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Finance & Accounting

Accountant

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Primary Secondary Post-16

Accountants play a vital role in businesses and organisations by managing financial records, preparing accounts, and ensuring that taxes are paid correctly and on time. Their work involves analysing financial information, providing advice on financial decisions, and helping organisations to remain compliant with UK financial regulations. Accountants may specialise in areas such as audit, tax, management accounting, or forensic accounting. The career offers clear progression routes and the opportunity to work in a wide range of industries, from private companies to government bodies.

Accountant

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📊 Statistics

Average Salary

The average salary for an accountant in the UK is between £25,000 and £45,000 per year, with experienced chartered accountants earning up to £60,000 or more.

Job Opportunities

There are over 90,000 qualified accountants working in the UK, with thousands of new job openings each year.

Qualification Requirements

Most accountants in the UK hold qualifications from professional bodies such as ACCA, CIMA or ICAEW, which require a mixture of exams and relevant work experience.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Forensic Accountant

Investigates financial discrepancies and fraud, often working with law enforcement or legal teams to solve financial crimes.

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Tax Adviser

Specialises in offering advice on tax-related matters, helping individuals and businesses manage their tax affairs efficiently.

Management Accountant

Focuses on budgeting, performance evaluation, and cost management within a company to support business decision-making.

Choose Your Education Path

Complete Relevant GCSEs and A-levels

Focus on subjects such as Mathematics, Business Studies, or Economics at GCSE and A-level, as these provide a strong foundation for accountancy.

Having good grades in Maths and related subjects is highly valued by employers and universities. You may also consider BTECs in Business or Finance if A-levels are not your preferred path. Most accountancy qualifications require at least five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths and English.

Decide Between University or Professional Qualification

You can become an accountant by completing a relevant university degree or by starting a professional qualification such as AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) after college or as an apprenticeship.

A degree in Accountancy, Finance, or Business is beneficial but not essential. Alternatively, you can join a professional body like AAT, ACCA, or CIMA straight after school or via an apprenticeship scheme, which allows you to earn while you learn.

Gain Professional Qualifications

Complete an Accounting Qualification

Study for a recognised qualification such as AAT, ACCA, CIMA, or ACA, depending on your chosen route and area of specialisation.

AAT is a good starting point and can lead to higher qualifications like ACCA, CIMA, or ICAEW ACA. These qualifications involve exams, practical experience, and sometimes a final assessment. Employers often sponsor trainees through these qualifications.

Obtain Relevant Work Experience

Gain experience through internships, placements, or entry-level positions in finance to build your practical understanding.

Many employers offer graduate schemes or trainee accountant roles that combine work and study. Practical experience is essential to qualify as a chartered accountant and helps you develop real-world skills.

Build Your Career

Apply for Chartered Status

Once you have completed your professional qualification and gained enough experience, you can apply to become a chartered accountant.

Chartered status, such as being a member of ICAEW, ACCA, or CIMA, can open more advanced roles and higher salaries. You must meet the work experience and exam requirements and maintain professional development.

Progress and Specialise

Explore opportunities to specialise in areas such as tax, audit, or management accounting, or aim for more senior roles like finance manager or partner.

Accountancy offers diverse career paths in various sectors, including corporate, public sector, or self-employment. Continuing professional development (CPD) is key to staying up to date and advancing in your career.

🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Accountant. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

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Career Progressions

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Sample Qualifications

A private practice accountant shares similar qualifications with a general accountant, as both require understanding of financial reporting, accounting principles, and taxation. They often work independently or in small firms, providing accounting services directly to clients, much like general accountants.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • training with a professional body

University

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:

  • accountancy
  • accounting and finance
  • business and management
  • maths

Some degree courses may give you exemptions from some of the professional accountancy training modules.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

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Apprenticeship

You could take steps to gain your professional qualifications by applying for an apprenticeship. These include:

  • Assistant Accountant Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Professional Accountancy or Taxation Technician Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Accountancy and Taxation Professional Level 7 Apprenticeship

The apprenticeship level you start at will depend on the qualifications you already have.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

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Work

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.

Other Routes

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.

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Professional and industry bodies

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.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a private practice accountant from:

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