Requirements for a Responsible Individual (RI) - UK

What is CPD?

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the means by which a Responsible Individual (RI) maintains and enhances their professional knowledge, skills and values.  An effective programme of continuing education achieves the regulatory outcomes listed below:

• The RI actively maintains and enhances the knowledge, skills and values they need to perform high quality audits and deliver a professional service to their clients.
• It contributes to the performance of high-quality audits, and thereby safeguards the public interest.
• It enhances public confidence in the auditing profession.

Individuals who are approved by the Institute as RIs have CPD obligations in accordance with the Institute’s Audit Regulations.  All RIs, registered by the Institute in Ireland and/or the UK, are required to undertake appropriate programs of audit-related CPD.  Many RIs are registered by the Institute for audit in both the UK and Ireland.  

RIs registered in Ireland must comply with IAASA’s  CPD Guidelines which are now reflected in the Institute’s Audit Regulations, Ireland.  More information is available on the Institute’s Hub for CPD for RIs in Ireland.

RIs who are registered for audit only in the UK are not required to comply with IAASA’s CPD Guidelines.  However UK only RIs may find it helpful to refer to the approach to audit-related CPD and the related resources and guidance for RI’s registered in Ireland.  Since the UK CPD requirements are similar, the guidance and templates developed by the Institute to support compliance with IAASA requirements may be of assistance in the UK context.