MYCPE ONE

The offshoring trends shaping 2027 tell one clear story. UK practices are no longer asking whether to offshore. They are asking how to do it well. Through MYCPE ONE's UK offshore accounting services, firms are building dedicated teams in India and the Philippines who are trained on HMRC, MTD and FRS 102, and who work inside the firm's own systems.

More than 1,000 accounting and CPA firms trust MYCPE ONE to build their offshore teams. This report brings together the latest accounting outsourcing statistics, accountancy trends and our own UK benchmarks, so partners can plan 2027 around the signal, not the noise.

Key Takeaways

  • The accountant shortage UK practices face is structural, not seasonal.
  • 93% of employers reported skills shortages in the past 12 months.
  • Offshoring trends for 2027 favour dedicated teams that prepare VAT returns, CT600s, RTI payroll and audit files, not just bookkeeping.
  • The FRC is watching offshore audit work closely, so review and sign-off must stay onshore.
  • MYCPE ONE's UK offshore staff start from £8 per hour, and firms save up to 60% compared to onshore hiring.
  • The new accounting firm benchmarks are cost, time to productivity, security and UK software readiness.

Why Is the Accountant Shortage in the UK Getting Worse?

Fewer people are joining the profession, more are open to leaving, and the workload keeps growing. The numbers show it clearly (Outbooks, citing Hays, AAT and Spencer Clarke):

  • 93% of employers experienced skills shortages in the past 12 months (Hays UK Salary & Recruiting Trends 2026).
  • One in three businesses struggled to recruit finance and accounting talent in 2025 (AAT).
  • 58% of UK accountants are considering a new job in 2026 (Spencer Clarke Group).
  • 64% of UK CFOs at FTSE 100 and 250 companies expect cost control to reduce graduate hiring (Deloitte CFO Survey, via Going Concern).

Inside a practice, this feels familiar. Partners prepare files late at night instead of reviewing them. MTD for Income Tax has added quarterly work since April 2026. Local salaries keep climbing. And when a new hire leaves after 18 months, we start again.

We cannot hire our way out of a shrinking talent pool. We need a wider one.

What Are the Key Offshoring Trends for UK Accounting Firms in 2027?

The biggest offshoring trends are about how firms offshore, not whether they do. Here is what we see across our UK clients.

  1. From outsourced jobs to dedicated offshore staff. Firms want people who work only for them, inside their own systems and processes, rather than one-off outsourced jobs.
  2. Higher-value UK work. Offshore teams now handle self-assessment, corporation tax and VAT returns, RTI payroll and audit files. Our UK tax preparers work in CCH, Digita, TaxCalc, IRIS and Xero Tax. Our UK payroll specialists work in BrightPay, Sage, Xero Payroll and IRIS.
  3. Closer regulatory scrutiny. In July 2026, the FRC noted that firms increasingly use offshore teams in UK audit work under "extended team models" (Going Concern).
  4. AI plus people. As we explain in our offshoring best practices guide, AI handles volume, offshore handles judgment, and onshore handles relationships and advisory.
  5. Security as the entry ticket. SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022 and UK GDPR are now the minimum, not a bonus.

The third trend matters most. As Uncle Ben told Peter Parker in Spider-Man, with great power comes great responsibility. Offshoring gives us more capacity. But the review, the sign-off and the client relationship stay with us. That is why our offshore auditors for UK firms are trained on UK ISAs and FRC expectations, and work in CaseWare, Inflo and CCH under onshore review.

The wider accounting outsourcing statistics point the same way. Global outsourcing spend has risen 41% since 2019, and enquiries about accountancy outsourcing more than doubled in a single year (Accountex).

What Do the Accounting Firm Benchmarks Look Like for 2027?

In Moneyball, the Oakland A's won by tracking the numbers that mattered, not the ones everyone else watched. Accounting firm benchmarks work the same way. The hourly rate is only one line.

