Decisive AML Insights to Keep Your Practice Regulator-Ready

A question I am often asked is: 'Do I have to have AML software?' The short answer is no. There is, of course, no requirement from the supervisory bodies – or in MLR 2017 – for AML software. In practical terms, however, AML compliance software is becoming more and more important.

We are now more than 300 days through the year over which identity verification of directors and PSCs at Companies House is due to be completed. How is it going?

The previous Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) anti-money laundering (AML) guidance for the accountancy sector (AMLGAS) was published in June 2023. We now have a new July 2026 edition.

I am sometimes asked about the financial civil penalties that HMRC levy where a business is late registering with HMRC for AML supervision. Are these penalties fair? How are they calculated? How can a penalty be reduced? Can the penalty be appealed?

HMRC’s new AML guidance manual has six themes that every accountancy practice should take seriously.

Anti-money laundering compliance can feel like a long list of disconnected obligations. In practice, however, most accountancy practices, bookkeeping firms and tax advisers can think about AML compliance as twelve core elements.

There is so much going on in the world of AML for accountants, bookkeepers, tax advisers, auditors and TCSPs at the moment that I thought this month I needed to provide an update on several areas.

Fraud is reported to be the most common crime in the UK. Fraud by an employee is particularly damaging to your client’s business. The impact is not just financial – it’s also emotional and immediate.

Updates on three key topics – amendments to MLR 2017, the implementation by Companies House of the changes being made under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, and the transfer of AML supervision of accountants, bookkeepers, tax advisers and TCSPs to the FCA.

What should you do – and what should you NOT do – if the police turn up at your office asking questions about one of your clients? Most accountants would be troubled by a visit from a police officer and would not know how they ought to deal with this.

The government worries about accountants, bookkeepers, insolvency practitioners (and other professionals) who may be ‘professional enablers’. The term ‘professional enabler’ is used by government and law enforcement to refer to honest accountants whose services are abused by criminals.

Companies House ID verification has been fully operational since 18 November 2025 – just over six weeks now. So how is it going? I don’t think it’s going too well.

From 18 November 2025 there have been important changes introduced by UK Companies House. This blog summarises the key features of the most important changes.

How to find your Companies House personal ID verification code.

Two new criminal offences based on ‘failure to prevent’ have been introduced into UK law. Why was the law changed, what are these two new offences, and how relevant are they to accountants and bookkeepers in practice?

Tom Herbert of the AccountingWEB recently posted an article discussing the options that practitioners face when selecting and using software to fulfil their AML regulatory obligations.