The CCAB Guidance on this point says: “Regulation 3(7) defines external accountant as someone who provides accountancy services by way of business to other persons, when providing such services.
Accountancy services include the recording, review, analysis, calculation or reporting of financial information and covers professional bookkeeping services, preparing or signing accounts or certificates of financial information concerning a person’s or organisation’s financial affairs, and advising on tax.
Tax advice is widely interpreted and includes tax compliance services such as assisting in the completion and submission of tax or duty returns. Businesses assisting in the completion and submission of tax returns in relation to any tax will fall within the scope of the Regulations. Businesses providing advice relating to the liability of a particular commodity to a tax or duty or the amount of tax or duty due will also fall within the scope.
Therefore any bookkeeper, payroll bureau, accountancy service provider, tax advisor of any grade or level, qualified or unqualified will have obligations under POCA and if operating as a businesses will have an obligation to register for compliance supervision before commencing businesses.
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