Cooper Parry

A fast-growing UK accountancy and advisory firm with offices in the Midlands, Manchester and the South, offering school leaver, placement and graduate routes.

About Cooper Parry

Cooper Parry is an accountancy and business advisory firm. It helps owner-managed and growing businesses with audit (checking that accounts are accurate), tax, outsourced finance, corporate finance and wealth management. Its early careers page lists audit, tax, outsourcing, corporate finance and operations as areas where trainees can work.

The B Corp register describes it as a UK firm with origins dating to 1850, headquartered in Derbyshire. It is known for calling itself "the rebels of accountancy" and a straight-talking, client-focused approach. We did not find a founder's name or a full company history in the sources we read. The firm has grown by acquisition and with the backing of a private equity investor, Waterland, since 2022 (its own page), so its size has changed a lot; an industry ranking showed about 311 UK employees at the time of that list, so check current numbers.

Its stated purpose, on the B Corp register, is to "Disrupt, Lead and Make Life Count" for its people, clients, local communities and the planet. B Corp certification means an independent body has assessed a company's impact on workers, community and environment. Cooper Parry says it was certified in February 2023 and describes itself as the UK's largest accountancy B Corp, with a higher assessment score in its latest result. Those are company statements recorded on the register.

Its services include Audit, Tax, Innovation, Tech and High Growth, Outsourced Finance Services, Corporate Finance and Wealth Management. Early careers pages name trainee roles in London, Manchester, Belfast, the East and West Midlands and the south.

It says it offers flexible working across home, office and client sites, generous holiday, enhanced parental leave, no dress code, a wellbeing offer, volunteering and social and sports clubs. It also claims to be the UK's fastest-growing accountancy firm and to have appeared six years running on The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For list. These are the firm's own claims. Its early careers FAQ lists Level 7 apprenticeships (equivalent to a master's degree) with training through Kaplan: ACA for audit, ACA/CTA for tax and ACCA for outsourcing. Placement year and graduate trainee routes also exist. The usual entry requirement is BBC at A level including one business or numerical subject, with predicted grades accepted and no set degree subject. Salaries are listed at £22,500 to £32,000 depending on location and level. The firm hires over 140 trainees a year. Application steps are a form and CV, a video interview, an aptitude test and an assessment centre or interviews. Dates are as at 2026, so check current openings.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Core accountancy services for growing businesses.', 'title': 'Audit and tax'}
• {'desc': 'Outsourced accounting and deal support.', 'title': 'Outsourcing and corporate finance'}
• {'desc': 'Advice for individuals and business owners.', 'title': 'Wealth management'}
• {'desc': 'School leaver apprenticeship, placement year and graduate programme.', 'title': 'Early careers'}

Key facts

• B Corp certified February 2023 (B Corp register); origins from 1850; HQ in Derbyshire
• Purpose: Disrupt, Lead and Make Life Count (B Corp register)
• Early careers: Level 7 apprenticeships, placement year, graduate trainee; BBC at A level usual requirement (as at 2026)
• Trainee salaries £22,500 to £32,000 by location and level; over 140 trainees hired a year (early careers FAQ)

Website: www.cooperparry.com