Annual Salary
£25,000 to £60,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Swap to Online & distribution or Retail or go back to all job sectors
Private practice accountants prepare accounts and tax returns for businesses and individuals.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; occasionally
There will be
2.4% more Private practice accountant jobs in 2027.
As a private practice accountant, you'll:
You could work in an office or at a client's business.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a degree in any subject then apply for a place on a graduate training scheme to work towards a professional accountancy qualification.
If you want to take a more focused route onto a graduate scheme, you could study for an accountancy related degree, like:
Some degree courses may give you exemptions from some of the professional accountancy training modules.
You'll usually need:
You could take steps to gain your professional qualifications by applying for an apprenticeship. These include:
The apprenticeship level you start at will depend on the qualifications you already have.
You'll usually need:
You could start as an accounting assistant with an organisation and do professional training on the job, with the support of your employer.
You'll usually need A levels or an equivalent level 3 qualification to follow this route.
You could train with one of the following professional bodies to become a qualified accountant:
They all have different entry requirements and ways to qualify, so it's important to check with them which is the right route for you. If you already have relevant accounting or business-related qualifications, you may be able to qualify in a shorter time.
If you've qualified with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), you can offer most accountancy services in private practice but you'll need to register as a 'member in practice' with CIMA to do this.
You can find out more about becoming a private practice accountant from:Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW); Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA); Association of International Accountants (AIA); Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS); Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
With experience, you could specialise in an area like auditing or forensic accounting, or become a manager in a practice. From there, you could move into a partnership or become a finance director.
You might also become a self-employed consultant or set up your own company.
You could pass on your skills and knowledge through teaching in higher or further education.
You can find out more about becoming a private practice accountant from:
You'll need: