June Tax Market Update

​Tax recruitment across UK accountancy practices remained resilient throughout June, with firms continuing to invest in strategic hires despite a more selective hiring environment. While headcount growth is being carefully managed, there remains a strong appetite for high-calibre tax professionals who can support both client service delivery and long-term business growth.

Demand continues to be strongest at the Assistant Manager through to Senior Manager level, particularly within Private Client, Corporate Tax, International Tax, VAT and Employer Solutions teams. Across the market, firms are increasingly prioritising candidates who can demonstrate a combination of technical excellence, commercial awareness and strong stakeholder management skills. The ability to move beyond compliance and contribute to advisory conversations has become a key differentiator.

As clients navigate an increasingly complex tax landscape, practices are looking to strengthen their advisory capabilities and deepen specialist expertise within established teams. Experience in technology and process improvement is also becoming increasingly valuable. Firms are placing greater emphasis on candidates who have been involved in tax technology projects, workflow optimisation, data management initiatives and the implementation of AI-enabled solutions. Rather than viewing technology as a separate function, many practices now regard these skills as a core component of the modern tax professional's toolkit.

At the senior end of the market, succession planning remains a major driver of recruitment activity. Partners are increasingly focused on identifying future leaders who can contribute to business development, mentor junior staff and build long-term client relationships. As a result, leadership potential and relationship management skills are carrying greater weight alongside technical credentials.

Despite broader economic caution, the supply of experienced tax professionals remains limited, particularly among candidates with a stable practice background and demonstrable advisory experience. This ongoing talent shortage continues to place upward pressure on salaries and has reinforced the importance of flexibility, clear progression pathways and compelling employee value propositions.

Overall, the market remains healthy and candidate-led. While firms are taking a more targeted approach to hiring, demand for experienced tax professionals continues to outstrip supply, creating attractive opportunities for candidates and maintaining positive momentum across the accountancy practice sector as we move into the second half of 2026.

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P​rivate Client Tax

Following strong activity throughout Q2, the Private Client Tax market remained resilient in June, with demand continuing to exceed supply across most regions of the UK. Hiring activity has been particularly strong at the Manager, Senior Manager and Director levels, where firms continue to face challenges in attracting individuals with a combination of technical expertise, advisory capability and relationship management skills.

The market remains firmly advisory-led, driven by growing client demand for support across succession planning, trusts, estates, international private client matters and wider wealth structuring. As a result, firms are increasingly prioritising candidates who can lead client relationships and provide strategic advice, rather than those with a purely compliance-focused background.

Whilst London continues to see the highest volume of opportunities, regional and boutique firms remain highly competitive, attracting talent through greater client exposure, broader responsibilities and closer access to Partners. Many candidates are placing increasing value on career progression, quality of work and flexibility, rather than remuneration alone.

At the junior end of the market, hiring remains measured. Firms are being selective and typically favour candidates with exposure to trusts, partnerships, inheritance tax and private client advisory work alongside compliance experience. Newly qualified professionals who can demonstrate commercial awareness and strong communication skills continue to stand out.

Looking ahead, market conditions remain favourable for experienced Private Client Tax professionals. Ongoing succession planning initiatives, an ageing private wealth client base and increasing complexity in clients' affairs continue to support hiring demand, particularly for advisers who can combine strong technical expertise with excellent client-facing skills.

Corporate Tax

The Corporate Tax market remained active throughout June, with firms continuing to invest in strategic hires despite a more cautious economic environment. Demand remains strongest from Manager through to Director level, where there is an ongoing shortage of experienced tax professionals able to combine technical expertise with commercial and client-facing capabilities. Recruitment processes are generally more selective than in previous years, with firms prioritising quality of hire and long-term value over headcount growth alone.

International Tax, Pillar Two and broader advisory-led Corporate Tax work continue to drive recruitment activity as firms respond to increasingly complex client requirements. Employers are particularly interested in candidates who can support multinational groups, provide risk-based advice and contribute to wider business development initiatives. As a result, professionals who combine strong stakeholder management skills with technical credibility are attracting the greatest market interest.

A notable trend throughout June has been the continued demand for Directors and Partners. Many firms are actively strengthening leadership teams as part of succession planning strategies and targeted growth initiatives. While Partner hiring remains relatively selective, there has been an increase in firms seeking experienced Directors and fee-earning leaders capable of inheriting client portfolios, developing new business opportunities and supporting the progression of junior talent. Candidates with a demonstrable track record of winning work, deep client relationships and recognised sector expertise are particularly sought after.

