ICB Bookkeeping Certificate (Levels 2 & 3)

What it is

Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of a business's money in and money out: sales, purchases, wages, VAT and the bank. Almost every business needs it, by law and to survive. The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) is the main body that trains and certifies bookkeepers in the UK, offering Level 2 for the basics and Level 3 for fuller accounts. A similar route is offered by the IAB.

Who it suits

This suits careful, organised people who are comfortable with numbers and computers. You do not need to be a maths genius, but you should like accuracy and tidy records. It is one of the best options if you want to work from home, choose your own hours, or build a self-employed business around family or caring duties. Many people start it as a career change in their 40s, 50s or later.

How you qualify

1. Register as a student with the ICB.
2. Study the Level 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping, either self-taught or through an online training provider, then sit the exams.
3. Move on to the Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounts for more skills and higher-level membership. You can then use letters after your name and take on clients.

Cost and how long it takes

This is one of the cheaper professional routes. ICB student registration is around £110 in your first year, then about £76 a year. Each exam costs £97. A self-study package for Levels 2 and 3 might be a few hundred pounds; with fuller tutor-supported courses the total can reach around £1,500. Most people finish both levels in six to twelve months studying part time.

The English you need

You need moderate English. Exam questions and business paperwork are in English, and if you work for clients you will send simple emails and invoices. But bookkeeping is mostly numbers and software, so it is kinder to imperfect English than jobs built on constant talking. If your reading is weak, a short English course alongside your studies will help a lot.

The honest reality

Bookkeeping is genuinely accessible, but earning a full-time living from it takes effort. Getting your first clients as a self-employed bookkeeper is the hard part and can take time. Cheap cloud bookkeeping apps do some of the work now, so you sell your reliability and judgement, not just data entry. It is realistic and honest work, but it is a business to build, not a salary that appears overnight.

What you can earn

Estimates for 2026 put employed bookkeepers at roughly £24,000 to £33,000 a year, more with experience. Self-employed bookkeepers often charge £20 to £40 an hour, and a busy one with a dozen or more clients can earn £30,000 to £60,000, though that takes time to build. London pays more. These are estimates and depend on your clients and hours.

Your next step

Go to the ICB website (bookkeepers.org.uk) and read about Level 2. Decide whether to self-study or use an online course provider, then register as a student. Start with Level 2, pass the exams, and take on a first small client or a part-time role while you continue to Level 3.