CFO Salary and Day Rates in Yorkshire for 2027
Benchmarking a Chief Financial Officer against Finance Director pay is the most expensive mistake in senior finance hiring. The UK median for a CFO is £176,500 against £109,500 for a Finance Director. Sewell Wallis has placed finance leadership across Yorkshire for over 20 years, and this is what the 2027 market pays.
Key Takeaways
- The UK median CFO salary is £176,500 against £109,500 for a Finance Director, a 61% gap, with Accountancy Capital measuring the difference inside the same business at £40,000 to £80,000.
- Outside London, private-equity-backed CFOs earn £130,000 to £215,000 plus equity, while owner-managed businesses pay £120,000 to £165,000 at £50m to £150m turnover.
- Interim CFO day rates outside London run £580 to £800 for owner-managed work, £750 to £1,000 for private-equity-facing mandates and £900 to £1,250 for listed or transaction work.
- Outside-IR35 interims averaged £949 a day in 2026 against £830 inside, a 14% difference, with the UK all-sector interim average at £907 (Institute of Interim Management, June 2026).
- Yorkshire finance salary inflation is forecast at 3% to 5% going into 2027, down from 5% to 8% across 2024 and 2025, against a 3.4% UK average rise in accountancy and finance.
What a CFO Earns Across the UK and in Yorkshire
Regional CFO pay has no single published source, so the table below is derived and the method is shown rather than hidden. London figures come from SalaryExpert’s London CFO data of August 2026, which puts entry at £135,155, median at £211,111 and senior at £321,879. The North and Midlands apply FD Capital’s finding that regional rates run at 70% to 85% of London, cross-checked against Accountancy Capital’s outside-London bands. The South East is derived at 85% to 95% of London because no published figure exists. No current CFO figure was found for Scotland or Wales, so the North band stands as a flagged proxy.
Experience bands count years in a CFO or equivalent finance leadership seat, meaning Finance Director or Group Finance Director, rather than total years in finance.
Table 1. CFO base salary by UK region, 2027 benchmark. Every cell is a derived estimate. Sources: SalaryExpert London CFO data, 5 August 2026; FD Capital regional rates, 2026; Accountancy Capital CFO Salary Guide, 12 July 2026.
| Region | Entry-Level (0-2 yrs) | Mid-Level (3-5 yrs) | Senior (6-10 yrs) | Lead/Head (10+ yrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £120,000-£150,000 | £160,000-£210,000 | £210,000-£260,000 | £260,000-£500,000+ |
| South East | £105,000-£140,000 | £140,000-£195,000 | £180,000-£245,000 | £220,000-£320,000 |
| Midlands | £95,000-£125,000 | £120,000-£165,000 | £150,000-£200,000 | £180,000-£250,000 |
| North (incl. Yorkshire) | £90,000-£120,000 | £120,000-£165,000 | £130,000-£215,000 + equity | £165,000-£250,000 |
| Scotland | £90,000-£120,000 (proxy) | £120,000-£165,000 (proxy) | £130,000-£215,000 (proxy) | £165,000-£250,000 (proxy) |
| Wales | £85,000-£115,000 (proxy) | £110,000-£155,000 (proxy) | £125,000-£200,000 (proxy) | £155,000-£230,000 (proxy) |
The route into the CFO seat matters as much as the regional band, because most Yorkshire CFO candidates arrive through the controller ladder rather than laterally from another CFO role. Table 2 maps the pay at each stage.
Table 2. Pay progression by post-qualification experience. Sources: Sewell Wallis sector data; Accountancy Capital, July 2026; Hays 2026 average rise of 3.4%; Sewell Wallis Yorkshire forecast of 3% to 5%; SalaryExpert London CFO projection of 6.7% over two years.
| Years Experience | Typical Title | Salary Range | YoY Growth % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | Newly Qualified Accountant | £28,000-£38,000 | 3.4% |
| 3-5 | Finance Manager / FP&A Manager | £51,500-£84,750 | 3-5% |
| 6-10 | Financial Controller / Group FC | £55,000-£110,000 | 3-5%, named top-10 riser |
| 10-15 | Finance Director (SME/owner-managed) | £89,750-£138,000; owner-managed CFO outside London £120,000-£165,000 | Named top-10 riser, no percentage published |
| 15+ | CFO / Group CFO | £130,000-£215,000 + equity (PE, outside London); £350,000-£500,000 + LTIP (FTSE 250) | Approx. 3.3% a year |
What is the average CFO salary in the UK?
