Insolvency Practitioner

Regulators
  • Insolvency Practitioners Association
  • Chartered Accountants Ireland
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
  • Insolvency Service
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Nations
  • England
  • Wales
  • Scotland
Sectors
  • Finance

Regulatory or professional bodies

Qualifying body

Address

46 New Broad Street
London
EC2M 1JH

Email address
regulation@ipa.uk.com
Phone number
+44 (0)20 8152 4980

Qualifying body

Regulatory authority
Chartered Accountants Ireland
Address

The Linenhall
32-38 Linenhall Street, Belfast
Antrim, BT2 8BG

Phone number
+44 (0)28 9043 5840

Qualifying body

Address

CA House
21 Haymarket Yards
Edinburgh
EH12 5BH

Email address
connect@icas.com
Phone number
+44 (0)131 347 0100

Qualifying body

Address

Chartered Accountants’ Hall
Moorgate Place
London EC2R 6EA

Phone number
+44 (0)2079208100

Oversight body

Regulatory authority
Insolvency Service
Address

16th Floor, 1 Westfield Ave
London
E20 1HZ

Phone number
+44 (0)300 678 0015

Regulation

Regulation summary

Insolvency Practitioners are licenced and authorised to act on behalf of or in relation to insolvent individuals, partnerships, companies and other entities. On appointment, practitioners are required to comply with the statutory duties of the appointment.

Insolvency Practitioners are authorised and regulated by one of four Recognised Professional Bodies (RPBs):
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
• Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI)

RPBs are required to act in a way which is compatible with the statutory regulatory objectives, i.e.
• having a system of regulation in place which promotes fair treatment and consistent outcomes,
• encouraging an independent and competitive insolvency profession whose members act with transparency and integrity, and in the interest of all creditors, maximising returns to creditors and
• protecting and promoting the public interest.

Insolvency Practitioners are also required to adhere to professional and ethical standards. Each RPB is responsible for their own disciplinary and regulatory compliance regime to ensure their members adhere to relevant regulations.

The Insolvency Service acts as an oversight regulator of the RPBs in Great Britain on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

In Scotland, the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) has a statutory duty to supervise the performance of Insolvency Practitioners appointed as interim trustees, trustees of sequestrations and protected trust deeds.

Regulation type

Licence

Reserved activities

Only a licensed Insolvency Practitioner can be appointed as:
• trustee in bankruptcy or, in Scotland, sequestration
• interim trustee pending outcome of sequestration petition (Scotland only)
• administrative receiver or, in Scotland, receiver
• nominee or supervisor of a voluntary arrangement
• trustee under a deed or arrangement
• trustee under a trust deed and protected trust deed (Scotland only)
• administrator of a deceased insolvent estate
• liquidator, provisional liquidator, administrator or administrative receiver in relation to a company
• monitor of a Part 1A CIGA 20 moratorium in relation to a company
• nominee or supervisor of a company voluntary arrangement

Protected titles

Licensed Insolvency Practitioner
Insolvency Practitioner


Qualifications and experience

New professionals

Routes to qualification

In order to become a licensed Insolvency Practitioner, you must pass the Joint Insolvency Examinations Board exams. You must also meet certain requirements set out by the regulatory bodies, which include evidence of insolvency experience, fitness and propriety together with one or more references.

The majority of Insolvency Practitioners have a background and qualifications in accountancy or law. There is, however, no minimum entry requirement for the profession other than secondary school education.

More about qualification
https://jieb.co.uk/

Professionals from other UK nations

Routes to recognition within the UK

Once you have qualified as an Insolvency Practitioner, you can practice the profession in all four UK nations as they all recognise the Joint Insolvency Examinations Board exams.

Professionals from outside the UK

Recognition for professionals outside the UK
None - all professionals must re-qualify
Summary of routes

You will need to follow the route for new entrants into the profession. There are no statutory provisions for recognition of qualifications and experience gained outside of the United Kingdom.


Registration

Registration requirements

For registration requirements, please see individual RPBs’ websites below.

1. ICAEW - https://www.icaew.com/regulation/insolvency/become-an-insolvency-practitioner-with-icaew/becoming-an-icaew-insolvency-licensed-practitioner
2. CAI - https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/Professional-Standards/Authorisations/Insolvency/Acting-as-an-IP-in-the-Republic-of-Ireland
and
https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/Professional-Standards/Authorisations/Insolvency/Acting-as-an-IP-in-the-GB-NI
3. ICAS - https://www.icas.com/regulation/regulatory-authorisations/how-to-become-an-icas-insolvency-practitioner
4. IPA - https://insolvency-practitioners.org.uk/sign-up/licence/


Legislation

Title of relevant act or charter

Insolvency Act 1986

Title of relevant act or charter

The Insolvency Practitioners Regulations 2005

Licence Finder

You may need licences and permits to carry out certain activities in the UK. These are called authorisations. Use the licence finder to find what you need.