What will accountants be focusing on in 2025?

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Accountants and bookkeepers discuss their plans to progress in the next year.

The Labour government plans to ‘mainline’ AI ‘into the veins’ of the UK this year, according to a ministerial announcement this week, and progress with their commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower. Meanwhile, UK businesses are looking at their own business plans and growth strategies for the year ahead.

January in particular is a notoriously busy month for accountants and bookkeepers, with fixed deadlines such as 31 January for online self assessment tax returns and any amendments to the 2022/23 tax year. It’s also the deadline for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) payments.

But beyond fixed deadlines and set dates in the fiscal calendar, strategic planning forms one of January’s top priorities for many, from systematic evaluations and reviews to finalising short and long-term goals and objectives.

These might include:

  • Pricing structure or cashflow reviews.
  • Conducting a financial performance review.
  • Identifying KPIs.
  • Setting SMART objectives.

So what might 2025 look like accountants and bookkeepers in terms of business priorities and stategies? We asked a few to share their plans, aims and objectives for the year ahead.

We’re focusing on growth, value-add services and networking

Caroline Carter FMAAT, Director, Carter Clear Accounting

Our priorities for the year revolve around growth, adding value for clients and creating new connections.

From a financial perspective, we aim to improve our gross profit margin from 46% to 55%. To achieve this, we’re re-pricing our bookkeeping services and focusing on building our client base for value-added services such as tax planning and financial coaching.

Another key area of focus is marketing and audience building. We’re revamping our website to better connect with our ideal clients and integrating it with our recently migrated CRM system. This will support our outreach marketing strategy, as we build and engage our contacts list to provide valuable content for followers and clients.

We’re also enhancing client experience by increasing our use of client feedback surveys and refining how we market our added-value services.

On a personal note, I plan to carve out time for a well-deserved holiday!

Verdict: Plans revolve around growth, adding value for clients and creating new connections.

I’m focusing on achieving professional accreditation

Natalia Micu AATQB, Freelance Management Accountant, Novenary.

During the previous year, I focused more on my personal side: diversifying and changing routines,  cultivating skills, learning to optimise my time, mentoring and enlarging my portfolio of business clients. In effect, I ‘sharpened the saw’. 

For this year, my priority is to sit my last three exams, to finish the professional qualification in accounting and to take my licence as accountant.

My main, long-term goal is to be the steward of my own business, to grow as a business entrepreneur. I have discovered the Nationwide Business Network thanks to Howard Sherbourne and I look forward to participating in the events, to find out what the market in finances needs and how I can synergise with the services I offer. 

On a personal level, I’ll be launching and promoting my first book, my autobiography, called MyFeelings.

Verdict: My focus this is year is on achieving professional accreditation.

We’re striving to become a £100m business

Natasha Frangos, Managing Partner, HaysMac (formerly Hays Macintyre)

HaysMac remains focused on maintaining independence, achieving profitable, sustainable growth, as we strive to become a £100m business by the end of our financial year 27/28. We will continue to build momentum on the major changes implemented last year, including a full rebrand and further development of our extensive services offering.

HaysMac has grown by over 80% in the last five years, and we’re determined to maintain this accelerated success. We’ve heavily invested in our technology to better support our clients and expedite our ambitious growth strategy in 2025. Our growth strategy is further bolstered by investing in our people through internal partner and director promotions and lateral hires.

In April 2024, we opened a satellite office in South Africa comprising 20 colleagues, and we’re excited to welcome our first graduate cohort this year. Headcount will double by the end of our FY 2026.

Additionally, we continually review our portfolio to ensure clients remain aligned to our strategy. This has been a major contributing factor to our success in recent years.

Verdict: We’re striving to become a £100m business by the end of our financial year 27/28 and have recently undergone a full rebrand.

Would you like to contribute to future articles like this one? If so, please get in touch with Annie Makoff-Clark at [email protected].

Annie Makoff is a freelance journalist and editor.

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