After a strong year for the Accounting world, we asked experts with specialisms across the UK to share their reflections and predictions for the Accountancy Market.
Northern England – Ryan Alderson (DJH)
Ryan Alderson is the Head of Cloud Advisory at DJH in Stockport. As a winner of the Accountancy Age 35 under 35 he is at the forefront of the technological shift in Accountancy. When looking back at 2025, Ryan says “the profession is reaching a real turning point. Cloud technology, AI and automation are no longer just nice-to-have tools. They’re becoming the operational backbone of modern firms.”
This sentiment has been bubbling beneath the surface for a few years, eventually boiling over in 2025 – with an overwhelming 78% of budding leaders citing use of at least one automation or analytics tool per week (Accountancy Age).
He continues: “With MTD expansion on the horizon, practices of all sizes need to embrace automation to streamline workflows and free up capacity.”
“Cloud technology, AI and automation are no longer just nice-to-have tools. They’re becoming the operational backbone of modern firms”
“Efficiency will always matter, but the smartest firms are going beyond that. They’re using automation to deliver deeper insights and more proactive advice to their clients.
“As data becomes richer and more accessible, the real opportunity is in how practices use it to strengthen client relationships and reshape what ‘cloud advisory’ actually means.”
This marks a big change in the industry. Soft skills are becoming ever more important as an Accountant’s role shifts to an advisor in the advent of AI. We have recently seen firms like Azets sending trainees into hospitality to build the necessary soft skills for the new landscape of Accounting.
East Anglia and Home Counties – Scott Golding (AJ Chambers)
Scott Golding is an Associate Portfolio Director at AJ Chambers. Day in, day out, Scott is speaking with firms within the top 100 and professionals at the forefront of Accounting:
“In the surrounding Home Counties, including Essex & East Anglia, the availability of vacancies across the core areas of audit and tax have lessened in demand, but many firms will still look to hire hard to find skill sets in audit in-charging or tax advisory (private client, trusts & corporate taxes).
“A lot of firms in these regions have merged with consolidators so the recruitment requirements across many firms have stalled or been paused for a period but the early signs of 2026 is that the initial integrations for a lot are now through, and recruitment and staff retention is a top priority once again.”
“…Recruitment and staff retention is a top priority once again.”
Moving into 2026, the Private Equity wave is only growing stronger and smaller to mid-size practices are increasingly seeing the benefits of joining forces with other firms. Last year saw the TC Farnell Clarke Limited & TC Group, and Green & Purple and Affinia (both of which AJ Chambers ® proudly consulted on).
The talent shortage remains a pertinent challenge moving into 2026. With the changes to the ACCA course and the introduction of new pathways – the educational bodies are encouraging a new wave of talent that are ready for the technical shifts in the Accounting industry.
Midlands – Charles Hill (Cottons Group)
Cottons Group is an Accounting firm based in the Midlands and covers all practice areas. We spoke to Charles Hill, Partner and 35 Under 35 Winner about the year past and upcoming:
“The Midlands accountancy market continued to evolve rapidly throughout 2025. Several major themes defined the landscape – ongoing consolidation, increased investment in technology, and persistent challenges in attracting and retaining talent. Private‑equity‑backed groups accelerated this momentum, bringing greater scale and more sophisticated operating models.
“Several major themes defined the landscape – ongoing consolidation, increased investment in technology, and persistent challenges in attracting and retaining talent.”
“Looking ahead to 2026, AI‑enabled tools and a continued shift towards advisory‑led services are expected to become far more widespread. However, the sector still faces hurdles, including recruitment pressures, uneven digital adoption, and the need to get fully on board with Making Tax Digital.”
With MTD officially set to launch in April 2026 for income tax, firms will need to be prepared and ensure their clients are onboard.
Charles continues, “Overall, firms that modernise early and adapt to the competitive pressure created by PE‑backed groups are likely to be best placed to attract talent and achieve sustainable growth.”
Summary
It’s clear that there is a resounding optimism, and whilst the popularity of AI marks a landmark change for the industry, Accountants are in a prime position to reap the rewards of these innovations. M&A is showing no signs of slowing down and we expect to see more ground-breaking deals this year. Thank you to Ryan, Scott and Charles for sharing your thoughts and we look forward to another bright year in Accountancy.
AJ Chambers Recruitment Ltd,