Regional Accounting Hiring Outpaces London as UK Accounting Vacancies Rise 17%

The UK’s Commerce & Industry accounting jobs market is gaining momentum in 2026, with vacancy growth accelerating through the year and regional hiring beginning to outpace London. The latest Commerce & Industry: UK Finance Labour Market Trends report from Morgan McKinley and Vacancysoft forecasts a 17% increase in accounting vacancies this year, as employers continue to seek finance professionals to support commercial decision-making, investment and financial control.
Year-to-date data points to an increasingly active market. UK accounting vacancies were 11% higher year on year in the first quarter of 2026, rising to 18% in the second quarter and 21% in the third quarter.
Florence Edwards, Associate Director – Finance & Accounting, Morgan McKinley, said: “The growth in accounting vacancies reflects the important role finance teams play in helping businesses manage costs, support investment and make informed commercial decisions. While London remains the UK’s largest C&I accounting market, demand is growing faster across the rest of the UK, creating opportunities for both employers and finance professionals.

“However, growth is not uniform. Demand varies significantly by region, sector and employer, making it increasingly important for businesses to understand local market conditions when planning their recruitment. Technical accounting expertise remains essential, but professionals who combine this with commercial insight and strategic thinking will be well placed to support business performance.”

Regional Accounting Hiring Pulls Ahead of London
London remains the UK’s largest Commerce & Industry accounting recruitment market, but its share of vacancies is forecast to fall from 37% to 36% in 2026. Accounting vacancies in the capital are expected to increase by 14%, compared with 18% across the rest of the UK.
The shift is particularly notable because the wider Commerce & Industry jobs market is following a different pattern. Overall vacancies are forecast to rise by 14% nationally, with London growing by 19% compared with 12% across the rest of the UK.
The figures suggest that the geography of accounting recruitment is changing, with regional markets taking a larger share of demand even as London continues to attract hiring across the wider commercial jobs market.
Leeds Leads the Regional Accounting Surge
Leeds is forecast to record the strongest growth among major regional cities, with accounting vacancies increasing by 58% in 2026. Glasgow follows with growth of 37%, Warrington by 25% and Birmingham by 17%.
Manchester remains the largest Commerce & Industry accounting centre outside London, with vacancies forecast to rise by 11%. At regional level, the North-East records the fastest forecast increase, at 80%, although from a smaller base. Yorkshire and the Humber is forecast to grow by 37%, the South-East by 26% and the West Midlands by 19%.
The picture is not uniform across the country. Accounting vacancies in Edinburgh and Cambridge are forecast to decline by 10% and 6%, respectively, highlighting the differing conditions facing employers across regional markets.
For accounting professionals considering their next move, the figures point to a broader range of locations where demand is expanding. For employers, they underline the importance of understanding local recruitment conditions when planning finance team growth.
Management and financial accounting remain in demand
The skills mix within finance teams is also changing. Management accounting remains the largest function, accounting for 38% of Commerce & Industry finance vacancies. Financial accounting is forecast to grow by 21% in 2026, increasing its share of vacancies from 23% to 24%.

Demand for financial services specialists is forecast to rise by 26%, while management accounting vacancies are expected to increase by 18%. Tax recruitment is forecast to grow by 8%, while information management analyst vacancies rise by 2%.

These figures point to sustained demand across core accounting disciplines, alongside specialist roles. The pattern is consistent with employers prioritising financial reporting, cost control and commercial insight, although the vacancy data alone do not establish the reasons behind individual hiring decisions.
Energy and Engineering Drive the Next Wave of Finance Hiring
Employer-level figures reveal significant differences in recruitment activity across Commerce & Industry. SSE is forecast to increase accounting vacancies by 163% in 2026, while National Grid rises by 107%. Sodexo records the strongest growth among the leading employers, at 215%.

Sainsbury’s accounting vacancies are forecast to increase by 88%, ITV by 73% and easyJet by 53%. Thermo Fisher Scientific is also forecast to see growth of 104%.

However, the expansion is not universal. Accounting vacancies at EG Group are forecast to fall by 43%, BAE Systems by 34%, Vistry Group by 27% and Radius by 17%.

The growth at energy and infrastructure employers coincides with major investment programmes, including SSE’s investment in electricity networks and National Grid’s plans to expand investment across its regulated networks. While these programmes provide context for the hiring trends, they do not explain vacancy growth on their own.

The figures highlight how opportunities for accounting professionals are increasingly shaped by individual employers’ investment, expansion and transformation plans, rather than growth being spread evenly across the market.