Accounting & Finance UK – Finance Labour Market Trends Report
Commerce & Industry Drives Accountancy Recruitment Growth
UK accountancy hiring is increasingly split between Financial Services and Commerce & Industry. Within Financial Services, vacancies are forecast to fall by nearly 5% in 2026, a softer decline than the previous year but still the third consecutive annual contraction. London is expected to record modest growth of just over 1%, while vacancies across the rest of the UK are forecast to decline by almost 12%. As a result, the capital’s share of Financial Services accountant demand is projected to reach 57%. Employers remain focused on cost control while selectively investing in banking, investment finance and asset management functions.
Key findings:
- Financial Services accountant vacancies are forecast to fall by nearly 5% in 2026.
- Commerce & Industry vacancies are forecast to rise by almost 13%.
- London’s share of Financial Services hiring is expected to reach 57%.
- Energy & Utilities is forecast to be the fastest-growing Commerce & Industry sector, with vacancies rising by almost 75%.
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What’s inside:
Investment Finance Leads Demand
Despite the broader slowdown, Investment Finance remains the largest Financial Services segment, with vacancies forecast to remain broadly stable in 2026 after a sharp decline the previous year. Commercial Banking is expected to contract by around 8% but continues to represent more than a quarter of all Financial Services accountancy demand. Together, the two sectors account for almost 58% of vacancies. Insurance and Consumer Finance remain weaker areas of the market, with General Insurance forecast to fall by almost 10% and Consumer Finance by more than 9%. Asset Management is the sole segment expected to record growth.
Industry Hiring Accelerates
Commerce & Industry continues to drive UK accountancy recruitment, with vacancies forecast to increase by almost 13% in 2026, accelerating from growth recorded a year earlier. Momentum is strongest outside London, with Yorkshire and the Humber forecast to lead regional growth at 40%, followed by the East Midlands and South West. London is still expected to expand by close to 10%, although its share of national demand is forecast to decline slightly as regional markets outperform. The first five months of 2026 have already generated more than three times as many Commerce & Industry vacancies as Financial Services.
Energy and Major Employers Expand
Energy & Utilities is forecast to be the strongest-performing Commerce & Industry sector, with vacancies rising by almost 75% as investment linked to the energy transition continues. Support Services is expected to grow by 49%, while Industrials & Engineering is forecast to rise by more than 20% for a second consecutive year. Among employers, JPMorgan Chase remains the largest Financial Services recruiter, while Barclays, BNY Mellon and Legal & General are also expected to increase hiring. Within Commerce & Industry, Sainsbury’s, Sodexo and Entain lead recruitment activity, while National Grid, SSE and Babcock continue expanding finance teams.
