{"id":27365,"date":"2025-08-27T06:43:46","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T05:43:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/figsflow.com\/uk\/?p=27365"},"modified":"2025-12-16T11:56:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T10:56:32","slug":"list-of-2025-aml-rules-for-accountants-in-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/figsflow.com\/uk\/list-of-2025-aml-rules-for-accountants-in-the-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"List of 2025 AML Rules for Accountants in the UK\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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There are dozens of laws, regulations, and guidance notes surrounding anti-money laundering (AML) requirements in the UK.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

This often creates confusion about <\/span>which rules to follow<\/span><\/b>, and more importantly, <\/span>how to stay compliant without drowning in endless admin and paperwork<\/span><\/b>. For many, it feels confusing, daunting, and overwhelming.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

We know the pain: countless days of research, long compliance checklists, and sleepless nights wondering whether your practice has covered every angle. We\u2019ve been through the process ourselves and after years of working with clients and refining onboarding procedures, we\u2019ve distilled the noise into the <\/span>core AML rules accountants actually need to comply with in 2025<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

In this blog post, we\u2019ll walk you through the essential AML rules for accountants in 2025.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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1) Conduct a Firm-Wide AML Risk Assessment <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The <\/span>Money Laundering Regulations (MLRs)<\/span><\/b> require every firm to assess and document its exposure to money laundering and terrorist financing risks.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

This risk assessment includes looking at <\/span>services offered<\/span><\/b> (bookkeeping, company formation, trust work), <\/span>client types<\/span><\/b> (cash-heavy trades, high net-worth individuals, overseas ownership), <\/span>delivery channels<\/span><\/b> (remote onboarding), and <\/span>geographics<\/span><\/b> (including high-risk third nations).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

This AML risk assessment is not a once-a-year PDF. It should drive your internal policies, the level of due diligence you apply and your monitoring cadence. In short, AML risk assessment should form the backbone of your firm\u2019s AML approach and evidence to the real-world controls.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Pro tip:<\/h4><\/div>\n
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Tie the risk assessment directly to your CDD tiers and workflow. If your assessment <\/span>says,<\/span> \u201ccompany service provider + overseas PSC = high risk,\u201d your onboarding must show enhanced checks <\/span>actually happened<\/span>.<\/span><\/p> <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2) Apply Customer Due diligence (CDD) <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Before you start any business relationship or occasional transaction, you must identify the client and <\/span>verify that identity<\/span><\/a> using reliable, independent documents or data.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

For this, you need to collect and verify certain documents from your clients. These include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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For Individuals<\/th>\n For Businesses<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n
Proof of identity (passport, driver's license)<\/td>\n Corporate structure details and information about beneficial owners<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Proof of address (utility bills, bank statements)<\/td>\n Incorporation documents<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After onboarding, you must maintain ongoing monitoring. It includes refreshing ID when risk changes, watching for unusual patterns, and making sure the client\u2019s activity still matches your understanding of them.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

You can use <\/span>electronic methods to verify a client\u2019s identity<\/a><\/span><\/b> under AML regulations as long as it is robust, risk-appropriate and well documented.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3) Apply Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) If Needed <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If your client or their transaction involves a <\/span>High-Risk Third Country (HRTC)<\/span><\/b>, you must apply <\/span>Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)<\/span><\/b><\/a>. This includes:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>