AML supervision and inspection resources
Guidance for understanding HMRC, FCA, supervisory expectations, evidence packs, and inspection readiness.
Who supervises AML in the UK
Every regulated firm has a designated AML supervisor: HMRC for unaffiliated accountants, estate agents, high-value dealers and trust or company service providers; the FCA for financial services; a professional body such as ICAEW, ACCA or the SRA for its members; and the Gambling Commission for casinos. OPBAS sits above the professional-body supervisors to drive consistency between them.
What an inspection looks at
Supervisors test whether the firm-wide risk assessment exists and is current, whether policies match what the firm actually does, whether CDD files evidence decisions rather than just documents, whether training happened and is recorded, and whether the MLRO role is real. Findings usually concern gaps in evidence rather than absent controls.
Where to start
If an inspection is scheduled, the audit checklist is the fastest route to knowing what will be asked. If you are preparing further ahead, the supervision material explains how supervisors select firms and what they weigh.
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HMRC, FCA and AML Supervision: What UK Firms Need to Know
A practical guide to HMRC, FCA, professional body supervision, and how regulated firms should keep AML evidence ready.
HMRC AML Meaning: What HMRC Supervision Means for Firms
What HMRC AML supervision means for accountants, bookkeepers, TCSPs, and other supervised UK businesses.
FCA AML Regulations: What UK Firms Should Understand
How FCA AML expectations fit into UK financial crime systems, risk assessment, PEP treatment, controls, and evidence.