Top 75 Survey

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Image for top 75 firms survey 2026 private equity drives growth and ma surge

Business | Top 75 Firms Survey 2026: private equity drives growth and M&A surge

EXCLUSIVE: Hike in income and profits driven by private equity funded M&A triggers fundamental shift in Top 75 Firms as revenue exceeds £24bn for the first time despite Big Four growth flatlining. Philip Smith and Sara White analyse the latest trends, plus exclusive Top 75 league tables

30 Mar 2026

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms trainees survey 2025 tech threats and funding cuts

Business | Top 75 Firms Trainees Survey 2025: tech threats and funding cuts

In this month’s exclusive Top 75 Trainees Survey, EY takes top slot as the largest accountancy trainer, pushing out PwC, but twin threats of AI and funding cuts loom large, despite overall numbers hitting nearly 27,000. Philip Smith analyses the current trends and future risks

13 Oct 2025

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms survey 2025 watershed year accountants

Business | Top 75 Firms Survey 2025: watershed year for accountants

Rising revenue and mixed profitability is shaping the Top 75 Firms as private equity invests heavily, M&A plays a major role and the Big Four face profit squeeze. Philip Smith analyses the latest trends and financials, plus exclusive Top 75 league tables

28 Mar 2025

Accountancy Firms

Leadership & Management

Image for top 75 firms trainees survey building talent pipeline

Business | Top 75 Firms Trainees Survey: building a talent pipeline

Accountancy firms are investing nearly £200m in a record number of trainees with graduates and apprentices hitting 25,000 for the first time. Philip Smith reports on a buoyant market

24 Oct 2024

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms survey 2024 revenue hits record ps24bn

Business | Top 75 Firms Survey 2024: revenue hits record £24bn

Rising fee income and mixed profitability put the UK’s Top 75 accountancy firms at a crossroads with private equity investors looking for growth opportunities and staff facing job uncertainties, reports Philip Smith

27 Mar 2024

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms trainees survey 3 rise training contracts

Business | Top 75 Firms Trainees Survey: 3% rise in training contracts

Over 22,000 trainees are working towards accountancy qualifications at the Top 75 firms but the Big Four have reduced the number of places on offer. Philip Smith analyses the current trends

22 Aug 2023

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms survey 2023 double digit growth revenue hits ps21bn

Business | Top 75 Firms Survey 2023: double digit growth as revenue hits £21bn

In a year of record revenues, the Top 75 accounting firms have reported 13% growth in income to £21.3bn. Philip Smith analyses the current state of the market from fee growth to profitability and partner numbers, plus league table

11 May 2023

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms survey accountancy trainees record 8 growth

Business | Top 75 Firms Survey: accountancy trainees record 8% growth

Trainee numbers continue an upward trajectory with over 21,000 people studying for accountancy qualifications, while apprenticeships account for nearly half of training at the Top 75 firms, reports Philip Smith

17 Aug 2022

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms survey 2022 revenue hits record ps1887bn

Business | Top 75 Firms Survey 2022: revenue hits record £18.87bn

Strong growth across the Top 75 accounting firms has seen revenue hit £18.87bn with 6.5% increase in fees as the pandemic gave the sector a boost. Philip Smith analyses the findings, revenues and trends, plus download the exclusive Accountancy Daily league tables

14 Apr 2022

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 trainees numbers level out amid virtual challenge

Business | Top 75 Trainees: numbers level out amid virtual challenge

The number of trainees at the Top 75 accountancy firms remains static at just under 20,000 as firms tighten training budgets and overhaul their induction and training approach due to the pandemic, reports Philip Smith

21 Jun 2021

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms survey 2020 fee income hits record ps177bn profits falter

Business | Top 75 Firms Survey 2020: fee income hits record £17.7bn as profits falter

Total revenue for the Top 75 accounting firms hit a record £17.7bn in 2020 as firms managed to weather the first few months of the first lockdown without reporting a hit to fee income as growth rates exceeded 5%, but profit figures were down. Philip Smith analyses the results

25 Mar 2021

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms report 5 increase annual fee income

Business | Top 75 Firms report 5% increase in annual fee income

Fee income across the UK's largest accountancy firms grew at an average rate of 5.4% up to the firm’s latest year-ends, reporting revenues of £17.7bn, according to Accountancy Daily’s exclusive annual Top 75 survey

22 Mar 2021

Accountancy Firms

Image for bame firm survey 2020 slow progress despite blm push change

Business | BAME firm survey 2020: slow progress despite BLM push for change

In Accountancy Daily’s third survey of ethnic diversity within the UK’s top accountancy firms, data reveal partners and staff remain overwhelmingly white while Black Lives Matter movement forces concrete action

21 Aug 2020

Accountancy Firms

Image for bame 2020 one 250 partners black top eight accountancy firms

Business | BAME 2020: one in 250 partners is black at top eight accountancy firms

Accountancy Daily’s survey of ethnic diversity within the UK accountancy profession shows there are only 17 black partners in the top eight firms despite signs of increasing black, Asian and minority ethnic representation among staff

3 Aug 2020

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 trainee interview pwc

Business | Top 75 trainee interview: PwC

Ziyad Patel, senior associate at PwC, talks to Zak Jakubowski about his trainee journey which started over six years ago, going from quitting university to a senior position at a Big Four firm through an apprenticeship

6 Mar 2020

Accountancy Firms

Image for top 75 firms trainees how salary packages stack

Business | Top 75 Firms trainees: how salary packages stack up

As part of the exclusive Accountancy Daily Top 75 Firms trainees survey, Philip Smith analyses the driving factors shaping the recruitment market for trainees, part qualifieds and newly qualifieds based on Hays data with salaries split by qualification and geographic location

3 Mar 2020

Accountancy Firms

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