UK Accountants Eye Christmas Bonuses Worth 18% of Salaries

Britain's accountants are set to have a very Merry Christmas as hundreds of surveyed professionals are expecting to receive a festive season bonus worth 18% of their salaries.

According to 656 accountants, surveyed by specialist financial recruiter Marks Sattin, the average Christmas bonus is set reach £11,587 (€13,899, $18,872), up from £11,012 in 2012.

Overall, the total bonus pot across the profession is estimated to hit £3.4bn for the season, compared to £3.1bn from the same period last year.

However, despite the bump in Christmas bonuses, the recruiter says that the most common reason for accountants leaving their last roles in 2013 was due to financial incentives.

Marks Sattin said that according to an additional report, which surveyed 2,016 people, 30% of respondents cited this reason for their departure., up from 28% in 2012.

"Remuneration is growing in importance for accounting professionals and managers should be aware of this when it comes to bonus season," said Dave Way, managing director Marks Sattin.

"However, the itch of a stagnant career is something no amount of money will scratch, so equally important is a focus on talent management and career progression."

Accountancy - The Best Profession?

Meanwhile, the popularity in accountancy roles in the UK has grown.

According to insurance firm LV=, which surveyed 5,000 workers to find out what they look for most in a job, accountancy, was the best match.

Accountants have an average annual salary of over £38,000 - well above Britain's national average of £26,500.

LV= studied the survey's results and rated 60 professions on each important feature out of 10. Accountant came out on top in a "conclusive" result, higher on job security (7.57), training (6.92), salary in line with responsibility (6.53) and opportunities to progress (5.98) than all other professions.

"It's clearly a reflection of the turbulent times we continue to live in that job security was voted by Britons as the single most important feature of a job," said Mark Jones, head of protection at LV=.

"However, even those with the 'best job in the world', whose levels of job security outweigh other careers, should not be complacent. A job for life is a thing of the past, and no matter how stable your job may appear, at an individual level anything could happen.