Continuing Professional Development

CIPFA Chartered Members are required to participate in our continuing professional development (CPD) scheme to meet the recommendations set out by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). This flexible scheme also caters to members who work inside and outside mainstream accountancy and audit roles.

By participating in the CPD scheme as a Chartered Public Finance Accountant, you are demonstrating your commitment to developing your knowledge and skills to deliver the highest levels of service to employers and the wider public and profession.

CPD requirements

Year

Members select their CPD year: based on a calendar, financial or appraisal year, e.g. January to December, April to March, or September to August.

Hours

Members are required to complete

A minimum of 20 hours of learning within a 12-month period
Mandatory completion of one hour of ethics-related verifiable CPD within this total.

Standard of Professional Practice (SoPP)

The SoPP has been approved by the CIPFA council, outlining CPD requirements and what members need to do to participate in the CPD scheme.

Identifying your development goals

The CIPFA Key Competencies for Public Finance Professionals guide can help identify the appropriate skills to develop at different stages of your career.

Read more about CIPFA's key competencies

Maintaining your CPD

CIPFA offers a range of qualifications, short courses, e-learning and introductory workshops that are ideal for keeping your skills and knowledge up-to-date.

Explore CIPFA's full range of training

CPD Bites

You can also register for the CPD Bites service from accountingcpd, a leading provider of online CPD for accountants. CPD Bites is a weekly email containing a bite-sized, 15 minute session. They are fully tracked, giving you a clear record of the hours you complete. Over a 12 month period, you can accumulate 13 of the required 20 hours of CPD from the service alone. CIPFA members also get 10% off their range of online training courses.