ICAEW Qualified Franchise Partner

The Opportunity

Accountancy and business services are essential and non-discretionary - companies must comply with tax, payroll, and reporting obligations regardless of economic conditions. This makes the sector defensive, predictable, and attractive.

Affinity Associates is offering ambitious, ICAEW qualified accountants the opportunity to build a professional accountancy and business services business as one of our franchise partners, with the backing of a trusted brand with over 60 years’ history.

Operating in the essential SME services sector, this franchise model provides predictable recurring revenue, scalable growth, and low overheads - ideal for commercially minded accountants who desire to run their own professional enterprise without starting from scratch.

As an Affinity Associates franchise partner, you will focus on client acquisition, relationship management, and local business development, while centralised technical teams provide you with expert support in accounting, payroll, tax compliance, and advisory. You will also have operational guidance to streamline your business processes. Affinity Associates provides you with established systems that reduce the normal start‑up barriers.

Affinity Associates franchise structure allows partners to launch and grow their business efficiently, without needing to build everything from the ground up.

Franchise fee: £24,495 + VAT

Recommended working capital for initial growth phase.

Modest home or office setup costs.

Many franchisees start from home to maintain cash flow efficiency.

Guidance available on bank financing and government‑backed loans.

• Recurring monthly income streams from bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, and tax compliance
• High client retention and long‑term relationships
• Low overheads, with home‑based launch options
• Scalable growth without expensive premises
• Multiple revenue streams per client through cross‑selling
• Relationship‑led, contract‑driven revenue providing financial visibility and stability

• Accountants or bookkeepers looking to own their practice
• Existing practice owners aiming to scale efficiently
• Corporate professionals or consultants seeking a structured business model
• Investors seeking a professional, service‑led enterprise

• Commercial awareness
• Confidence when engaging with business owners
• Ability to build long‑term client relationships

• All new franchise partners complete a 4 to 5 day training programme at the Affinity Associates head office in Wembley, covering:
• Operations, services, and systems
• Business development and sales strategy
• Tailored support based on experience level
• Ongoing support includes regular performance reviews
• Access to technical specialists
• Collaboration with the wider franchise network
• Dedicated guidance during launch and early‑stage growth

• Accounts preparation & audit
• Bookkeeping & payroll management
• VAT returns & tax planning
• Managed IT and advisory services

Growing the reputation that you need to succeed in your area, nurturing relationships with local business leaders and individuals, and building a solid customer base takes time – even with the expert help and experience Affinity Associates offer you. While you can certainly expect an accelerated start compared to going it alone thanks to trading under our high‑profile and trusted brand, you need to be prepared to spend the time and resources necessary to get your new business off the ground.

As a result, you may not do much more than break even in your first year as your focus will be on laying the groundwork for the future. However, once this has been done, you can expect to see significant growth as you progress.

The medium‑ and long‑term financial returns of an Affinity Associates franchise are excellent, and you can reasonably expect the following pre‑tax profits:

Year 2 – £65,047

Year 3 – £111,346

Year 5 – £126,251