Financial Services Tax and Real Estate Tax remain key investment areas, particularly within London. At the same time, regional markets continue to attract significant attention, with firms across Scotland, Belfast, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Birmingham pursuing growth strategies and investing in senior talent to support expanding client bases. This has created a broader range of opportunities outside London than in previous years.

While salary inflation has moderated, strong candidates continue to benefit from a competitive market. Employers are increasingly differentiating themselves through flexible working arrangements, enhanced benefits, clear progression pathways and retention-focused reward structures. Counteroffers remain common, particularly for high-performing individuals with advisory expertise and established client relationships.

Overall, market conditions remain favourable for experienced Corporate Tax professionals, particularly those operating at the senior end of the market.

M&A Tax

The M&A Tax market remained active throughout June, with continued investment from the Big 4, Top 10 and specialist advisory firms despite a more measured transaction environment. Firms are maintaining hiring activity in anticipation of increased deal flow and are selectively strengthening teams to support both current workloads and future growth plans.

Demand remains strongest at the Senior Manager, Associate Director and Director levels, with firms seeking advisers who can lead transactions, manage client relationships and deliver complex due diligence and structuring projects. Experience across transaction tax, restructuring, private equity and cross-border deals continues to be highly valued, while Real Estate and Funds-focused teams remain particularly active.

A notable trend across the market has been the increase in Director and Partner-level hiring. Many firms are focused on strengthening leadership benches, succession planning and growing market share within specialist sectors. As a result, there is significant demand for individuals who can demonstrate a proven track record of originating work, developing client relationships and building high-performing teams. While technical expertise remains essential, commerciality and business development capability are increasingly becoming the key differentiators at the senior end of the market.

There remains a pathway for high-performing Corporate Tax professionals to transition into M&A Tax, particularly where they have gained exposure to transaction-related work and broader advisory projects. However, firms are becoming increasingly selective, with a growing preference for candidates who can demonstrate direct deal experience and an understanding of the full transaction lifecycle.

Overall, market conditions remain positive for experienced M&A Tax professionals. While hiring processes are generally more targeted than in previous years, demand for individuals with strong transaction credentials, client-facing experience and leadership potential continues to outpace supply across much of the UK accountancy practice market.

Transfer Pricing

Transfer Pricing recruitment has shown further signs of improvement in recent months, with a growing number of opportunities emerging at Associate Director and Director level. Market activity continues to be driven largely by the Big 4, while many mid-tier firms completed significant hiring programmes last year. However, we are now beginning to see renewed recruitment activity at both junior and senior levels across Top 10 and mid-tier practices.

Regulatory developments, including the ongoing impact of OECD Pillar Two requirements, are continuing to support demand for technically strong professionals capable of navigating increasingly complex international tax frameworks.

At the senior end of the market, firms are increasingly seeking individuals who can contribute beyond technical delivery. Business development, client management and leadership capabilities have become important differentiators within the recruitment process.

Regional hiring continues to strengthen across Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Glasgow, reflecting ongoing investment in national Transfer Pricing teams and a broader diversification away from traditional London-centric operating models.

R&D Tax

R&D Tax remains an attractive and active area of the market, although employer expectations continue to evolve. Firms are placing greater emphasis on candidates with established tax and accounting backgrounds, particularly those who can combine technical expertise with strong commercial understanding and client advisory skills.

The market has seen continued movement as professionals reassess their long-term options following changes across both large accountancy firms and specialist consultancies. Demand remains healthy for individuals capable of operating across the full client lifecycle, from technical delivery through to stakeholder management and revenue generation.

Technology-focused specialists, particularly those with software and innovation expertise, continue to attract strong interest from larger firms and established mid-tier practices. Manager and Senior Manager-level professionals remain especially marketable within this niche.

At Director level, there is ongoing demand for candidates who can support strategic growth objectives through business development activity, market presence and the cultivation of new client relationships. Hiring activity remains strongest across London, the Midlands, Bristol and Scotland.

Indirect Tax (VAT)

The Indirect Tax market remains one of the most active areas within the wider tax recruitment landscape, with demand continuing to outweigh supply across many firms. Hiring activity has been particularly strong from Manager through to Director level, where businesses are seeking experienced advisers capable of supporting growth, managing increasingly complex client requirements and leading teams in a competitive market. We have also seen a notable level of movement at Partner level, particularly across the mid-market, as firms continue to invest in and expand their indirect tax offerings.

At the junior end of the market, there has been a reasonable volume of opportunities at Assistant Manager level, although demand is not currently as pronounced as it is for more experienced professionals. Firms remain selective and are typically focused on individuals who can contribute quickly with minimal training requirements.

