London, the economic and political capital of the United Kingdom, is a crucial and vital location for UK accounting firms to establish a presence.
London-based firms provide an extensive array of services, including audit and assurance, advising, tax, risk consulting, and management consulting, as well as capital and transaction management.
London firms also operate in numerous other industries, such as aerospace, banking, automotive, construction, hospitality, wealth management, media, pharmaceuticals, government and public sector, technology, insurance, financial services, real estate, professional services, retail, and more.
The majority of ACCA graduates go on to work for one of the “Big Four” accountancy firms.
The Big Four – PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG – offer school-leaver and internship courses, as well as graduate plans, without requiring ACCA certification.
They are known as the “Big Four” for good reason: they are the four largest accounting firms in the world, whose businesses span the globe.
They are all wonderful places to earn professional credentials and launch a career, despite the fact that you will be required to work hard. Here are some guidelines to help you decide between them.
Continue reading to find out more about the “Big Four” accounting firms that are the biggest in London.
List of the biggest accounting firms in London:
- PwC
- Deloitte
- EY
- KPMG
1. PwC
PwC is an international network of professional services with its headquarters in London, United Kingdom.
It is one of the Big Four auditors, together with Deloitte, EY, and KPMG. It is the second-largest professional services organization in the world.
PwC is the largest in terms of revenue and the most prestigious of the Big Four, with a substantial and well-established audit clientele.
Seven years in a row, Vault Accounting 50 has rated PwC the most prestigious accounting company in the world and the greatest place to work in North America.
The London office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) provides professional services.
The business provides accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, tax advising, business consultancy, and other associated services.
PwC supports business clients in diverse industries, including aviation, banking, automotive, communication, healthcare, construction, energy, and insurance.
A terrific organization to work for, promoting the highest levels of efficiency and delivery in a highly collaborative setting.
The work/task feedback mechanism that operates in both directions is the best of its kind and sets PwC apart from the other major four.
PWC’s front door is notoriously difficult to enter. Last year, only 2% of the experienced applicants were hired.
The trick is to apply early; 11,000 of the 70,000 students who submitted an application were hired, or approximately 16%.
Revenue: $35.4 billion
Number of employees: 208,109
Contact info:
Tel: +44 20 7703 4255
Address: Unit 3, 82-96 Old Kent Rd, London SE1 4NX, United Kingdom
2. Deloitte
Deloitte is the brand name under which thousands of professionals in independent businesses across the globe collaborate to deliver audit, financial advising, consulting, tax, risk management, and other related services to select clients.
Their accounting services can assist your firm with everything from accounting opinions on technical topics to accounting assurance for a merger or acquisition.
92% of Deloitte workers believe it is a wonderful place to work, compared to 57% of employees at the average U.S.-based organization.
With over 500,000 individuals applying for roles at Deloitte, it can be difficult to obtain employment there.
You are expected to be the most competent and competent professional in your field. According to employee feedback, the hiring procedure and interview experience are technical and challenging.
In the United Kingdom, Deloitte is smaller than PwC and eager to catch up. Its stronger emphasis on consulting implies that the company is constantly seeking new assignments.
This creates an ambitious, competitive, and results-oriented culture.
Revenue: $35.2 billion
Number of employees: 225,400
Contact info:
Tel: +44 20 7936 3000
Address: 1 New St Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom
3. EY
EY provides assurance, consulting, tax, and transaction services that assist our clients in overcoming their most difficult challenges and creating a better working environment for all.
EY is the trade name of Ernst & Young Global Limited, a worldwide professional services partnership that is headquartered in London, England.
EY is one of the world’s leading professional services networks. It is regarded as one of the Big Four accounting firms, along with KPMG, Deloitte, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).
Enabled by data and technology, varied EY teams in over 150 countries help clients develop, transform, and operate through assurance services.
Working across assurance, consulting, law, tax, strategy, and transactions, EY professionals ask better questions in order to uncover novel solutions to the complex problems facing the globe today.
EY has a reputation for diversity, with a relatively strong track record of promoting women and a history of advocating for LGBTQ rights. It is rumored to be one of the nicer workplaces.
EY is one of the largest organizations in terms of employee count and has a rather even distribution of services. In 2015, its overall revenue growth was the highest among the Big Four.
Revenue: $28.7 billion
Number of employees: 212,000
Contact info:
Tel: +44 20 7951 2000
Address: 1 More London Pl, London SE1 2AF, United Kingdom
4. KPMG
KPMG is a chain of businesses in 147 countries, with over 236,000 workers and three service lines: tax, financial audit, and advising.
The international professional services network KPMG is one of the Big Four accountancy firms.
It is headquartered in Amstelveen, Netherlands, although it was incorporated in London, England.
It further divides its tax and advising services into numerous service groups. Various segments of the firm’s worldwide network of partners have been embroiled in regulatory actions and lawsuits during the past decade.
KPMG is renowned for its superior personnel development, with pass rates for key credentials exceeding the industry average.
Its culture is eccentric, with less pressure to conform to the stereotyped lifestyle of a city graduate.
The average annual salary at KPMG ranges from around £18,000 for an Apprentice to £128,448 for a Director.
Revenue: $24.44 billion
Number of employees: 236,000
Contact info:
Tel: +44 (0)20 7311 1000
Address: 15 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5GL