The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spent £386m on employment support programmes and Job Centre-based support for disabled people in 2017-18, but has only limited evidence of the effectiveness of this funding

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is consulting on planned changes to the code of ethics to ensure it is in line with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB) independence standards for non-audit related assurance engagements

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its annual report on the enforcement and regulatory activities of accounting enforcers within the EU, and has indicated next year’s focus will continue to be on non-financial reporting as well as the implementation of new IFRS standards

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which is set to be disbanded, is consulting on its draft plan and budget for next year, which will see an 11% hike in its budget requirements as it begins the transition to a new statutory regulator, the Audit Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA)

The key HMRC filing deadlines from April to July 2019 including the start date for Making Tax Digital for VAT from 1 April with 1 July onwards for initial VAT payments, last day of 2018/19 tax year and deadline for various tax claims and elections as well as use of CGT annual allowances and annual limit for pension contributions and deadline for various tax claims and elections

This month's HMRC and Treasury consultations focus on extension of IR35 rules to the private sector, draft legislation on capital allowances for non-residential buildings, Scotland's devolved tax policy framework