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Corporate and Mixed Tax Salary Guide 2026

UK Accountancy Practice Salary Benchmarks

Tax salaries are one of those subjects that look straightforward until you start comparing actual roles.

Two vacancies may both be advertised as Tax Manager, but one could involve managing a compliance portfolio with limited advisory work, while the other expects the successful candidate to lead restructuring projects, advise owner-managed businesses and identify new work.

The title might be the same. The value and expectations of the position are not.

That is before we consider:

Corporate Tax versus Mixed Tax
Compliance versus advisory work
ATT, ACA, ACCA and CTA qualifications
Portfolio size and complexity
Client-management responsibility
Staff supervision
Firm size
Regional salary differences
Business development
Hybrid working and wider benefits

This guide provides indicative 2026 salary ranges for Corporate and Mixed Tax professionals working within UK Accountancy Practice.

If you are benchmarking a broader Accounts or General Practice position, you can also review our Accounts Roles Salary Bands in Accountancy Practice.

For Audit-specific benchmarks, see our Audit Salary Guide 2026, covering salaries by level and UK region.

The figures are intended to support informed conversations. They are not promises, fixed pay scales or a substitute for assessing the actual responsibilities of a position.

Quick 2026 salary overview

The following ranges represent typical base salaries for Corporate and Mixed Tax positions within UK Accountancy Practices.

They do not include bonuses, car allowances, profit share, employer pension contributions or other benefits.

Career level	UK regions outside London	London
Tax Assistant or Trainee	£24,000–£32,000	£28,000–£38,000
Tax Semi-Senior	£29,000–£39,000	£34,000–£47,000
Tax Senior	£35,000–£50,000	£42,000–£60,000
Assistant Tax Manager	£42,000–£58,000	£50,000–£70,000
Tax Manager	£50,000–£72,000	£62,000–£90,000
Senior Tax Manager	£65,000–£92,000	£80,000–£115,000
Tax Director	£80,000–£125,000+	£100,000–£160,000+
Tax Partner	Individually negotiated	Individually negotiated

These are deliberately broad ranges.

A compliance-led Mixed Tax Senior working for an independent regional practice should not automatically be compared with a Corporate Tax Senior delivering restructuring and transaction-related advice for a national firm.

Current wider salary evidence places the median salary for UK taxation professionals at approximately £49,850, but the range extends considerably higher at Manager, Director and Partner level.

Tax Assistant and Trainee salaries

Typical regional salary

£24,000–£32,000

Typical London salary

£28,000–£38,000

Tax Assistants and Trainees will normally be building their technical foundations through compliance work.

Responsibilities may include:

Preparing Corporation Tax computations
Assisting with CT600 returns
Preparing Personal Tax returns
Requesting information from clients
Drafting basic HMRC correspondence
Maintaining permanent files
Supporting Tax Seniors and Managers
Completing technical research
Progressing towards ATT, ACA or ACCA qualifications

Salary will usually be influenced by:

Previous Accountancy Practice experience
Exam progress
Degree or school-leaver entry route
Corporate, Personal or Mixed Tax exposure
Client contact
Location
Study support
Firm size

A candidate with one or two years of practical UK Tax experience and strong ATT progress will ordinarily command more than someone entering Tax for the first time.

The quality of the study package also matters. Candidates should compare:

Paid study leave
Exam fees
Resit policies
Training contracts
Salary reviews following exam passes
Qualification clawback provisions
Access to advisory work

A slightly lower starting salary may still represent the stronger opportunity if the training and progression are genuinely better.

Tax Semi-Senior salaries

Typical regional salary

£29,000–£39,000

Typical London salary

£34,000–£47,000

A Tax Semi-Senior will normally have enough experience to complete routine compliance work with reduced supervision.

