10 common UK accountancy and finance salaries in 2022

Learn the typical salaries for ten common UK accountancy and finance salaries in 2022. Karen Young, Director of Hays Accountancy & Finance, brings us insights from the latest Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends 2022 guide.

UK accountancy and finance salaries in 2022: Key insights

The COVID-19 outbreak turned our health, personal and professional lives upside down. But now – as all sectors start to look towards the future – the outlook is encouraging. Accountancy and finance employers are largely feeling positive about the wider economic climate and the opportunities it could bring.

In the Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends 2022 guide, we asked over 3,000 UK employers and employees in the accountancy and finance sector questions about their predictions for the future. 

We saw a huge increase in the positive outlook of employers. A huge 66% said they are optimistic about the wider economic climate and long-term employment opportunities, compared to just 34% in 2020. Accountancy and finance employees are following the same trend, too, with only 41% saying they are concerned compared to 76% last year.

Read on the learn key insights from our report, including the typical salaries for 10 common accountancy and finance roles across the UK.

UK accountancy and finance salaries in 2022: Background

Despite these statistics, we see skills shortages across multiple areas, which include accountancy and finance. In fact, 80% of employers in the sector say they have experienced skills shortages in the past year. This is set to continue, with 67% of employers expecting a shortage of suitable candidates over the next 12 months.

The lack of skills in the sector is driven by several factors, including IR35 reforms and Brexit. Just over a quarter (27%) of accountancy and finance employers think Brexit has made it harder to hire the right people, with those relying on migrant workers being especially affected. 

To overcome the skills shortage, many firms are looking to offer increasingly attractive salaries. If you are considering inflating your offering, take a look at our 2022 salary insights for 10 common finance and accountancy roles in the UK.

Increasing the reward

Employers are trying to attract new staff with these much-needed skills by offering higher-than-expected salaries for their vacancies. Accountancy and finance salaries rose on average by 2.3% over the past 12 months, and our research shows that 64% of accountancy and finance employers increased their rates of pay. 

So, what do typical UK salaries look like in 2022? Below, we present the findings from our Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends 2022 guide, giving the findings for 10 key industry roles:

1. Part-qualified accountancy: £26,000-35,000
2. Public practice manager: £50,000-68,000
3. Accountancy support assistant: £20,000-25,000 
4. Accounts receivable analyst: £25,000-31,000 
5. Audit, risk and compliance manager: £62,000-77,000 
6. Treasury accountant: £40,000-70,000 
7. Management accountant: £47,000-60,000
8. Payroll manager: £33,000-65,000 
9. Taxation accountant: £35,000-65,000 
10. Accounts payable clerk: £20,000-30,000

UK accountancy and finance salaries in 2022: Next steps for your business

While increasing salaries may seem like a good way to attract new hires, this is not the only thing potential new employees are thinking about when changing jobs. 

Professionals in this sector are increasingly looking to work for organisations that prioritise work-life balance, for example. Flexible working is also something many workers are looking for – but only 26% of finance employers are currently willing to offer this.

To attract and retain the best talent to your organisation, consider the whole package instead of just the salary.

Find out how salaries and employment trends are changing in the accountancy and finance profession by requesting access to the Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends 2022.