How To Become An Accountant UK Guidelines And Qualifications

A career as an accountant is a popular choice, but there are several different routes you can take to get there. However, after reading this guide – How to become an accountant UK guidelines and qualifications – by the team here at PurpleCV, you’ll be fully up to speed.

There are lots of different reasons why people choose accounting as a career path. Often called one of the ‘recession-proof’ careers, relatively-speaking it often leads to well-paid work.

And there is some evidence that salaries are growing too. Take a look at the Salary Survey from 2023 by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Based on their data, the average annual income of self-employed AAT accountants increased from £52,000 in 2021 to £74,500 in 2023. And at practices with over 100 clients, the average fee income was £118,000 in 2023.

In this guide we’ll explore the other reasons for choosing a career as an accountant before running through the different processes to get there!

Becoming an accountant

Are you well suited to a career as an accountant? There’s no set blueprint for a typical accountant and despite what you may have heard, it’s not all about having strong maths or numeracy skills.

You definitely need a strong level of attention to detail though and it certainly helps to have an interest in business operations. As with most jobs, you’re also likely to need good communication, organisation and technology skills.

In general, responsibilities can include:

• Preparing financial reports
• Overseeing budgets
• Forecasting financial performance
• Auditing (checking financial records for accuracy)
• Giving financial advice
• Filing month-end accountants
• Managing taxes and payments

The specific route you take to becoming an accountant can vary depending on where you want to work.

Beyond your typical accounting technician there are several different types of accountants working in different areas and functions including:

• Public practice
• Private practice
• Management
• Bookkeeping
• Payroll

Public practice accounting firms include, but are not limited to, the Big Four professional services companies – Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC.

You can also choose to specialise in a specific area, seeking out relevant experience and taking the specific qualifications required to get there.

Specialisms include:

• Auditing
• Forensic
• Business recovery and insolvency
• Tax

You may not be sure yet exactly what type of accounting role is going to be the best fit – that’s fine.

There are some broad starting points that most accountants begin with and then you can narrow your focus later on.

So, what does a typical journey look like?

Academic and vocational routes to accountancy

Here are some of the main options:

• #1: Take a Maths or Economics subject at A Level, then go on to complete an accounting or finance degree at university.
• #2: Don’t take these subjects or degrees, but instead complete accountant qualifications offered by AAT.
• #3: Secure an apprenticeship in accounting at a college. There are three levels of apprenticeship – intermediate, advanced and higher – each leading to different employment opportunities.

Let’s look at the Option 3 scenarios in more detail.

A level 2 or intermediate apprenticeship, equivalent to a GCSE, is a good gateway to becoming an accounts or finance assistant, cashier or sales ledger clerk.

A level 3 or advanced apprenticeship is equivalent to an A Level, well suited to assistant accountants. Meanwhile a level 4 or higher apprenticeship is equivalent to a degree, a potential pathway for accounts managers or technicians.

What qualifications do you need to be an accountant (UK)?

Again it depends on the path you’ve chosen to take and the type of accountant you want to be. Here are the different qualification providers in the UK:

• AAT: Uniquely among the other accountancy bodies, AAT is open-access. You do not need a prior qualification to enrol in AAT Level 1. And from Level 3 onwards you could become a bookkeeper, payroll administrator and more. Level 4 is the highest qualification.
• ACCA: Global and offers the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification. Chartered certified accountants must be ACCA members.
• CIMA: Offers training and qualifications in management accountancy, including the master’s degree equivalent Chartered Global Management Accountant certification
• ICAEW: Similar to ACCA but UK-focused, its main qualification is the ACA for associate chartered accountants.
• ICAS: Offers a chartered accountants qualification in Scotland.

Beyond the AAT qualifications that don’t require a degree, there are other options to bridge a gap between a degree and a chartered training contract.

These include the ICAEW certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (CFAB). In addition, the National Audit Office (NAO) offers a Chartered Accountancy Training Scheme for both school leavers and university graduates.

How long does it take to become an accountant?

As a highly skilled role, it takes time to become a qualified accountant.

In brief, here are the different timeframes for some of the aforementioned qualifications.

• AAT Level 3: 6-12 months of studying to become an assistant accountant
• Bachelor’s degree: 3-4 years of study with a view to becoming an accounts manager or technician
• ACCA and ICAEW: 2-4 years of study after at least 3 years of practical accounting experience to become a chartered accountant

Draw up a long-term plan for your exciting new accounting career!

Final thoughts: How to become an accountant UK guidelines

Don’t worry – if you start the journey but ultimately change your mind about becoming an accountant, there are other roles to consider.

There’s quantity surveying, investment and retail banking… You could also become a stockbroker or train to be an actuary, economist, and so on.

When you’re applying for a role as an accountant, you need a strong CV that conveys the hard work you’ve put in to date in the right way. Find out how to do this in our dedicated accounting CV examples guide.

Short on time or struggling to put a strong accountant CV together? Reach out to the team here at PurpleCV.

We are CV writing experts so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re looking for some support.