A Corporate Tax Semi-Senior may be responsible for:

Preparing Corporation Tax computations and returns
Reviewing financial statements for tax adjustments
Preparing associated company calculations
Identifying losses and reliefs
Handling basic capital allowance calculations
Drafting client and HMRC correspondence
Supporting advisory projects
Managing recurring deadlines

A Mixed Tax Semi-Senior may also prepare:

Self Assessment returns
Partnership Tax returns
Property-income schedules
Capital Gains Tax calculations
Director and shareholder returns
Basic Trust or Estate returns

Hawthorne-Finch has previously advertised a Mixed Tax Semi-Senior opportunity in Sheffield at up to approximately £35,000, covering a 75% Corporate Tax and 25% Personal Tax workload. That is a useful real-world reference for a developing Tax professional outside London. [careers.h-fts.com]

At this level, salary increases are usually driven by greater independence rather than job title alone.

The strongest Semi-Seniors can explain:

The work they personally prepare
The size and type of clients supported
The complexity of their computations
The review points they can resolve
How much client contact they have
Their qualification progress
Their exposure to advisory assignments

Tax Senior salaries

Typical regional salary

£35,000–£50,000

Typical London salary

£42,000–£60,000

Tax Seniors are increasingly expected to combine technical compliance with client management and early advisory capability.

Typical responsibilities include:

Managing recurring compliance deadlines
Preparing and reviewing complex computations
Acting as a regular client contact
Resolving HMRC queries
Supporting junior colleagues
Reviewing straightforward work
Identifying planning opportunities
Conducting technical research
Supporting Managers on advisory projects
Drafting clear client advice

Corporate Tax Seniors may gain exposure to:

Group structures
Loss planning
Capital allowances
Research and Development relief
Share transactions
Reorganisations
Business disposals
Due diligence
Employment-related securities
Property and real-estate tax matters

Mixed Tax Seniors may support both the business and the people behind it. That could mean preparing or reviewing the company’s Corporation Tax position while also advising its directors, shareholders or partners on Personal Tax considerations.

This wider exposure can be commercially valuable, particularly within independent and regional practices where clients expect joined-up advice rather than separate conversations with several specialists.

Assistant Tax Manager salaries

Typical regional salary

£42,000–£58,000

Typical London salary

£50,000–£70,000

Assistant Tax Manager is one of the titles most likely to cause confusion.

In one firm, an Assistant Manager may still prepare a substantial amount of compliance work. In another, the role may involve reviewing work, managing client relationships and delivering advisory projects with limited supervision.

Current Stockport Corporate Tax Assistant Manager vacancies are being advertised broadly between £40,000 and £55,000, depending on qualifications, experience and the balance between compliance and advisory work.

An Assistant Tax Manager will commonly be expected to:

Manage elements of a client portfolio
Review computations and returns
Monitor deadlines and workflow
Supervise Tax Assistants and Semi-Seniors
Attend client meetings
Conduct technical research
Prepare written advice
Identify tax-planning opportunities
Support Managers and Directors
Contribute to team development

Candidates moving towards the upper end of the range will usually demonstrate:

CTA, ACA or ACCA qualification
Independent client contact
Review experience
Advisory exposure
Strong written communication
Commercial judgement
Staff supervision
The ability to identify rather than simply deliver work

A compliance background is not a weakness.

Strong compliance knowledge is often what allows someone to identify an advisory issue in the first place. The question is whether the candidate can apply that knowledge commercially and explain the recommendation clearly to a client.

Tax Manager salaries

Typical regional salary

£50,000–£72,000

Typical London salary

£62,000–£90,000

A Tax Manager should normally be capable of taking meaningful ownership of clients, assignments and team delivery.

Responsibilities may include:

Managing a Tax portfolio
Reviewing complex compliance work
Leading advisory projects
Managing HMRC enquiries
Providing technical guidance
Allocating work across the team
Developing junior colleagues
Monitoring budgets and recovery
Supporting cross-service referrals
Building relationships with Partners and clients
Contributing to business development

The salary should reflect what the person is actually responsible for.

A Tax Manager who reviews compliance and maintains deadlines is valuable. A Tax Manager who also originates work, leads advisory assignments, develops staff and manages commercially important relationships should be valued differently.

