After 30 years in banking, Peter Knowles knew exactly what he wanted next. "I wanted to remain self-employed and felt that achieving a qualification that would enable me to set up my own Practice would be the best way forward." He chose ICB. Others want a role in a...
"I was qualified by experience, but I didn't have the paperwork." That is how Magdalena Osmani describes where she was before she started AAT. Plenty of people weighing up an accounting qualification will recognise the feeling. Others are starting from nothing at all. So, is AAT worth it in 2027? Here...
Every October, millions of people across the UK sit down to the same job: filing a Self Assessment tax return before the 31 October paper deadline, or the 31 January deadline if filing online. More than 12 million returns go out each tax year, according to HMRC, and 11.48 million...
7 minute read. Every person here is one of our own students. Each section links to their full story in their own words. Almost nobody decides against retraining because they looked into accounting and did not fancy it. They stop earlier than that, at a reason. Too old. Too busy. Nowhere...
So you have decided payroll looks like a career worth having. The next question is which qualification gets you there, and what studying for it actually involves. The ICB Level 3 Diploma in Payroll Management is where most people in the UK start from scratch. Here is what it covers,...
Thinking about payroll as a career? Two questions usually come first. What does it pay, and could you realistically get there from where you are now. Every organisation with staff needs someone to run payroll properly. The people doing that job come from wider backgrounds than most expect. Here is...
If you have been weighing up whether an AAT qualification is worth the effort, here is something worth knowing: employers across the UK are actively looking for people who hold one. Finance vacancies have grown steadily, hiring managers are expanding their permanent teams, and the skills shortage in accounting support...
Key Takeaways AAT Level 2 is the recognised entry point into professional accounting, and it pays from day one. The AAT Salary Survey 2025 gives the Level 2 median salary as £27,000, up from £24,500 in 2023. Salaries grow at every level: Level 3 median is £27,331, Level 4 median is £28,750, and...
Key Takeaways AAT-qualified professionals are seeing pay growth that outpaces the wider finance and insurance sector. Student salaries have risen 11 percent since 2023, with the median now sitting at £27,000. Becoming an AAT Full Member (MAAT) brings a 33 percent pay jump from Level 4, with a median salary of £38,188. AAT Licensed...
Key Takeaways Bookkeeping is the daily recording of financial transactions; accounting is the analysis and reporting that follows. Bookkeepers usually qualify faster and reach the workforce sooner; accountants build deeper analytical skills over time. ICB qualifications suit a bookkeeping path; AAT qualifications support both routes and lead to chartered study. Bookkeeping pays well at...
