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Continuing Professional Development

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

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

CIPFA’s CPD scheme

The CPD scheme has been updated to reflect changes in the new CPD standard, effective from January 2020.

Summary of key changes to the CPD scheme are as follows:

  • The scheme has been simplified, with one level for all CIPFA Members.
  • Recording CPD will now be done on an annual cycle, which will make it easier for you to manage your CPD and CIPFA membership.
  • A Learning and Development record template is available for you to download and use to document your CPD activity.

Download CPD Guide L&D record template SoPP 

In this section

CIPFA CPD Requirements

CPD year

CIPFA Members select their CPD year. The CPD year can be based on a calendar, financial or appraisal year eg January to December, April to March and September to August.

CPD hours

CIPFA Members are required to complete at least 20 hours of verifiable CPD activities over a 12 month period.

Members are also expected to reflect on the learning they have done and the outputs achieved.

Standard of Professional Practice (SoPP) for CPD

The SoPP has been approved by the CIPFA Council. This document outlines the CPD requirements and what members need to do to participate in the CPD scheme.

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Identifying your development needs

To identify areas of development which are relevant to your career you can refer to the CIPFA Key Competencies for Public Finance Professionals. This document has been designed to stimulate thinking and discussion about what skills and development may be appropriate at different stages throughout your career. 

The Key Competencies can be found here.

One of the many ways to contribute to your learning and development is through structured training. CIPFA offers a range of qualifications, short courses and introductory workshops that are ideal for keeping your skills and knowledge up-to-date. We also provide access to a wealth of online information and resources. 

Explore our full range here.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the CPD scheme, please contact the Membership team:

E: members@cipfa.org

T: +44 (0) 20 7543 5600

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