Professionals with expertise in Corporate Tax, Private Client Tax, VAT, Employment Tax, Transfer Pricing and Transactions Tax remain particularly valuable. The 2026 Practice market continues to show strong demand for qualified Managers and Senior Managers who combine technical depth with team and client leadership.

Senior Tax Manager salaries

Typical regional salary

£65,000–£92,000

Typical London salary

£80,000–£115,000

Senior Tax Managers are often the link between day-to-day delivery and the strategic leadership of a Tax service.

The role may include:

Leading significant advisory assignments
Managing complex or high-value clients
Overseeing portfolio profitability
Developing Managers and junior staff
Reviewing technical advice
Supporting recruitment
Leading internal training
Identifying cross-selling opportunities
Contributing to fee growth
Supporting pitches and proposals
Building an external professional profile
Preparing for Director progression

At this level, the difference between Corporate and Mixed Tax becomes more important.

A Senior Corporate Tax Manager may specialise in:

Reorganisations
Transactions
Group planning
International matters
Property tax
Capital allowances
Share schemes
Due diligence

A Senior Mixed Tax Manager may advise owner-managed businesses across:

Corporate structures
Director remuneration
Dividends
Business sales
Succession
Capital Gains Tax
Inheritance Tax
Trusts
Personal investments
Property ownership

Neither route is inherently more valuable. The commercial worth depends on the firm’s clients and service model.

Tax Director salaries

Typical regional salary

£80,000–£125,000+

Typical London salary

£100,000–£160,000+

Tax Director packages vary significantly.

Some Tax Directors are technical specialists. Others lead teams, manage key relationships and carry substantial responsibility for revenue growth.

A Director may be expected to:

Lead a Corporate or Mixed Tax service
Own major client relationships
Sign off complex advice
Develop the team
Recruit senior professionals
Manage budgets and profitability
Generate new work
Build professional-referral relationships
Support firmwide strategy
Develop new service lines
Create a route towards partnership

Base salary is only one part of the package.

At this level, candidates should also consider:

Performance bonus
Origination reward
Profit share
Car allowance
Employer pension contribution
Private medical insurance
Partnership pathway
Decision-making authority
Team investment
Marketing support

A Director offered £90,000 with meaningful bonus, origination credit and a defined partnership pathway may have a stronger overall opportunity than a Director offered £105,000 with no commercial influence or progression.

Tax Partner remuneration

Tax Partner remuneration is individually negotiated and should not be treated as a simple salary band.

The structure may include:

Salaried Partner base pay
Performance bonus
Origination commission
Profit share
Fixed-share partnership
Equity participation
Drawings
Capital contribution
Benefits and pension arrangements

The right package depends on:

Existing fee income
Portable client following
New work generated
Team responsibility
Specialist expertise
Profit contribution
Strategic value
Equity structure
Routes to future ownership

Candidates should understand exactly what the title means.

“Partner” can describe very different commercial arrangements. A salaried title without influence, profit participation or a credible route to equity is not the same as a genuine ownership opportunity.

Corporate Tax versus Mixed Tax

Corporate Tax and Mixed Tax overlap, but the career paths are not identical.

Corporate Tax

Corporate Tax professionals generally focus on companies and groups.

Work may include:

Corporation Tax compliance
Group relief
Loss utilisation
Capital allowances
Research and Development claims
Business reorganisations
Mergers and acquisitions
Due diligence
Share schemes
Employment-related securities
International Tax
Transfer Pricing
Property and real-estate structures

Corporate Tax salaries often move higher where the role involves complex advisory work, transactions or large corporate groups.

Mixed Tax

Mixed Tax professionals advise both businesses and individuals.

Work may include:

Corporation Tax
Personal Tax
Partnership Tax
Capital Gains Tax
Inheritance Tax
Trusts and Estates
Director and shareholder planning
Property income
Business disposals
Succession planning
Owner-managed business advice

Mixed Tax professionals can be particularly attractive to independent and mid-tier practices because they understand the relationship between a business and its owners.

