The new tax pathway will allow students to study for both the ATT qualification and the gold-standard CTA qualification together and could potentially take less time than it does presently, yet it will still maintain the quality and rigour of the awards.

The biggest benefit that employers and students may find with the new tax pathway will be that they can choose which ATT papers to sit at the beginning of their study because no papers are mandatory at that early stage.

Flexible study options are also available to suit everyone, from classroom teaching to online learning.

Students on tax pathway will spend less time out of the office as they will have one less exam to sit. The cost of qualifying is therefore likely to be less as ATT and CTA and students will be able to sit some exams earlier than if they had followed the sequential route.

The exams are based on current tax law, ensuring students are up-to-date with the changing developments in the field of taxation.

No pre-requirements are necessary before starting the tax pathway route, although students must be aged 16 or over and have a reasonable standard of English and maths.

Michael Steed, ATT president, said: ‘The tax pathway has been designed to deliver the highest quality qualifications in tax while reducing time out of the office, study costs and duplication of study. The combination of two highly respected qualifications offers the most efficient route available to the highest standard in tax advice and practice and gives students a qualification on the way.’

The Tax Pathway was launched at an event in London on Wednesday 15 June 2016.

Information on the tax pathway is here.