ACCOUNTANCY giant EY has increased its UK revenue by 2.7 per cent in the financial year ending June 30, 2018, from £2.35bn to £2.41bn with a five-year compound annual growth rate of seven per cent.

Across the UK service lines, tax grew by 7.3 per cent, advisory grew by 3.8 per cent and transaction advisory services was up by 1.5 per cent. Assurance fell slightly by 1.7 per cent while audit grew by four per cent. Financial services, the UK’s largest sector, grew by more than seven per cent this year.

In the Thames Valley and South, EY’s regional practice of over 600 people grew in line with the wider UK business. EY’s Thames Valley and South practice covers two offices in Reading and Southampton.

In this region EY recruited 52 graduates and 39 apprentices on its Business Apprenticeship Programme and announced a collaboration with Henley Business School to offer apprenticeship programmes to UK businesses – the first of its kind to help companies to upskill their workforce.

Dave Hales, office managing partner at EY in Southampton: “We have seen sustained growth for our Southampton office with some notable wins. Through a continued strong collaboration between our Reading and Southampton offices – which creates our 600-strong Thames Valley and South business – we will continue to support the region’s business community and economy and expect to see continued growth in our practice which allows us to continue to recruit locally.”