Whether you're a business looking to hire an interim CFO or Finance Director, or a finance professional setting your own rate — use this calculator to understand the UK market in 2025.
Enter the details of your interim requirement and we'll give you an estimated day rate range and total cost based on current UK market benchmarks.
Working out your market day rate? Enter your target equivalent salary and we'll calculate what you should be charging — based on the standard uplift for self-employment and current UK market benchmarks.
The UK interim finance market has seen sustained demand and upward rate pressure since 2022. Here's what the market looks like heading into 2025.
Interim CFO
£800–£1,500
per day — London commands the upper end
Interim Finance Director
£600–£1,000
per day — varies significantly by sector
Interim Financial Controller
£400–£700
per day — strong demand in manufacturing and PE
What drives rates up
The fractional alternative
Fractional CFO and Finance Director engagements — like those offered by EC Solution — work differently to traditional interim. Rather than a fixed day rate for a defined period, fractional arrangements are typically structured as a monthly retainer based on a committed number of days per month. This gives businesses predictable costs and genuine continuity.
Ask about fractional rates →A day rate is typically used for traditional interim assignments — the professional charges a fixed amount per day worked. A fractional retainer is a monthly arrangement for an agreed number of days, providing more predictability for both parties. Fractional work is usually longer-term and more embedded than a classic interim engagement.
Day rates are almost always quoted exclusive of VAT. If the interim is VAT-registered (required above £90,000 annual revenue), 20% VAT will be added on top of the day rate and is reclaimable by your business if you are also VAT-registered.
Yes. Recruitment agencies typically charge 15–25% on top of the interim's own rate, adding significant cost — particularly for longer assignments. Going direct to a fractional CFO practice like EC Solution means you pay the practitioner's rate with no agency markup.
The standard starting point is to take your equivalent permanent salary, multiply by 1.4–1.5 (to account for employer on-costs you now absorb yourself), and divide by 220 working days. The calculator above does this for you. Your actual achievable rate will also be shaped by your niche, sector experience, reputation, and demand at the point of going to market.
EC Solution works on a straightforward monthly retainer — no agency fees, no surprises. Book a discovery call to discuss what a fractional engagement would look like for your business.
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