From a service line perspective, advisory work continues to drive the majority of hiring activity, particularly across VAT advisory, transactions, international trade, customs and technology-enabled indirect tax projects. Ongoing HMRC digitisation initiatives and the continued focus on e-invoicing and tax technology are creating additional demand for advisers who can combine technical expertise with commercial and systems knowledge.

That said, we have observed a noticeable increase in demand for compliance-focused professionals, particularly within London-based teams. This represents an interesting shift, given that many compliance functions have traditionally been centred in the Midlands and Northern regions, where firms can access larger talent pools. Consequently, London-based compliance vacancies have often proved challenging to fill, with a limited number of candidates possessing the required experience while also being willing to work in the capital. This talent shortage continues to place upward pressure on salaries and contributes to extended recruitment processes.

Looking ahead, we anticipate demand remaining strong throughout the remainder of the year. Regulatory change, tax digitisation, e-invoicing developments and continued investment in indirect tax service lines are likely to keep experienced VAT and customs professionals firmly in demand, particularly at the Manager, Senior Manager and Director levels.

US Private Client Tax

Following strong demand throughout Q2, the US Private Client Tax market remained active in June, with hiring continuing across the Big 4, Top 10, independent and specialist private client firms. Demand remains concentrated at Assistant Manager through to Senior Manager level, where firms continue to experience a shortage of professionals with both US and UK private client tax expertise.

One of the most notable trends in June has been the growing demand for US/UK dual handlers. As firms look to improve efficiency and deepen client relationships, there is increasing appetite for professionals who can manage both sides of a client's affairs rather than relying on separate US and UK teams. This has been particularly evident within private client practices serving internationally mobile individuals, high-net-worth families, entrepreneurs and US-connected clients resident in the UK. Candidates with exposure to both US and UK compliance, even where one area is stronger than the other, are attracting significant interest.

At the mid-to-senior level, EA, ATT, CTA and dual-qualified professionals with experience across trusts, estates, succession planning and cross-border wealth structuring remain highly sought after. Firms are increasingly looking for advisers who can move beyond compliance and contribute to client advisory discussions, particularly as international tax, residency and mobility matters continue to grow in complexity.

There is also a continued focus on hiring senior professionals with commercial and entrepreneurial capabilities. Director-level recruitment remains active, with firms seeking individuals who can strengthen client relationships, identify growth opportunities and help expand US private client offerings. While Partner hiring remains selective, several firms continue to explore strategic hires to support succession planning and broaden their international private client capabilities.

Overall, market conditions remain highly favourable for experienced US Private Client Tax professionals. The shortage of dual handlers continues to be a key challenge for employers, and candidates who can demonstrate both technical expertise and the ability to manage complex cross-border client relationships remain among the most sought-after professionals in the UK accountancy practice market.

US Corporate and Funds Tax

The US Corporate and Funds Tax market remained active throughout June, with steady hiring across the Big 4, Top 10 and specialist US tax advisory firms. Demand continues to outstrip supply for experienced professionals, particularly at Assistant Manager through to Senior Manager level, where firms are competing for candidates with the technical expertise to support increasingly complex cross-border structures and reporting obligations.

While US Funds Tax remains a key area of investment, a notable trend emerging across the market is the growing demand for professionals who can operate across both US Funds Tax and US Corporate Tax disciplines. Firms are increasingly seeking advisers who understand partnership taxation, fund structures and US corporate tax compliance, allowing them to provide broader support to private equity, asset management and multinational clients. This trend reflects the continued convergence of fund and corporate structures, particularly within the alternative investment sector.

Private equity, real estate and asset management continue to drive hiring activity, with firms seeking individuals experienced in partnership allocations, blocker structures, fund compliance and investor reporting. At the same time, demand has increased for candidates with exposure to US corporate returns, international tax provisions and cross-border advisory work, as firms seek to build teams capable of servicing clients throughout the full investment lifecycle.

A further trend throughout June has been the continued shortage of dual-skilled professionals who combine deep US tax technical expertise with strong commercial awareness.

Candidates who can confidently manage client relationships, contribute to advisory projects and navigate increasingly complex international tax requirements are attracting particular interest. Firms are often willing to consider professionals from either a corporate or funds background where there is demonstrable exposure to adjacent areas and a willingness to broaden their technical skillset.

Overall, market conditions remain highly favourable for experienced US Corporate and Funds Tax professionals. While hiring remains targeted, firms continue to invest in talent capable of supporting the growing complexity of cross-border investments, regulatory requirements and international tax compliance. As a result, individuals with experience spanning partnership taxation, fund structures and US corporate tax matters remain among the most sought-after profiles in the UK market.

For more tailored market information, please get in touch: taxrequest@ambition.co.uk

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