Two figures circulate and both are correct for different populations. Indeed reports £107,179 from 481 salaries in October 2026, weighted toward smaller businesses. The 2026 market median across professionally benchmarked roles is £176,500. Company size and ownership explain the £69,000 difference, which is why a single average is unusable for budgeting.
What should a Yorkshire business pay a CFO in 2027?
Between £120,000 and £165,000 for an owner-managed business turning over £50m to £150m, and £130,000 to £215,000 plus equity where a private equity sponsor is involved. The Totaljobs Yorkshire average of £62,499 is counting sub-CFO roles carrying the keyword and should not be used as a benchmark.
What Pushes a CFO Salary Above the Band
Premiums at this level attach to transaction exposure rather than to technical accounting skill, because the technical core is assumed. Only quantified premiums appear below. Artificial intelligence and analytics capability is reported as attracting a premium in UK finance, but no percentage has been published for it, so it is excluded from the table rather than estimated.
Table 3. Quantified CFO skill and experience premiums. Uplift calculated midpoint against midpoint. Source: Accountancy Capital CFO Salary Guide, 12 July 2026, except the CFO against FD comparison.
| Skill/Certification | Base Salary | With Skill Premium | % Uplift |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE/investor-facing CFO experience (interim, outside London) | £580-£800/day | £750-£1,000/day | +26.8% |
| Listed/transaction CFO experience (interim, outside London) | £580-£800/day | £900-£1,250/day | +55.8% |
| AIM-listed/LTIP CFO experience (permanent, outside London) | £120,000-£165,000 | £155,000-£215,000 + LTIP | +29.8% |
| Larger PE platform (£75m-£200m revenue) | £120,000-£165,000 | £165,000-£215,000 + equity | +33.3% |
| External capital-markets accountability (CFO vs FD) | FD median £109,500 | CFO median £176,500 | +61.2% |
| Regulated financial services exposure | £176,500 | £177,500 | +0.6%, negligible |
The last row is the useful one for anyone assuming sector specialism commands a premium at CFO level. It does not. A 0.6% difference is noise. Transaction history is what moves the number, and the 55.8% uplift on listed and transaction interim work is the largest single premium in UK finance leadership.
Does a CFO get paid more than a Finance Director?
Yes, and the gap is large enough to decide whether a search succeeds. The national median difference is 61%, and Accountancy Capital puts it at £40,000 to £80,000 inside the same business. A Finance Director promoted to CFO on Finance Director money typically leaves within twelve to eighteen months. Businesses testing whether their wider finance pay has kept pace can start with our view on whether current finance salaries still stand up against the market.
What Sits Around the Base Salary
Base salary is between half and two thirds of what a CFO actually receives, so comparing offers on base alone misreads the market. No current source publishes a CFO-specific average employer pension contribution, so the table carries the statutory 3% minimum and live advert figures rather than an estimate.
Table 4. Total reward by seniority. Junior means a first Finance Director or CFO seat in an SME, academy or charity. Mid means owner-managed or venture-backed. Senior means private-equity-backed. Director means AIM or FTSE. Sources: White Rose Academies Trust advert, March 2026; Totaljobs Yorkshire listings, October 2026; Modo25 CFO advert, October 2026; Exec Capital C-Suite Salary Guide 2026; Accountancy Capital, July 2026.
| Seniority | Base Salary | Pension (%) | Bonus (%) | Additional Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | £82,190-£95,000 | LGPS or Teachers’ Pension in academies; 5% private sector | 20% | Private medical, hybrid working |
| Mid | £90,000-£165,000 | 3% statutory minimum, not routinely disclosed | 20-35% | Equity, four-day week, 30 days’ leave including bank holidays, health insurance |
| Senior (PE-backed) | £130,000-£215,000 outside London | Not routinely disclosed | 30-50% at target | Management incentive plan via sweet equity, co-investment or options, realising 2 to 5 times salary on strong exits |
| Director (AIM/FTSE 250) | £155,000-£215,000 AIM outside London; £350,000-£500,000 FTSE 250 | Not routinely disclosed | 50-75% AIM; 75-100% FTSE 250 | Long-term incentive plan at 75-150% of base, three-year vesting against total shareholder return and earnings per share |
Ownership structure changes the package more than seniority does. Table 5 shows the same role priced across six employer types.
