CIPFA and ICAEW

The global accountancy profession faces significant change. Every organisation that trains, supports or provides membership services to accountants in both the public and the private sector faces a clear need to modernise, collaborate and – where appropriate – consolidate to stay relevant and deliver public value.

The work of CIPFA members shapes and impacts people’s everyday lives and we play a crucial role in building and maintaining public trust. The needs of public service bodies and the people they serve are complex and continually changing. Meeting these demands requires a professional body with the scale, reach and capability to respond effectively and consistently.

In summer 2025, CIPFA signed a Heads of Terms agreement with ICAEW through which we have been exploring a collaborative merger. The strategic direction set out in the Heads of Terms would see CIPFA join ICAEW under a single group model, that respects our distinctive histories and retains our unique Charter, identity and brand.

Our rationale and ambition

CIPFA and ICAEW believe that by pursuing a collaborative merger we will:

• create stronger and more resilient institutes able to operate at scale and invest in the profession’s future
• bring together our complementary strengths – CIPFA’s public sector expertise, reputation and networks with ICAEW’s private sector expertise, infrastructure, capacity and reach
• strengthen our collective influence with governments, regulators and international bodies
• enhance our members’ benefits through broader learning, insight and professional communities.

What this means for CIPFA members

Working together as part of a single ICAEW group we will be able to:

• Deliver world-leading education and learning content for future success – while our qualification pathways will remain distinct, shared use of resources and content will broaden learning opportunities for members and students. Joint development of innovative new products and services will address future skills needs in areas including sustainability, data and rapidly changing technologies.
• Understand member needs and provide personalised solutions – combining insights from across both institutes will provide a deeper understanding of the needs of members and students working across both the public and private sectors. This will allow us to shape and deliver more relevant and personalised services, better-targeted communications and a more joined-up experience.
• Build a larger professional community, enhancing visibility and voice – by joining ICAEW group, CIPFA members will have access to much broader professional communities. We will be creating one of the largest professional accountancy organisations in the world, increasing critical mass and the visibility of both the CPFA and ACA qualifications, allowing us to speak with a bolder and more influential voice.
• Lead conversations on issues that matter – CIPFA and ICAEW already work effectively together on policy and thought leadership. Combining CIPFA’s unrivalled public finance expertise and reach across government with ICAEW’s breadth of business insight and technical excellence will create a stronger, more co-ordinated voice on the issues that shape the profession. Our shared focus on the importance of ethics and integrity as the bedrocks of our profession will be even more important in a world of greater automation and AI driven developments.
• Reinforce our international reach and impact through targeted presence and engagement – the combined networks and reputations of CIPFA and ICAEW strengthen our international influence, providing a clearer and more co-ordinated presence in priority markets and regions. This creates opportunities for joint donor-funded projects, global capacity-building and engagement with policymakers.

Next steps

While CIPFA’s Board and Council have been closely involved in scrutinising and shaping these proposals, CIPFA members will need to vote in favour of any change to the institute.

Ahead of the vote we want to listen to your views and understand what you think. In the coming weeks and months we will be sharing more detail about our plans online, over email, across our social media channels and through Public Finance, our membership magazine. We will also be engaging with members via our regional structure as well as hosting bespoke online events where you will have a chance to put your questions to CIPFA’s leadership team and honorary officers.

In the meantime, any members with questions or comments are welcome to email us at hello@cipfa.org.