Rising Hiring Costs in the UK: Is Offshore the Answer?

21 July 2025

There’s no skirting around it – finding good talent in the UK accounting profession has become increasingly difficult. And when you do find the right people, the cost of hiring, onboarding, and retaining them continues to climb.

Mid-sized accountancy firms are feeling this strain more than ever. You’re too large to fly under the radar and too lean to absorb the ongoing impact of recruitment delays, rising salaries, and turnover. It’s no longer just about finding talent. It’s about finding the right people, fast, and doing it without breaking the bank.

So, the question isn’t just how to hire smarter. It’s whether you should be hiring at all, at least in the traditional way.

A Cost Spiral That’s Hard to Ignore

Let’s put the numbers into perspective. According to industry estimates, hiring a qualified accountant in the UK can cost a firm over £10,000 per hire, factoring in recruiter fees, lost billable hours during the hiring process, and onboarding expenses. This doesn’t include inflated salaries driven by a competitive market, nor the hidden costs of a bad hire or early leaver.

Add to that the shortage of experienced professionals, especially in audit, tax, and advisory, and the result is a talent bottleneck that’s affecting delivery, client experience, and profitability.

Many firms are now asking: is there another way to build capacity without bleeding resources?

Yes, there is. Offshoring.

Offshoring: A Strategic, Not Desperate, Solution

Let’s clear something up. Offshoring isn’t about replacing your team. It’s about supporting them.

Think of it as building a reliable extension of your onshore team – one that’s skilled, scalable, and available when you need it. And India has emerged as the destination of choice for this model, thanks to its vast pool of qualified accounting professionals, English fluency, and proven track record in financial services delivery.

But this isn’t just about reducing costs.

It’s about restoring your firm’s ability to grow, unhindered by hiring delays or limited local talent.

Why India Works

Over the last decade, India has built a robust infrastructure to support accounting and finance offshoring. Here’s what that means for you:

• Availability of qualified professionals: You get access to ACCA-qualified staff, Indian Chartered Accountants, and graduates trained in UK accounting standards, all without the local competition.
• Timezone advantage: Work gets done overnight. Your team logs off, and progress continues. You come in to completed jobs, not new bottlenecks.
• Scalability on demand: Whether it’s tax season or a new client win, you can scale your offshore team up or down without going back to the drawing board.
• Reduced cost per hire: Offshore accountants typically cost 40-60% less than UK equivalents, even after factoring in quality infrastructure and account management.

This isn’t about saving a few quid. It’s about gaining the breathing room to focus on advisory work, client relationships, and firm strategy, instead of constantly firefighting resourcing issues.

But What About Quality?

A fair concern. Quality should never be up for compromise, especially when your firm’s reputation is on the line.

That’s why the best offshoring providers don’t just offer manpower; they offer process alignment, compliance support, and seamless communication protocols. A good partner will walk your team through onboarding, offer dedicated staff, set clear SLAs, and ensure your offshore team is integrated into your own workflows, not operating in a silo.

When done right, the offshore team becomes just that – your team.

Beyond Cost Savings: What Firms Often Discover Too Late

Most firm owners start with offshoring to cut costs. But the benefits go far beyond financial efficiency:

• Faster turnaround times, even during peak periods
• Reduced burnout for onshore teams who are no longer stretched thin
• Stronger client relationships, because your team has more time to focus on service, not admin
• Business continuity, because talent isn’t all tied to a single postcode

In many cases, firms that started with basic bookkeeping or tax prep soon expanded to offshore audit support, management accounts, payroll, and even client communication assistance.

It’s Not a Leap. It’s a Shift.

Offshoring isn’t an overnight fix. It takes thoughtful onboarding, trust, and a willingness to modernise how you think about team structure. But done right, it becomes one of the most strategic moves a mid-sized firm can make.

We’re in a new era. One where accountancy firms must think beyond their postcode to build resilience. Offshoring isn’t a shortcut. It’s the smart route forward.

So, the next time you’re staring at an open role, a pile of CVs that don’t quite fit, and another recruiter fee, you might want to ask yourself not who to hire next, but where.

Because in 2025, the firms that thrive won’t just be hiring better. They’ll be hiring differently.

Looking for Offshore Support?

If you’re exploring offshoring for the first time, speak to firms who’ve done it already. Learn from their transition. And don’t be afraid to start small. The results often speak louder than the pitch.

QX Accounting Services has been a market leader in outsourcing for accountancy firms for over 22 years. We specialise in accounting and bookkeeping, audit, payroll, tax preparation, and admin services. We provide offshore, onshore, and hybrid staffing solutions tailored to your exact needs.

Curious to know which model would work best for your firm? Call us at +44 208 146 0808 or drop an email at [email protected] to get a callback from our experts.

Deepika Garg

Deepika is a seasoned accounting professional with over 13 years of experience spanning the Indian, US, and UK markets. Her expertise covers audit, iXBRL, bookkeeping, VAT, taxation, and both management and statutory accounts preparation and review for limited companies, partnerships, and NRLs. She also brings specialised knowledge in conducting Independent Examinations for not-for-profit organisations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and value-driven outcomes for diverse clients.

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