Table 5. CFO pay and demand by employer type. Sources: Accountancy Capital, July 2026; Exec Capital C-Suite Salary Guide 2026; Russell Reynolds Associates, February 2026; Institute of Interim Management 2026; Indeed, 11 October 2026.
| Employer Type | Salary Range | Key Driver | Market Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-backed | £130,000-£215,000 + equity outside London; £160,000-£260,000 London | Earnings, covenants, exit; bonus 30-50% plus incentive plan | Highest volume of CFO appointments |
| FTSE 350 | £350,000-£500,000 (FTSE 250) + LTIP 100-150% | Shareholder value, activist scrutiny | High churn, tenure 4.95 years, 48% of new FTSE 100 CFOs hired externally |
| Owner-managed / family | £120,000-£165,000 outside London at £50m-£150m revenue | Succession, professionalising the finance function | Steady, usually advertised as Finance Director |
| SME (under £30m) | £100,000-£180,000, bonus 20-35%; Yorkshire FD adverts £80,000-£130,000 | Cash, funding, first finance leader | Shifting to fractional at £60,000-£150,000 a year for two to three days a week |
| Not-for-profit / academy / public | £82,190-£92,610 (Leeds academy trust); £83,478-£92,065 (North Yorkshire Council) | Governance, funding, mission | Not-for-profit interim day rates up to £728, now above the public sector |
| VC-backed scale-up | £90,000-£150,000 + equity; £120,000-£180,000 at growth stage | Fundraise or exit readiness | Active in Leeds technology, equity offsets a lower base |
How much equity does a PE-backed CFO get?
Private equity CFO packages carry a management incentive plan rather than a fixed equity percentage, structured as sweet equity, co-investment or options. Accountancy Capital reports realised outcomes of two to five times salary on strong exits. The plan vests on exit rather than annually, which is what ties the CFO to the hold period.
What does a CFO cost beyond salary?
On a £150,000 base, employer National Insurance adds £21,750, calculated at 15% above the £5,000 threshold, taking the employment cost to roughly £179,250 before bonus. Add a 30% bonus with National Insurance on top and the figure reaches approximately £230,000. Class 1A National Insurance applies separately to benefits. Comparable C-suite benchmarking sits in our analysis of what operating leadership roles pay across the region.
Contract, Interim and Fractional CFO Cost
Day rates and salaries are not directly comparable until both are converted to a total employment cost, which is where most budget comparisons break down. The table below converts using 220 billable days as a theoretical full year and the Institute of Interim Management’s actual average of 148 billed days, because interims do not bill every working day.
Table 6. Permanent against contract cost comparison. Permanent example uses a £150,000 base. Employer National Insurance is 15% above £5,000 from 6 April 2025, unchanged for 2026-27. Sources: Institute of Interim Management Survey 2026; Accountancy Capital, July 2026.
| Type | Day/Annual Rate | Benefits | Tax Implications | Total Cost to Employer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent | £150,000 example; £130,000-£215,000 PE-backed outside London | Bonus 30-50%, incentive plan, pension, 25-30 days’ leave, private medical | PAYE; employer NI of £21,750; Class 1A on benefits | Approx. £179,250 before bonus; approx. £230,000 with a 30% bonus plus NI |
| Contract (Inside IR35) | £830/day average = £182,600 at 220 days or £122,840 at 148 days; CFO PE band £750-£1,000/day = £165,000-£220,000 | Statutory holiday only, via the fee-payer | Fee-payer deducts PAYE and employee NI and pays 15% employer NI, usually priced into the rate | Approx. £209,000 with employer NI passed through, plus agency margin |
| Contract (Outside IR35) | £949/day average = £208,780 at 220 days or £140,452 at 148 days; outside-London CFO range £580-£1,250/day | None | Client issues a Status Determination Statement; the contractor’s company pays corporation tax; no client NI | Rate multiplied by days, for example £208,780, plus agency margin |
How much does an interim CFO cost in Yorkshire?
