By AAT Comment Anti-money laundering SARs Reporter Booklet highlights 5 May 2026 Find key insights from the NCA’s SARs Reporter Booklet (March 2026). The National Crime Agency (NCA) has published its latest SARs Reporter Booklet. It shows how Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) submitted by professionals, including accountants, are used by law enforcement. Quality is key A key message is that quality matters more than quantity. Law enforcement values SARs that clearly explain why activity is suspicious, are written in plain English, and include accurate, relevant details. Even where no immediate action is taken, SARs often become valuable when linked with other intelligence. This booklet includes case studies on money laundering, fraud and drug‑related crime. These highlight common risk touchpoints that accountants are well placed to identify, given their access to books, records and transactional behaviour, including: abuse of company structures false invoices and inaccurate accounting records misuse of client accounts complex fund movements designed to disguise ownership. We strongly encourage members to review the booklet, as it can be used to support internal AML training. Ensure that you and relevant employees keep AML knowledge up to date and there is a written record of it. AAT guidance AAT has a range of resources available in the AAT Learning Portal including short bitesize modules on AML, licence compliance, and practice assurance reviews. Log in to your MyAAT Account, go to AAT Lifelong Learning Portal, click on ‘Featured CPD’ on the homepage. Find the relevant CPD bitesize and click the ‘Launch’ button. Further guidance and support on risk management and other components of Money Laundering Regulations compliance is available on our AML webpage. You can also contact us on +44 (0)20 7367 1347 or via email at [email protected] Future of AML/CTF supervision On 21 October 2025, the Government confirmed that the AML/CTF supervision for accountancy, legal and Trust and Company Service Provider sectors will move to a single professional services supervisor (SPSS), the Financial Conduct Authority. While this is a big shift, implementation is likely to take years. In the meantime, AAT will continue as the AML supervisor for eligible AAT licensed members and carry out our normal responsibilities, including Practice Assurance Reviews and risk assessment activities. Therefore, our members must ensure full compliance with the MLR 2017. Find more on the consultation response here. AAT Comment offers news and opinion on the world of business and finance from the Association of Accounting Technicians.