The title “Mixed Tax” should not be interpreted as junior or less technical. In the right firm, it can involve very broad and commercially valuable advisory work.

What has the biggest effect on salary?

1. Qualifications

The most common qualifications include:

ATT
CTA
ACA
ACCA

CTA remains one of the strongest technical indicators for a career focused specifically on Tax, but qualification alone does not determine salary.

An ATT-qualified professional with extensive portfolio ownership and advisory experience may be more valuable to a particular firm than a recently CTA-qualified professional with limited client contact.

ACA and ACCA professionals can also develop highly successful Tax careers, particularly where the work requires a strong understanding of financial statements, transactions and owner-managed businesses.

2. Compliance versus advisory experience

Compliance remains essential, but advisory capability usually attracts a premium.

Firms value professionals who can:

Identify an issue
Research it accurately
Consider alternative options
Explain the risks
Draft clear advice
Present recommendations
Implement the agreed solution

Saying “I have advisory exposure” is not enough.

Candidates should be ready to explain:

The client’s circumstances
The issue identified
Their personal responsibility
The research completed
The recommendation made
The outcome

3. Client portfolio responsibility

Portfolio size should not be measured only by the number of clients.

Managing 150 straightforward compliance clients is different from managing 25 complex groups with international, transactional or shareholder issues.

Useful measures include:

Number of clients
Annual portfolio fees
Client turnover
Complexity
Sector exposure
Number of entities
Advisory work generated
Billing and recovery
Frequency of client contact

4. People management

Tax professionals who can develop others are increasingly valuable.

This includes:

Allocating work
Reviewing returns and computations
Giving technical feedback
Supporting exam progress
Delivering internal training
Managing performance
Planning team capacity
Maintaining quality

At Manager level and above, the ability to create more capable colleagues often becomes as important as personal technical output.

5. Business development

Business development does not always mean cold calling or attending networking events every evening.

It may include:

Identifying additional client needs
Generating internal referrals
Developing introducer relationships
Supporting pitches
Writing technical content
Presenting webinars
Retaining key clients
Converting enquiries
Building a specialist profile

Candidates who can demonstrate measurable fee generation may justify more than the standard salary band.

6. Regional location

London continues to command the highest base salaries, particularly for specialist advisory, international and transactions work.

However, professionals should compare the whole package rather than the headline salary alone.

A role outside London may offer:

Lower commuting costs
Shorter journeys
Greater flexibility
Better-quality client access
Earlier portfolio ownership
Faster progression
More direct Partner exposure
Broader responsibilities

The higher salary is not automatically the better long-term move.

Salary guide by region

The following ranges provide a more detailed regional overview.

London

Level	Indicative salary
Tax Assistant or Trainee	£28,000–£38,000
Tax Semi-Senior	£34,000–£47,000
Tax Senior	£42,000–£60,000
Assistant Tax Manager	£50,000–£70,000
Tax Manager	£62,000–£90,000
Senior Tax Manager	£80,000–£115,000
Tax Director	£100,000–£160,000+

South East and East of England

Level	Indicative salary
Tax Assistant or Trainee	£25,000–£33,000
Tax Semi-Senior	£30,000–£41,000
Tax Senior	£37,000–£52,000
Assistant Tax Manager	£44,000–£60,000
Tax Manager	£54,000–£75,000
Senior Tax Manager	£68,000–£95,000
Tax Director	£85,000–£130,000+

North West

Level	Indicative salary
Tax Assistant or Trainee	£24,000–£31,000
Tax Semi-Senior	£29,000–£39,000
Tax Senior	£35,000–£48,000
Assistant Tax Manager	£42,000–£56,000
Tax Manager	£50,000–£70,000
Senior Tax Manager	£65,000–£90,000
Tax Director	£80,000–£120,000+

Yorkshire

Level	Indicative salary
Tax Assistant or Trainee	£24,000–£31,000
Tax Semi-Senior	£28,000–£38,000
Tax Senior	£35,000–£48,000
Assistant Tax Manager	£41,000–£55,000
Tax Manager	£50,000–£68,000
Senior Tax Manager	£64,000–£88,000
Tax Director	£80,000–£118,000+