Between £580 and £800 a day for owner-managed work, £750 to £1,000 for private-equity-facing mandates and £900 to £1,250 for listed or transaction work. The UK all-sector interim average reached £907 a day in 2026, up 1% year on year, with private-sector rates passing £1,000 for the first time.
Is a fractional CFO cheaper than a permanent hire?
For businesses under roughly £30m turnover, usually yes. Fractional arrangements run £60,000 to £150,000 a year for two to three days a week, against £100,000 to £180,000 plus employer National Insurance for a full-time SME CFO. The trade is availability rather than capability, and our explainer on how part-time finance leadership works in practice sets out where the model fits.
Market Temperature Going Into 2027
The UK CFO market is candidate-driven for experienced CFOs and client-driven only for first-time candidates without deal exposure. Russell Reynolds Associates recorded 316 incoming CFOs globally in 2025, up 10% and running 12% above the seven-year average of 281, with experienced CFOs taking 43% of appointments, the highest share in seven years. FTSE 100 tenure fell to a record low of 4.95 years. Accountancy Capital reports that the pool of Finance Directors with genuine external accountability has grown more slowly than demand. In Yorkshire the advertised market barely registers, with six CFO roles within ten miles of Sheffield on Totaljobs and one on Jobsite in autumn 2026, so demand is met through search. Counter-offer pressure is high, with regional rates at five-year highs and candidates expecting an average £12,139.55 uplift to move.
Interim and fractional work is growing faster than permanent hiring, but rates are flat. Assignments now average ten months and billed days rose to 148, so utilisation is improving while price is not. IR35 status still carries a 14% rate differential, with outside-IR35 interims at £949 a day against £830 inside. Shorter permanent tenures, private equity portfolio interventions and ERP rescues are what drive the volume. The pressure on contractor pricing across Yorkshire finance is covered in our analysis of how the off-payroll rules reshaped contractor demand across the region.
Salary inflation into 2027 is moderating rather than reversing. Yorkshire finance salary inflation is forecast at 3% to 5%, down from 5% to 8% across 2024 and 2025, against a 3.4% UK average rise with 85% of finance employers expecting to raise pay. SalaryExpert projects London CFO pay up 6.7% over two years, which is a model projection rather than an outturn. IFRS 18 applies to reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027, replacing IAS 1 with restated 2026 comparatives, after the UK Endorsement Board approved it on 10 December 2025, and that should add demand for reporting transformation capability. Expect stable base growth alongside continued volatility in who holds the seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average bonus for a CFO in the UK?
Bonus scales with ownership rather than with salary. Owner-managed and SME CFOs run 20% to 35% of base. Private-equity-backed CFOs run 30% to 50% at target, plus a management incentive plan. AIM-listed CFOs run 50% to 75%, and FTSE 250 CFOs 75% to 100% alongside a long-term incentive plan.
Why are contract day rates higher than the permanent equivalent?
Day rates carry no pension, no bonus, no paid leave and no notice protection, and interims bill an average of 148 days a year rather than 220. Converting an inside-IR35 rate of £830 a day at realistic utilisation gives £122,840, which sits below a £150,000 permanent base once benefits are counted.
What is the difference between a Group CFO and a CFO?
A Group CFO carries consolidation, multi-entity reporting and usually acquisition integration across several trading companies. A divisional or single-entity CFO does not. The step typically follows Group Financial Controller experience, and in buy-and-build structures the Group title is where the transaction accountability sits.
How much have CFO salaries risen in the past year?
UK accountancy and finance pay rose 3.4% on average, with 85% of finance employers planning further increases. Yorkshire finance salary inflation is forecast at 3% to 5% going into 2027, down from 5% to 8% across 2024 and 2025. CFO base pay is projected at roughly 3.3% a year.
Is hybrid working standard for a CFO?
Hybrid is standard, fully remote is rare. Leeds employers typically specify two office days a week. Research across UK finance found 83% of professionals would work fully in the office for higher pay, and 90% of those would want up to 20% more, which prices the flexibility most CFO packages currently include.
Benchmark your CFO package against what Yorkshire is actually paying
Send us the role and the ownership structure and we will benchmark base, bonus, equity and incentive arrangements against our own placement data rather than a published average. Our executive and C-suite finance recruitment covers Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Manchester.
