The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), the UK-based professional body for accounting technicians, has entered into a partnership with British business finance platform Swoop, enabling AAT licensed members to deliver more structured funding and cash flow guidance to their clients.

The Accountant Online reported that under the arrangement, AAT licensed members will gain access to Swoop's platform, tools, and data-led insights, with the intention of helping identify client finance requirements whilst keeping existing workflows largely unchanged.

The collaboration is scheduled to launch this month, initially for AAT licensed members only, who will also be able to arrange platform demonstrations as part of the rollout.

AAT commercial director Chantel Carpenter said: "Small business owners often pick up the phone first to their accountant or bookkeeper when cash flow tightens or they are thinking about growing. That is a huge amount of trust — and it means accountants and bookkeepers are in the perfect position to spot issues early and really make a difference."

Carpenter added that the partnership gives licensed members practical, straightforward tools to build on the brilliant work they already do, helping clients get the results they need with clarity and less pressure.

Swoop CEO Andrea Reynolds said the arrangement allows the firm to support accountants and bookkeepers as an extension of their advisory role, acting as an outsourced funding back office for their clients.

The partnership will be supported by joint initiatives including CPD-accredited webinars, data-focused insight reports, and practical materials to reinforce members' advisory work with small and medium-sized enterprises.

The development points to a broader shift within the accountancy profession, where practitioners are increasingly expected to fulfil an expanded advisory function beyond traditional compliance work.

Dig into the full details of the AAT and Swoop partnership.