A leading professional and awarding body....

The International Association of Book-keepers (IAB) was founded in 1973 and until approximately ten years ago it focussed purely on being a professional and examining body for bookkeepers. Building on this, today the IAB is the leading UK and international professional body for those providing bookkeeping and related accounting services to small businesses. Through its broad range of Ofqual accredited qualifications and its CPD activities, the IAB aims to meet an extensive range of financial skills needs of young people and adults and to provide essential business skills for those starting or developing a small business.

International....

Interest in the IAB is ever increasing and it continues to grow both in the UK and internationally, with members and students now in five figures and spread across approximately 60 countries.

An approved Supervisory body...

The IAB is an approved supervisory body under the UK Money Laundering Regulations 2007 – an important role, meaning that those IAB members who are registered with the Association as being ‘in practice’ are supervised and also are not required to separately register to be supervised by HM Revenue & Customs in compliance with the Regulations.

A committed collaborative partner...

The IAB has a significant involvement with, and is a willing partner of, national government and standard setting bodies e.g. HMRC Employment Consultation Forum, FSA, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority/Ofqual, Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) and SFEDI (the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative). Over the last few months, working with the FSSC and other awarding bodies, the IAB has taken the lead role in the development of book-keeping units for the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and has worked very closely with the IPP in the development of QCF payroll units.

An awarding body of recognised qualifications....

The current range of IAB qualifications now numbers more than 20. In addition to the IAB's 'core' qualifications in bookkeeping, accounting and payroll, the range now includes Finance for Non-Financial Managers, Small Business Financial Management, Business Enterprise and Business Law. In 2008, the levels were expanded so that the IAB now offers 'foundation' level qualifications at NQF level 1 through levels 2 and 3 to level 4. Several of these qualifications have been granted exemptions by the UK chartered accountancy bodies - ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA and CIPFA. The effect of this is to extend the skills of learners and also to provide complete progression routes from Level 1 through to Level 4 and on to a range of financial careers including Registered Bookkeeper, Chartered Accountant and Payroll Professional.

Please click below for other sections:

What is the IAB?	What is book-keeping?
IAB brochure	Members of council
Overseas representatives	District societies