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Behind the Payslip: Accountant Salaries and Economic Growth How Much Do Accountants Really Earn? And What It Means for Growing Firms in 2025 The latest breakdown from ICAEW Jobs provides a timely look at what accountants across the UK are earning, from trainees to fully qualified professionals. Whether you’re managing a small practice or scaling an established firm, the findings raise an important question: Is traditional in-house hiring still the most efficient way to grow your team? Let’s explore what the numbers reveal and how firms can respond strategically. 📊 Trainee Salaries: A Rising Investment According to ICAEW, trainee salaries now typically range from £18,000 to £28,000 per year, with the average graduate salary leaning toward the higher end of that scale. While that may seem manageable on paper, the true cost of a trainee extends far beyond base salary. Firms must also factor in: ✔️ Training time ✔️ Supervision by senior staff ✔️ Software access ✔️ Admin and onboarding costs “Salary expectations for trainee roles are gradually rising, and competition for talent remains strong in many areas.” — ICAEW In short, you’re investing a lot, before seeing a real return. 💼 Modest Increases in the Early Years ICAEW highlights that the salary gap between new trainees and those with a year or two of experience is fairly narrow, meaning progression may feel slow for employees and costly for employers still funding their development. “A relatively narrow range of salaries… reflects the limited experience of trainees and the structured nature of pay bands within firms.” That creates both retention risk and a question of ROI for firms: how long before a junior team member becomes profitable? 🎓 Qualification = Big Salary Jump One of the biggest shifts comes post-qualification. Once an ACA or ACCA designation is achieved, salaries can climb to £40,000–£50,000+, depending on role and location. That’s a big leap, but also a big retention challenge. Without clear growth opportunities or strong culture, it’s no surprise that many newly qualified accountants exit practice altogether for in-house or consulting roles. 🏢 Big Firms Pay More, But Not Without Cost Yes, large firms tend to pay better, but they also face higher churn. ICAEW notes that working environments, career development and well-being are becoming key differentiators, especially among younger talent. For smaller practices, that means it’s not just about matching salary, it’s about offering a more human experience, with real flexibility and less burnout. But even with those advantages, there’s a limit to how fast you can scale internally. 🌍 Where Outsourcing Comes In When you consider the time, cost, and management involved in hiring, it’s clear why many accountancy firms are now choosing to outsource routine work to qualified offshore teams. ✅ It’s not just about saving on salary, it’s about: Avoiding recruitment delays Reducing supervision time Getting work done faster and more reliably Freeing your team to focus on high-value advisory Instead of paying £28k+ for a trainee who needs hand-holding, you could be working with experienced professionals from day one, for a similar or lower monthly cost.

Affinity Outsourcing: How Smart Businesses Are Solving the Talent Gap From accountants to admins, businesses across the world are facing the same challenge: there just aren’t enough skilled people to go around. And it’s not going away anytime soon. In fact, 75% of employers globally say they can’t find the talent they need. And by 2030, the global talent shortage could cost businesses more than £6.5 trillion in lost revenue. So, how are smart businesses staying ahead when everyone’s chasing the same shrinking pool of talent? Let’s break it down. 1. They’re Outsourcing Smarter Outsourcing isn’t just for big corporations anymore. It’s the go-to strategy for businesses that want to stay lean, agile, and competitive, without compromising on quality. At Affinity Outsourcing, we see it every day: Accountancy firms looking for support with compliance work Businesses needing help with payroll, admin, or back-office tasks Managers tired of burning time (and budget) on endless hiring rounds With the right outsourcing partner, you can access experienced professionals who just get it, without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. 2. They’re Going Global 🌍 Here’s a secret: top-tier talent isn’t always on your doorstep. Many companies are now tapping into international expertise, especially in places like India, where skills, education, and dedication are in strong supply. U.S. accounting firms, for example, are increasingly building offshore teams to ease the pressure and it’s working. It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about working smarter and building sustainable teams that support your growth. 3. They’re Hiring for Skills, Not Just CVs The world’s changing fast, and smart hiring is keeping up. Instead of obsessing over degrees or fancy job titles, businesses are asking: “Can this person actually do the job?” And it’s paying off. 81% of employers are now embracing skills-based hiring, opening doors to a wider, more diverse talent pool. 4. They’re Leveraging Tech to Fill the Gaps When you can’t find people, tech can help. From automation tools and cloud platforms to AI-assisted workflows, businesses are streamlining operations to reduce dependency on hard-to-fill roles. And here’s the thing, outsourcing partners like us already use that tech. So, you’re not just getting extra hands, you’re getting extra brainpower, tools, and efficiency. The Talent Gap Isn’t Going Anywhere But it doesn’t have to hold you back. With the right strategy—outsourcing, global talent, smart hiring, and tech—you can stop scrambling and start scaling. At Affinity Outsourcing, we help businesses like yours bridge the gap without breaking the bank. Whether you need ongoing support or want to dip your toes in with a free trial, we’re ready when you are. Skilled support Flexible setup Zero stress Let’s take the weight off your shoulders.

