The Accountants Voice - Survey now live

TaxCalc is inviting on all UK accountants to take part in the 2026 edition of The Accountants' Voice, its flagship annual survey of the profession, after last year's findings laid bare the pressures, frustrations and shifting attitudes 

Last year's report, based on the views of 215 accountants, threw up several striking, and at times sobering, findings that TaxCalc hopes this year's survey will revisit and test:

• Burnout is rife. A staggering 86% of accountants said they had experienced stress or burnout in recent years, with the figure hitting 100% among firms with 11 to 30 staff. Client interactions and sheer workload were named as the biggest drivers.

• AI adoption is outpacing AI governance. Half of firms (50%) have no formal policy on generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, rising to 66% among sole traders. Yet more accountants believe AI will increase the need for their skills (39%) than believe it will cut jobs (20%), pointing to a profession embracing the technology faster than it can write the rulebook for it.

• Private equity is being met with the cold shoulder.  More than half (55%) of accountants said the surge in PE investment into the sector was bad for clients, while 63% said they had no interest in taking PE money themselves, a striking rejection of one of the profession's biggest recent trends.

• Exit planning is an afterthought. Despite 60% of practices expecting to sell up within the next decade, a full 95% admitted they had no detailed exit plan in place, exposing a significant gap between ambition and preparation.

"Accountancy never stands still, and neither should our understanding of it," said Andy North, Chief Community and Engagement Officer at TaxCalc. "Last year's report gave us an honest, and at times uncomfortable, picture of a profession under pressure but still ambitious. This year, we want to go further and  find out whether attitudes to AI, private equity and burnout have shifted, and to keep giving accountants a genuine voice on the issues that matter most to them."

The survey takes just a few minutes to complete and covers themes including growth and revenue expectations, exit and succession planning, private equity, mental wellbeing, recruitment, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in practice. All responses are anonymous, and the findings will be published in a full report later in the year, alongside sector commentary and interviews with leading firms.

As a thank you for taking part, respondents will be entered into a prize draw to win a £400 gourmet dining experience at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant of their choice.

Take part in The Accountants' Voice 2026 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JXDYD8F.