British qualified accountants are full voting members of United Kingdom professional bodies that evaluate individual experience and test competencies for accountants.
The term accountant does not have the same legal protection in the United Kingdom as that given to other professions such as doctors and lawyers. Only certain functions are restricted to professionally qualified accountants; for example, individuals who operate in the areas of audit and insolvency must be registered, and only members of certain accountancy bodies are eligible for such registration. If working in public practice, these qualified accountants must comply with additional regulations such as holding professional indemnity insurance and submitting to regular and independent inspections.
CCAB-qualified accountants are full members of any of the five UK accountancy bodies formed by royal charter, which founded the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies in 1974.
The British Government's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, implementing the Companies Acts 1989 and 2006, allows members of six bodies to act as auditor to a limited company. These are the member bodies of CCAB excluding CIMA, and the AIA. In the European Union, under the EU mutual recognition directive, members of these six bodies may practise auditing in other EU member states, with 'absolute equal status'.
In addition, there are other non-CCAB bodies whose members also provide accountancy and related services.
Read more about British Qualified Accountants: Titles of British Accountancy Qualifications, Bookkeepers and Accounting Technicians, CCAB-qualified Accountants
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