UK Tax Hiring Surges amid reform and regional realignment
- UK tax vacancies rose 14% year-on-year in Q1 2025, with regional hiring outpacing London and accounting for 61% of projected roles
- New fiscal policies—including higher NICs, VAT on private schools, and EV tax changes—are driving demand for corporate, indirect, and cross-border tax expertise.
- Consulting and accountancy dominate hiring, with vacancies in professional services expected to grow 26%, while banking and legal sectors pull back
- Big Four firms show strategic divergence, with KPMG and Deloitte expanding rapidly, while PwC and EY scale back or remain flat
The UK tax labour market is experiencing significant growth, reflecting Chancellor Rachel Reeves' assertions that economic turbulence is easing. A series of major fiscal reforms coming into effect from April 2025 such as an increase in Employer NICs to 15%, a lowered wage threshold of £5,000 and the abolition of the remittance basis have driven employers to boost their advisory capacities. Additional complexities like VAT implementation on private school fees and the removal of tax exemptions for electric vehicles are further intensifying demand for tax expertise.
Morgan McKinley and Vacancysoft’s latest tax report reveals that Q1 tax vacancies increased 14% year-over-year and 19% quarter-over-quarter. While London is forecast to host 1,392 roles, the regions are growing faster, accounting for 61% of projected openings nationwide.
In-Demand Skills Reflect a More Complex Tax Environment
The composition of tax roles is evolving as employers confront a broader range of regulatory and geopolitical challenges. Generalist tax vacancies remain the largest category, set to hit 2,036 this year - an 11% increase that accounts for 58% of the total.
Corporate tax continues to expand, increasing by 25% year-over-year to 512 roles, amid growing pressure on corporate structures and compliance burdens. Transfer pricing, although smaller in volume, is forecast to surge by 50% to 204 vacancies, highlighting a rising demand for cross-border expertise.
Indirect tax, mainly driven by VAT reform, is expected to grow 23%, now making up 8% of tax vacancies. Although London retains the largest share, the fastest growth is occurring in regions such as the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West, where vacancy numbers are rising by 23% to 29%.
Sectors Split: Consulting Surges, Legal and Banking Retreat
Sectoral dynamics are diverging. Professional services continue to dominate, with tax vacancies in accounting and consulting projected to rise 26%, claiming nearly two-thirds of the market. Retail and consumer goods are forecast to grow 27%, as firms seek in-house specialists to manage shifting tax obligations. Insurance is set to rebound by 22% after several flat years.
By contrast, banking is forecast to contract 9%, as institutions hold steady in the face of uncertainty. Legal firms face the steepest cut, with hiring expected to fall 41%, while technology, media, and telecoms are also in decline. These shifts reflect where firms see risk and where they see opportunity.
William Hepworth - Principal Consultant - Taxation, Morgan McKinley commented: "The UK tax hiring landscape in 2025 has been shaped significantly by evolving demands in Financial Services, particularly in Corporate Tax, VAT, and Transfer Pricing, driven by regulatory complexity and market shifts. Notably, we've observed considerable volatility within the Tax Technology market, marked by heightened activity that peaked in early 2025 but has since slowed, especially due to restructuring at firms such as PwC. However, market conditions are projected to recover through the summer months. Additionally, key growth areas like Employer Solutions including Mobility, Equity & Reward, and Employment Tax are experiencing substantial hiring increases. Firms continue to face challenges recruiting at the Senior Manager level, as many experienced professionals transition into industry roles, creating critical experience gaps and intensifying competition for talent who can mentor junior and international staff. Despite a cautious start to the year, we anticipate increased recruitment momentum as we move into mid-2025.”
Diverging Strategies Among Firms Reveal the Shape of Recovery
The tax hiring landscape is marked by strategic divergence. KPMG leads the market with 296 projected roles in 2025, up 66% from last year. Deloitte is expected to grow hiring by 125%, recovering from a period of restructuring with renewed investment in ESG and digital services.
Mid-tier firms are capitalising at the moment. RSM is forecast to post a 155% increase, while PKF Francis Clark is set for 33% growth, bolstered by demand in energy and advisory fields.
Not all players are expanding. PwC is set to reduce tax hiring by 24%, and EY remains flat. In a market shaped by complexity and reform, agility appears to be the most valuable asset.
Top 10 Companies, Tax Vacancies, All Sectors, UK, 2023-2025 *Est
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPMG | 18 | 178 | 296 |
| PWC | 75 | 273 | 208 |
| EY | 145 | 180 | 196 |
| BDO | 84 | 117 | 140 |
| Azets Holdings Ltd | 75 | 105 | 140 |
For more information, contact Sharmee Mavadia on sharmee.mavadia@morganmckinley.co.uk or Anastasiia Bohush on anastasiia.bohush@vacancysoft.com or number 442038384120
NOTES TO EDITORS
To download the report on the Tax by Morgan McKinley and Vacancysoft please click here.
- The data contained within the report is gathered solely and specifically from the career pages of company websites, not job boards.
- Before publication, job postings are de-duplicated and verified as unique. Every vacancy is assigned up to 20 data points through Vacancysoft’s proprietary algorithm, which is double-checked for validity by a data quality control team.
About Morgan McKinley
Morgan McKinley is a global talent services expert, offering the full spectrum of solutions to meet employers’ and jobseekers’ needs. With 19 offices in 10 countries and nearly 1000 employees, it provides 3 distinct solutions for customers. Morgan McKinley Recruitment Solutions encompassing deep expertise across 10 professional disciplines offering temporary, contract and permanent recruitment; Morgan McKinley Executive Search for targeted C-Suite talent searches; and Morgan McKinley Talent Solutions including RPO, MSP, Project Recruitment and more.
Morgan McKinley is part of Org Group, a more human kind of professional services company that harnesses the power of talent to bring better business outcomes for clients across the world through advisory, managed services and talent services.
About Vacancysoft
Vacancysoft is the UK's leading provider of labour market data and analytics. We provide high-grade lead generation, client intelligence and market analysis solutions for Britain's top recruitment industry firms and others.
For more information, visit vacancysoft.com.