Midlands

Level	Indicative salary
Tax Assistant or Trainee	£24,000–£32,000
Tax Semi-Senior	£29,000–£40,000
Tax Senior	£36,000–£50,000
Assistant Tax Manager	£42,000–£58,000
Tax Manager	£52,000–£72,000
Senior Tax Manager	£66,000–£92,000
Tax Director	£82,000–£125,000+

These regional benchmarks should be treated as guides. Firm type, location, qualification, workload, advisory exposure and the wider package can move an offer above or below the stated range.

If you are considering your next move, explore our current Tax vacancies across UK Accountancy Practice.

What candidates want beyond salary

Salary matters, but it is rarely the only reason a Tax professional accepts or rejects a role.

Current Practice market guidance shows increasing emphasis on:

Culture
Development
Reputation
Flexibility
Quality of work
Benefits
Long-term progression

The most common questions candidates ask include:

How much of the role is compliance?
What advisory work will I personally handle?
Who reviews my work?
Will I attend client meetings?
What is the progression route?
Is there CTA study support?
How is success measured?
What is the hybrid arrangement?
What are the billing expectations?
Why is the position available?
How long has the team been in place?
What happened to the previous person?

Firms should be ready to answer those questions clearly.

A note for hiring firms

If you want to attract a strong Tax professional, provide more than a job title and a list of duties.

A useful vacancy brief should explain:

Corporate, Personal or Mixed Tax split
Compliance and advisory balance
Typical client profile
Portfolio size
Reporting line
Review responsibility
Staff supervision
Qualifications required
Study support
Salary range
Bonus and benefits
Hybrid arrangement
Progression route
Reason for hiring
Interview process

“Competitive salary” is not enough.

Candidates compare roles quickly. If one firm provides a clear salary, working pattern and progression route while another asks candidates to interview before discussing any of them, the clearer firm has an immediate advantage.

A note for candidates

Do not benchmark your salary using your job title alone.

Before comparing yourself with another Tax Senior or Manager, consider:

Qualification status
Years of UK Accountancy Practice experience
Compliance complexity
Advisory exposure
Portfolio fees
Client turnover
Review responsibility
Staff management
Billing performance
Work generated
Specialist expertise
Regional location

The best evidence is specific.

Instead of saying:

I support on advisory work.

Say:

I identified a potential group-reorganisation issue, completed the initial technical research, prepared the first draft of the advice and supported the Manager during the client meeting.

That gives a hiring firm something meaningful to assess.

Final thoughts

The 2026 Tax market remains positive for professionals who combine technical knowledge with client, commercial and advisory capability.

Compliance experience still matters. In fact, it is usually the foundation of good advisory work.

The professionals commanding the strongest salaries are generally those who can:

Deliver technically accurate work
Manage client relationships
Explain complex issues clearly
Identify planning opportunities
Develop junior colleagues
Contribute to fee growth
Understand the commercial context behind the tax question

For firms, getting the salary right matters.

But creating the right role matters just as much.

A candidate may accept slightly less for genuine advisory exposure, strong mentoring and a credible route to Manager. Equally, an impressive title will not compensate for unclear expectations, limited development or a compliance workload described as advisory during the interview process.

Clarity on both sides leads to better hiring decisions.

Speak with Hawthorne-Finch

Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions recruits Accountancy Practice professionals across Yorkshire and the North West, including Corporate Tax, Personal Tax and Mixed Tax appointments from trainee through to Manager, Director and Partner level.

If you are:

Benchmarking a Tax vacancy
Reviewing your team’s salaries
Considering your next Tax career move
Unsure how your experience fits the market

contact David Hawthorne-Finch for a confidential conversation.

Email: d.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com

Salary ranges are indicative base salaries and should not be treated as guaranteed offers. Actual remuneration depends on the firm, location, responsibilities, qualifications, experience, performance and total package.