Cost per role: Onshore UK hire vs MYCPE ONE offshore staff

RoleOnshore cost (London, before benefits)MYCPE ONE offshore staff
Bookkeeper£30K to £40KFrom £8 per hour
Accountant£35K to £55KFrom £8 per hour
Audit senior£45K to £65KFrom £8 per hour


Operating benchmarks we use with UK firms

BenchmarkMYCPE ONE guidance
Staffing cost savingsUp to 60% compared to onshore hiring
Best first tasksBank reconciliations, VAT workings, payroll journals, bookkeeping
Time to productivity30 to 60 days for bookkeeping; 60 to 90 days for tax and complex work
Pilot60 to 90 days, then add 2 to 3 staff at a time
Offshore-to-onshore ratio3:1 or 4:1 for routine work


Cost per role: Onshore UK hire vs MYCPE ONE offshore staff

Here is what that means in practice. A 15-person practice needs two more accountants before the January self-assessment deadline. Two London hires at the midpoint cost about £90K a year before pension and NI. At savings of up to 60%, an offshore team could free up to £54K. That money can go into advisory work, technology or keeping the people we already have.

Want to see how your own firm compares? MYCPE ONE's Benchmarking Reports use AI to compare staffing ratios, productivity and cost structures against anonymised peers.

CTA

How Can UK Firms Start Offshoring With MYCPE ONE?

Getting started takes three simple steps:

  1. Sign up. An introductory call, then candidate interviews and tests, then staff confirmation.
  2. Onboard. An onboarding call, IT set-up and a staff orientation call.
  3. Set up. Your team member starts work, with initial training and continuous review.

A few lessons from our UK clients make the first 90 days smoother. Start with repeatable work, which is why a dedicated offshore bookkeeper is often the first hire. Keep review and sign-off onshore. Document each workflow before it moves.

Offshoring is a marathon, not a sprint. The firms that see compounding results give the pilot the patience it needs. For more on choosing a location and model, read our India vs Philippines comparison, the pros and cons of offshore accounting and our offshore accounting trends guide.

Conclusion

The accountancy trends for 2027 are clear. The talent gap is not closing on its own, and the firms that build their offshore teams early will have capacity others lack. Offshoring works best when we treat it as a long-term team, not a quick fix.

Finding the right talent is becoming more challenging than ever, especially when firms need professionals who are technically strong, AI-savvy and comfortable with modern workflows. 

At MYCPE ONE, we help UK accountancy practices, CPA firms, businesses and enterprises build high-quality offshore teams across accounting, tax, audit, advisory, back-office functions, digital marketing, sales, IT and more. If you would like to explore more, schedule a call with us.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main offshoring trends are a move from one-off outsourcing to dedicated offshore staff, offshore teams taking on higher-value UK work such as VAT returns, CT600s, RTI payroll and audit files, and closer attention from the FRC. Firms also want AI-ready staff who already know tools like Xero, IRIS and CCH. Security standards such as ISO 27001 and UK GDPR have become the minimum requirement for any offshore partner. 

Offshoring gives firms access to a much larger talent pool, so they no longer rely only on a shrinking local market. With 93% of UK employers reporting skills shortages, many practices cannot fill roles fast enough through local hiring. MYCPE ONE draws on a network of 500K+ professionals across India and the Philippines, and trains staff on HMRC, MTD and FRS 102 before they start, which helps firms cover busy season without overloading partners. 

UK firms save up to 60% on staffing costs compared to onshore hiring. A bookkeeper in London costs £30K to £40K a year before benefits, and an accountant £35K to £55K. MYCPE ONE's offshore staff start from £8 per hour, with no recruitment fees, no setup costs and a free replacement guarantee. The wider offshoring benefits include overnight turnaround thanks to the time zone gap and more partner time for advisory work. 

Yes, when it is set up correctly. Choose a partner with UK GDPR, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 controls in place. MYCPE ONE holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 certification, works in line with ICO requirements, and trains staff on HMRC, FRS 102 and UK ISAs. The FRC has made it clear that responsibility stays with the UK firm, so the strongest accounting firm benchmarks keep final review and client sign-off onshore. 

Christopher Rivera

Christopher Rivera

Christopher is the Director of Client Relations and Business Development at MYCPE ONE, a leader known for his energy and people-first approach. Chris leads from the front mentoring teams, driving growth, and building lasting client relationships. With over a decade of experience in sales, coaching, and business strategy, he has helped 5,000 CPAs nationwide overcome challenges and discover new opportunities. Chris is a familiar presence at major accounting conferences, representing MYCPE ONE and shaping meaningful industry partnerships. Passionate about leadership and professional growth, he continues to inspire teams and professionals to reach their highest potential.

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