Accountants flag rising risks from Middle East instability – ICAEW survey

More than fractional of chartered accountants surveyed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants successful England and Wales (ICAEW) accidental their organisations are exposed to risks from the struggle successful the Middle East.

The findings travel against a backdrop of concerns implicit imaginable spikes successful vigor prices and disruption to proviso chains.

The online survey ran from 6 to 9 March 2026 and gathered responses from 497 ICAEW members based successful the UK, the Middle East, South Asia, Cyprus and Turkey.

Of those questioned, 56% said their organisations are exposed to the fallout from the conflict. A further 29% said it was inactive excessively soon to measure the afloat grade of immoderate impact.

While galore respondents reported taking precautionary steps, astir 56% said they were intimately tracking developments.

Around 25% of the respondents said they had amended question policies oregon guidance connected unit safety.

Meanwhile, 13% indicated they were readying to suspend oregon set operations successful locations viewed arsenic astir straight affected.

Among UK-based organisations, the main concerns were vigor and logistics.

Two-thirds (66%) cited higher vigor costs, 54% pointed to proviso concatenation disruption and 46% highlighted staff-related risks specified arsenic information and travel.

When asked what enactment from authorities would beryllium astir utile if the struggle continues, 48% of UK respondents prioritised assistance with vigor bills.

ICAEW main enforcement Alan Vallance said: “Our information shows that rising vigor costs and proviso concatenation disruption are the biggest threats to businesses close present arsenic the struggle successful the Middle East continues to escalate.

“Surging state prices and interruptions to large vigor infrastructure specified arsenic the Strait of Hormuz means the unit is lone intensifying.

“The findings besides item the important interdependence of UK businesses and citizens with the Middle East, and however our economical destiny is exposed to instability successful the region.”

"Accountants emblem rising risks from Middle East instability – ICAEW survey" was primitively created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand.

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