Ever feel overwhelmed by the relentless pace of financial reporting and taxation? John Moffat CA, Director of JRM Training and Professional Services, is here to identify what matters most. “The amount of information that’s coming through reporting platforms compared with 10 years ago is overwhelming,” says John. “There is so much out there that the key points are often missed. But whether you’re a finance director or an accountant reporting to an FD, you simply have to keep up to date, and these courses will help you do that.”

Together with Claire Glover, Head of Finance Programmes at BPP, John is co-presenter of two important upcoming ICAS courses. The full-day Technical Update for Accountants in Business course, on 2 October, runs through the latest developments across financial reporting, tax and wider regulatory issues. You’ll receive a clear overview of the latest changes to FRS 102, emerging themes from the Financial Reporting Council and the areas auditors are focusing on right now.

“We’ve reached a point in the regulatory cycle where the focus needs to be less on the distant future and more on what’s happening right now”

John Moffat CA, JRM

The course also covers key updates in corporation tax, from associated companies and capital allowances to R&D reliefs and contractor taxes, plus essential personal tax changes, the end of the non‑dom regime, national insurance updates, employee benefits and the evolving landscape of hybrid working and electric vehicles.

Then, in November, Claire and John return with the half-day Finance Directors’ Update, which provides top-level coverage of many of the same topics.

“We’ve probably all experienced that slight sense of panic when you think ‘Have I missed something really important?’” says Claire. “And it’s really difficult when many in the profession these days are so time-poor. That’s what we pick up on in the courses – the things you really need to know. It’s a safe space, and you can ask those questions that you might sometimes be reluctant to ask. We’re all just there to learn.”

Flex appeal

The pair point out that they take a flexible approach to the content of both courses. “The people attending can range from large organisations to small firms, across many different types of industries,” says Claire. “So we flex the content on the day to ensure it’s fully relevant to who’s there.”

They also highlight a distinct gear change from the courses they ran last year. “We’ve reached a point in the regulatory cycle where the focus needs to be less on the distant future and more on what’s happening right now, including the periodic review of UK GAAP and current issues in financial reporting,” says John.

In particular, he’s concerned as to how smaller organisations are keeping up with the changes arising from the periodic review of FRS 102 and other UK standards. “The reality is that individuals and companies have not picked this up quickly enough,” says John. “At last year’s course, we talked about how this was coming up fast, and now it’s here on your doorstep. Are you ready? Have you looked at it properly? When this came in at an international level in IFRS, the bigger firms had the resources to deal with it. But with smaller firms, it’s tempting for them to keep pushing back, even though time is running out and compliance is now required.”

John will be dedicating a further part of his session to the assessment of fraud risk, financial statements and strategic reporting. “These are live issues that are constantly changing, and it’s important to keep up to speed,” he says. As well as a quick update on changes at Companies House, he will also discuss common ethics issues at present.

“Being a finance director can be a lonely place and it’s often very rewarding to speak to others facing similar challenges. That’s always an interesting dynamic of the course”

Claire Glover, BPP

In her session on tax, which kicks off both courses, Claire also looks at AI, with an overview of the functionality of the main tools on the market. She’ll then home in on key changes to the tax landscape. Depending who attends, discussion points could include capital allowances for corporation tax, employee benefits and payroll compliance, plus some small changes to home-working rules. “I may also look at changes to the OECD guidance on what makes a permanent establishment, although obviously that’s not going to apply to everyone.”

For more topics to be covered, see the link below – and if that agenda doesn’t give you enough good reasons for turning up, Claire offers three more: “Something I think a lot of people have missed out on post-Covid is the ability to talk to their peers. Being a finance director can be a lonely place and it’s often very rewarding to speak to others facing similar challenges. That’s always an interesting dynamic of the course.

“Also, with these courses, everyone attending is a CA and there’s an emphasis on what is happening in Scotland in particular – so it’s a lot more focused than some other accountancy courses. The platform we use for the course allows for a lot of interactivity, so we can keep the content lively with polls and quizzes. We’re planning two very stimulating sessions.”

Technical Update for Accountants in Business is a one-day online course on 2 October. Finance Directors’ Update is a half-day online course on 10 November