Key takeaways
- Podcasts count as CPD for ICAEW, ACCA and AAT members, but they only count as verifiable CPD if you can evidence that you listened.
- ICAEW's minimum is 20 hours a year for Category 3 members, with 10 verifiable in practice or 5 outside practice; the CPD year runs 1 November to 31 October.
- ACCA members on the unit route need 40 units a year, at least 21 verifiable; one unit is one hour.
- ICAEW's free Beyond Finance podcast offers about an hour of CPD a month, or 12 hours a year, and The Tax Track gives about 30 minutes of verifiable CPD each month.
- Podcasts on icaew.com can be verified with ICAEW's AddCPD tool.
- LumiQ, a paid audio CPD platform, charged £299 a year for 10 hours or £499 a year for unlimited CPD on its UK site, checked 6 November 2026.
- ICAEW says timesheets alone are not acceptable evidence for verifiable CPD.
Audio is one of the easiest ways to fit CPD into a commute or a walk. ICAEW, ACCA and AAT all accept podcasts as CPD, but a podcast only counts towards your verifiable hours if you can prove you listened and show it was relevant. The free options from the professional bodies cover a good share of most members’ yearly needs.
Does listening to a podcast count as CPD?
Yes, for all three main bodies, but the type of credit depends on evidence. ICAEW’s guidance says listening to podcasts is “only verifiable if the listening can be evidenced”. Otherwise it counts as non-verifiable CPD, provided it is relevant to your role.
ACCA treats any activity as verifiable if you can answer yes to three questions:
- Was the activity relevant to your career?
- Can you explain how you applied the learning at work?
- Can you provide evidence that you did it?
AAT is the most flexible. It says that if you have “listened to a podcast” relating to your role, “that all counts”.
How many CPD hours do you need?
Requirements differ by body and, for ICAEW, by category. Our guide to CPD requirements for UK accountants covers every body in detail.
| Body and route | Total a year | Verifiable minimum |
|---|---|---|
| ICAEW Category 3, in practice | 20 hours | 10 hours |
| ICAEW Category 3, outside practice | 20 hours | 5 hours |
| ICAEW Category 1, in practice | 40 hours | 30 hours |
| ACCA unit route | 40 units | 21 units |
| AAT | No set hours | Plan, do, review cycle |
ICAEW’s rules also require at least one verifiable hour of ethics each CPD year, which runs from 1 November to 31 October. Category 3 is the default. ACCA lets you carry forward up to 21 extra verifiable units, but not in your first CPD year.
Free audio CPD options
The professional bodies publish free podcasts. Listed alphabetically by publisher.
ACCA. ACCA runs several podcast series, including ACCA Insights and practitioner series such as Strategic thinking for practitioners. Check each listing for the units it offers, and keep your own record of what you listened to and how you used it.
HMRC (recorded webinars). HMRC does not run a current podcast feed, but its help and support for agents page, updated 29 October 2026, lists recorded webinars on Making Tax Digital, capital allowances, VAT and more. Many work well as audio. Make a note of the date, topic and length.
ICAEW. The ICAEW podcast page lists three shows:
| Podcast | How often | CPD |
|---|---|---|
| Beyond Finance | Two episodes a month, about 30 minutes each | About 12 hours a year |
| The Tax Track | Monthly, about 30 minutes | Verifiable, ICAEW says |
| The Audit Report | Quarterly | Verifiable, ICAEW says |
Podcasts on icaew.com can be verified with ICAEW’s AddCPD tool, which logs your engagement.
Paid audio CPD
Paid platforms add certificates and tracking. We list prices from the provider’s own site, checked on 6 November 2026, and do not rate them.
LumiQ. LumiQ’s UK pricing page lists:
- Lite: £299 a year, 10 hours of CPD for one person (unused hours do not roll over)
- Pro: £499 a year, unlimited CPD for one person
- Team and Enterprise: price on request
Plans are billed annually and renew automatically. Each completed episode produces a downloadable certificate. LumiQ says its content is mapped to ACA, ACCA and CIMA, but its page does not say that each body formally recognises its hours. Your professional body decides what counts, so check against its rules.
For courses in other formats, see CPD courses for accountants.
How to log audio CPD so it counts
Keep a simple record for every episode. A checklist:
- Title, publisher and date listened
- Length in minutes
- Why it was relevant to your role
- One sentence on how you applied it
- Evidence: an AddCPD record, a completion certificate or a quiz result
ICAEW says timesheets alone are not acceptable because they “cannot be corroborated”. ACCA asks members to keep records in case they are selected for a CPD review.
Which applies to you?
- If you are ICAEW Category 3 outside practice, ICAEW’s free podcasts verified through AddCPD can cover your 5 verifiable hours.
- If you are ICAEW in practice, free audio helps, but you will still need other verifiable activity, including one ethics hour.
- If you are ACCA, audio counts towards your 19 non-verifiable units easily; for verifiable units you need evidence and a note on how you applied it.
- If you are AAT, any relevant podcast counts towards your CPD cycle.
- If you need tax updates on the move, combine The Tax Track with HMRC’s recorded webinars.
Practices tracking new rules for clients may also find our guide to AI tax research tools useful.
Frequently asked questions
Do podcasts count as verifiable CPD?
Only with evidence. ICAEW says listening is verifiable only if it can be evidenced, and ACCA requires relevance, application at work and evidence.
How much free CPD does ICAEW’s podcast give?
ICAEW says Beyond Finance gives about an hour of CPD a month, around 12 hours a year. The Tax Track adds about 30 minutes of verifiable CPD a month.
What is ICAEW AddCPD?
AddCPD is ICAEW’s tool for verifying your engagement with articles, videos and podcasts on icaew.com, so they can count as verifiable CPD.
How many CPD units does ACCA require?
ACCA’s unit route requires 40 units a year, at least 21 verifiable. One unit equals one hour.
Does AAT have a minimum number of CPD hours?
No. AAT uses a plan, do, review and record cycle rather than set hours, and says relevant podcasts count.
Sources
Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.