 

It’s not a document that should simply be completed once and forgotten. As your practice changes, your assessment may need to change with it. 

2. Client due diligence

Client onboarding is one of the most important points in the AML process. 

Firms need appropriate procedures for establishing and verifying client identity, understanding the nature and purpose of the relationship and identifying any factors that could increase risk. 

3. Ongoing monitoring

AML doesn’t end once a client has been onboarded. 

Firms need to consider how they will identify changes in circumstances or information that could alter a client’s risk profile. 

The challenge is making ongoing monitoring practical when a practice is managing a large client base. 

4. Record keeping and audit trails

It’s important to be able to demonstrate what checks were carried out, when they were completed and what decisions were made as a result. 

A clear digital audit trail can make this considerably easier than relying on disconnected records and manual processes. 

5. Training and accountability

Everyone involved in the relevant client processes needs to understand their responsibilities. 

As firms grow, this becomes particularly important. New employees and team members need appropriate training, while managers need confidence that processes are being followed consistently. 

The technology question 

Technology can play an important role in making AML compliance easier to manage — but simply adding another piece of software isn’t necessarily the answer. 

The bigger question is how AML fits into the wider workflow of the practice. 

For example, if client information is collected during onboarding, can the relevant checks be completed as part of that process? 

Can identity verification and screening be carried out digitally? 

Can risk assessments be managed consistently? 

Can the firm maintain a clear record of the checks that have been completed? 

And can the people responsible for managing clients access the information they need without constantly switching between systems? 

These questions become increasingly important as practices grow. 

The aim should not be to create more technology for the sake of it. It’s about using technology to reduce repetitive administration while creating more consistent and transparent compliance processes. 

Don’t wait until November to review your processes 

Regulatory change can often feel like something that needs to be dealt with when the deadline arrives. 

But AML is different. 

If your firm’s processes need to change, you may need to review policies, update workflows, train staff and consider how technology can support the new requirements. 

That takes time. 

Starting the conversation now gives firms an opportunity to understand what’s changing and identify what, if anything, they need to do differently. 

And even if your current AML processes are already robust, reviewing them can highlight opportunities to make them more efficient, more consistent and easier for your team to manage. 

Join Capium and Veriphy: AML 2026 — What Payroll & Accountancy Firms Need to Do Before November 

Want to understand what the upcoming changes could mean for your business — and what you should be doing now? 

Join Capium and Veriphy on Wednesday 23 September at 11:00am BST for a practical one-hour webinar exploring the evolving AML landscape and the anticipated changes affecting payroll providers. 

We’ll cover: 

• What’s changing: The latest AML developments and what firms need to know  
• November 2026: What the anticipated changes could mean for payroll providers  
• Practical compliance: Risk assessments, KYC, client due diligence and ongoing monitoring  
• Common challenges: Where firms can encounter gaps in their AML processes  
• Technology: How digital tools can help streamline checks, improve consistency and reduce administration  
• What’s next: Practical steps firms can take to prepare for continued regulatory change  

You’ll also have the opportunity to put your questions directly to our AML experts during a live Q&A. 

Don’t just understand the changes — understand what they mean for your practice. 

Wednesday 23 September 2026 | 11:00am–12:00pm BST 

GET AML READY – REGISTER NOW

This webinar is intended to provide general information and practical guidance. Firms should consider their own circumstances and obtain appropriate professional or regulatory advice where necessary. 

The post AML 2026: What Payroll and Accountancy Firms Need to Know Before November appeared first on capium.

Why the next stage of digital transformation may be less about adding technology — and more about connecting it 

Accounting firms have never had more technology at their disposal. 

Cloud accounting, AI, practice management, workflow automation and specialist compliance platforms have transformed how practices operate. Yet many firms are facing an unexpected problem: more technology doesn’t always mean a more efficient practice. 

A firm can have excellent software for every area of its business and still spend too much time switching between platforms, searching for information, duplicating data and chasing updates. 

The question is changing. 

Instead of asking “What software should we buy next?”, firms are increasingly asking: 

“How well does all our software work together?” 

The hidden cost of disconnected systems 

The cost of a fragmented technology stack isn’t simply the number of software subscriptions a firm pays for. It’s the time people spend making those systems work together. 

Consider a busy compliance period. A manager wants an overview of several clients approaching a deadline. The information exists, but it sits across different systems, notes and email conversations. 

Nobody has made a mistake. Yet someone still has to piece everything together. 

Repeated across a practice, these small interruptions become significant. Staff spend time switching between applications, re-entering information, searching for updates and chasing colleagues instead of focusing on work that requires their expertise. 

With research suggesting that 69% of accountancy firms are already operating at, or close to, full capacity, reducing this operational friction is becoming increasingly important. 

Software decisions are now business decisions 

Software used to be assessed largely on what it could do. 

Today, firms need to consider something bigger: how it fits into the wider practice. 

A new platform might improve one process, but if information then has to be manually transferred into three other systems, the overall benefit can quickly disappear. 

This is why software consolidation doesn’t necessarily mean eliminating specialist software. It means making more deliberate technology decisions so that each investment strengthens the wider practice rather than adding another layer of complexity. 

Research highlighted in the whitepaper found that 63% of firms with highly integrated systems reported significant revenue growth. 

Integration isn’t necessarily the reason those firms grew, but it raises an important question: are firms getting the full value from the technology they already have? 

AI makes the question even more important 

The rise of AI makes connected technology even more relevant. 

Two firms can adopt the same AI capability but achieve very different results depending on how accessible and connected their underlying information is. 

The next stage of digital transformation may therefore be less about simply adopting AI and more about creating the foundations that allow firms to use emerging technology effectively. 

As MTD, AI and changing client expectations continue to reshape the profession, firms need technology environments that can adapt without creating more complexity. 

What does a connected practice look like? 

A connected practice isn’t necessarily one with the fewest applications. 

It’s one where technology supports the way people actually work. 

Information can be found when it is needed. Teams have greater visibility. Processes are easier to follow. Clients know what is expected of them. Data doesn’t have to be repeatedly entered into different systems. 

Ultimately, the most successful firms may not be those with the biggest technology stacks, but those that are most intentional about how their technology works together. 

The future may belong to connected practices 

The accounting profession has spent years adopting technology. The next challenge could be making that technology work harder as a whole. 

Software consolidation isn’t about eliminating choice. It’s about creating a more coherent technology environment where systems, people and processes support one another. 

The question isn’t how much technology your practice has. 

It’s how effectively that technology works together. 

Explore the future of accounting technology 

Our latest whitepaper, How Software Consolidation Is Shaping the Future of Accounting, explores why firms are rethinking their technology stacks, the hidden cost of disconnected systems and how a more connected approach could support efficiency, growth and adaptability.

Download the whitepaper and explore the future of software consolidation 

The post Is Your Accounting Software Stack Working Against You? appeared first on capium.