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Tax Consultants in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Oliver Lythe Oliver Lythe London, United Kingdom Last Updated: October 2024 SIC M69.203

Revenue

£5.6bn

2024-25

£5.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£X.Xbn

Employees

35,635

Businesses

8,731

Wages

£X.Xbn

Tax Consultants in the UK industry analysis

Over the five years through 2024-25, tax consultants’ revenue is expected to inch upwards at a compound annual rate of 0.1% to £5.6 billion. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, operating conditions for tax consultants had been generally in their favour, as a falling unemployment rate and a rising number of businesses increased the potential client base for tax consultancies. The industry has a high level of market share concentration, with the big four (think EY, KPMG, Deloitte and PwC) collectively accounting for roughly 80% of industry revenue in 2024-25.

Trends and Insights

  • Regulation changes spur tax consulting evolution. Shifts in UK tax mechanisms due to increased scrutiny over tax avoidance issues have made businesses and consumers turn to tax consultants for expertise. At the same time, technological advancements pose opportunities and threats to the industry.
  • Business income tax services drive industry revenue. Corporations often engage professional tax consultants to ensure compliance and efficiency, while complex tax regulations and compliances lead to increased demand for such specialised services.
  • Financial powerhouses thrive in London. As the commercial and financial hub of the UK, London boasts the nation's highest income levels, dense population, and a plethora of company head offices making it an industry magnet.
  • Specialisation and expertise enhance differentiation. Tax consulting firms, specifically small ones, can stand out by offering niche services like managing family investment interests and trusts, and by delivering personalised advisory services with exceptional attention to detail.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £5.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The COVID-19 outbreak shrunk tax consulting activity

  • Nationwide lockdowns significantly reduced economic activity over 2020-21, with the number of UK businesses and the level of employment falling.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Tax Consultants in the UK
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The growing number of UK businesses will aid tax consultancy revenue growth

  • As business confidence picks up, compulsory tax services requirements will rise thanks to an increasing number of UK businesses.

Biggest companies in the Tax Consultants in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (£m)
2025
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
1,580.9
Deloitte LLP
1,269.1
Ernst & Young LLP
1,029.2

To view the market share and analysis for all 6 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Tax Consultants in the UK
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Personal income tax services, Business income tax services and Tax advisory services. Personal income tax services is the largest segment of the Tax Consultants in the UK.

Trends and Insights

Business income tax services are a reliable source of revenue for the industry

  • Companies choose to have their company tax returns prepared by professional tax accountants to ensure compliance and tax efficiency.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Firms in the Tax Consultants industry prepare personal and business income tax returns and offer tax advisory services and non-legal representation before tax authorities.

What's included in this industry?

Personal income tax servicesBusiness income tax servicesTax advisory services

Companies

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLPDeloitte LLPErnst & Young LLP

Purchase this report to view all 6 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

SARBANES-OXLEY ACTTAX RETURNTHE BIG FOUR

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 69.20/3 - Tax Consultants in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Regulation changes spur tax consulting evolution. Shifts in UK tax mechanisms due to increased scrutiny over tax avoidance issues have made businesses and consumers turn to t...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Business income tax services drive industry revenue. Corporations often engage professional tax consultants to ensure compliance and efficiency, while complex tax regulations...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Financial powerhouses thrive in London. As the commercial and financial hub of the UK, London boasts the nation's highest income levels, dense population, and a plethora of c...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Specialisation and expertise enhance differentiation. Tax consulting firms, specifically small ones, can stand out by offering niche services like managing family investment ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

PwC is facing a lawsuit over tax advice given to a UK commercial property developer. PwC is facing an ongoing lawsuit from UK commercial property developer Revelan, which is ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Deloitte LLP's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Ernst & Young LLP's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 3 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Deloitte LLP, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Ernst & Young LLP, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 3 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Making Tax Digital (MTD) is the most notable regulation. The MTD initiative, coupled with efforts to tackle tax avoidance, are two prominent themes reshaping the industry, dr...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Inflationary pressures wane, boosting profit for tax companies. Unfavourable economic conditions and increased investment in digital innovation amid tepid deal-making hit tax...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Assets (2018-2022)
  • Liabilities (2018-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?

The market size of the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £5.6bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in 2024?

There are 8,731 businesses in the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Tax Consultants in the UK market in United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the Tax Consultants market in United Kingdom are PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Deloitte LLP and Ernst & Young LLP

What does the Tax Consultants in the UK in United Kingdom include?

Personal income tax services and Business income tax services are part of the Tax Consultants in the UK industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Tax Consultants in the UK in United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

How competitive is the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Tax Consultants in the UK industry in United Kingdom.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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