Financial and professional services

West Yorkshire boasts the second-largest centre for financial and professional services nationally and is home to the Northern Square Mile in Leeds. It has a long history of financial excellence and expertise in the sector.

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The diversity of the regional economy meant that local businesses had significant needs for financial and professional services.

This longstanding pedigree remains to this day, and financial and professional services are a core part of West Yorkshire’s resilience and growth.

The Northern Square Mile brings together finance, fintech, regulators, talent and innovation in one walkable district at the heart of the UK's growth economy.

A thriving finance and FinTech centre

West Yorkshire’s financial services sector is worth over £5.3 billion and employs more than 45,000 people. Key institutions including the Financial Conduct Authority, National Wealth Fund and Bank of England use Leeds as their regional base for the north of the UK.

As a leader in banking and lending, West Yorkshire is the only place outside London with all three credit reference agencies. It is also home to FinTech North supporting a 263% growth in FinTech startups and scaleups over the past three years.

Our businesses have specialisms in banking, green finance, lending, payments, RegTech and WealthTech. The region is home to major FinTech organisations including Iwoca, LHV Bank, PEXA and GoCardless.

£5.3bn

Finance sector

300k

People are employed in this sector in the region

Accountancy firms in the region

£5.3bn

Finance sector

300k

People are employed in this sector in the region

Accountancy firms in the region

A leading accountancy and legal network

West Yorkshire’s accountancy and legal services sector is the second largest outside of London, worth £2 billion a year.

Over 1,000 accountancy firms, including each of the Big Four, have major operations in our region. Together they employ over 13,000 people.

More than 1,100 legal firms are based here, including DLA Piper, Squire Patton Boggs and Addleshaw Goddard. They have a combined workforce of more than 16,000.

Local law firms have the same full-service offer as London-based firms, at considerably lower fees. They have particular strengths in middle- and back-office operations and support services.

100

FinTechs

1,100

Law firms in the region

45,000

People working in financial services

100