MTD for ITSA – UK Accountants: Go Digital with Affinity Outsourcing As the 2026 rollout of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment (MTD for ITSA) approaches, accountancy firms across the UK are preparing for a fundamental shift in how they support self-employed clients and landlords. But while compliance is a top priority, many firms are asking an important strategic question: How can we meet the demands of MTD for ITSA, without increasing internal pressure, hiring costs, or operational complexity? For many, the answer lies in outsourcing. What Is MTD for ITSA? MTD for ITSA is HMRC’s next major step in its digital transformation agenda. From April 2026, self-employed individuals and landlords with income over £50,000 will need to: Maintain digital records Submit quarterly income and expense updates via MTD-compliant software File an annual End of Period Statement and Final Declaration From April 2027, the threshold will lower to £30,000. What Challenges Will Accountants Face? MTD for ITSA represents a significant workload increase, not just in volume, but in frequency and complexity. Quarterly Submissions = More Frequent Deadlines Most accountants are used to annual cycles. MTD shifts this to a 5-report-per-year model per client, meaning hundreds (or thousands) of extra deadlines annually. Digital Transformation Pressure Even tech-savvy firms will need to spend time: Helping clients move to MTD-compliant cloud software Educating them on new processes Ensuring ongoing digital record-keeping Increased Admin, Reduced Bandwidth The time required to monitor submissions, provide support, and manage tech issues can drain in-house resources, especially for firms trying to scale or retain advisory focus. Why Outsourcing Is a Smart Move for MTD Outsourcing doesn’t just help manage extra volume; it allows practices to scale efficiently while keeping overheads lean. Scale Without Hiring Outsourcing provides instant access to trained bookkeeping and tax support staff, no recruitment, onboarding, or payroll costs involved. Improve Turnaround Times With a dedicated outsourced team handling MTD-related tasks (like record-keeping, submission prep, and reconciliations), firms can reduce delays and focus more on advisory. Reduce Overhead, Increase Capacity Rather than overstretch internal teams or bring on costly headcount, outsourcing allows you to expand capacity on demand and only pay for what you need. What Can You Outsource for MTD for ITSA? Here are some of the key services UK firms are now outsourcing ahead of 2026: Outsourced Service Benefit Digital Bookkeeping Stay MTD-compliant without straining internal staff Quarterly Submission Support Reduce admin burden and avoid deadline pressure Cloud Software Setup Get clients quickly set up with MTD-ready tools Client Support & Communication Offload routine support and focus on value-added work Why Work with Affinity Outsourcing? As an established outsourcing partner for UK accountancy firms, Affinity offers: UK-trained bookkeeping and tax professionals Seamless cloud integration (QuickBooks, Xero, FreeAgent, etc.) Flexible packages to match your MTD client volume Transparent pricing, dedicated resource, and 100% data security Whether you’re preparing for 2026 or already adjusting to earlier phases of MTD, we help you scale up without scaling your team. MTD for ITSA is a major operational shift — and with the right outsourcing partner, it’s also an opportunity: to grow, to adapt, and to modernise how you deliver value. Let’s Make Tax Digital, without the headache.