The last six months have seen an explosion of consumer interest in VPNs in the UK. Between the introduction of age verification rules for online content in July 2025, and the continued push to establish a digital ID for UK citizens, the technology is suddenly the focus of ongoing national debate.

Ironically, this comes at a time where some industries are phasing out the technology as obsolete compared to modern alternatives.

This is particularly true in accountancy, where operational complexity has never been higher. Multi office structures, hybrid teams, cloud-based compliance platforms and an ever-tightening regulatory environment now define daily life — all of which are being accelerated by AI.

As firms digitise core processes, merge practices, and extend services into advisory and outsourced finance, their technology must evolve from simply connecting people to securing identities and data.

The issue of legacy networks

‍Historically, VPNs have offered useful qualities to these businesses. A VPN will encrypt internet traffic, allowing critical information like payroll data or tax records to be protected from those trying to intercept it. VPNs also provide a workable bridge between offices and remote workers, allowing them to work securely from home, client sites, or through cloud accounting platforms.

However, VPNs can also be a source of instability, escalating cost, and cyber exposure. A conventional VPN opens inbound ports to the internet, which is only robust if the user’s login credentials remain private. When every partner, audit trainee or outsourced accountant connects via passwords alone, identity assurance becomes guesswork.

It’s also true that VPNs can struggle with performance at scale. During peak periods like tax season, congestion and dropouts frustrate staff and delay critical client work. The underlying infrastructure was never designed for hundreds or thousands of concurrent connections across hybrid teams, cloud platforms and high‑volume financial data.

For ambitious firms growing through acquisition or building distributed teams, these limitations now directly impact productivity, security and client experience.

Enter the identity‑based network fabric
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Rather than a virtual private network, firms are instead increasingly turning to ‘zero trust’ software-defined networks. These recognise both devices and users as unique, authorised identities, with neither trusted by default — regardless of location.

This means that unlike VPNs, there are no inbound ports exposed to the internet, eliminating a major attack surface. Every data packet travels across an end-to-end encrypted zero-trust fabric, ensuring only validated endpoints can exchange information.

In practice, that means tax, audit and accounts production systems perform at LAN grade speed, regardless of location. Whether a partner is reviewing workpapers from home or an outsourced finance team is closing month-end for a client, the experience is consistent, fast and secure.

Speeding up integration and delivery

‍Connectivity also plays a decisive role in mergers and acquisitions.

When firms acquire regional practices or specialist boutiques, integrating teams and systems traditionally takes months of network redesigns, new MPLS circuits or complex site‑to‑site VPNs. With a software‑based overlay, new offices and partners can be connected securely in hours — not months — creating a unified, compliant network without overhauling existing infrastructure.

The result is faster realisation of M&A value and smoother operational consolidation — critical in a market where integration speed often defines deal success. This isn’t just technical integration either; being introduced to your new employer’s systems and processes immediately after an acquisition can only help the cultural integration of new employees.

Operational simplicity and cost control
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Beyond performance, accountancy leaders are demanding simpler IT operations. Streamlining is key.

Software‑defined connectivity reduces dependency on costly networking hardware and slashes the support burden of VPN credential management. Onboarding seasonal staff, contractors or outsourced bookkeepers becomes a one‑step digital process rather than a week of ticket‑based IT setup.

These gains translate directly into lower total cost of ownership and more predictable IT budgets—a theme resonating strongly with finance‑minded leadership teams.

Empowering client service and advisory work

Clients now expect instant collaboration with their accountants. Particularly in the age of agentic AI, where immediate responses to instructions and queries, the client experience has never been under such scrutiny.

Identity-based connectivity allows accountants to access client systems securely and in real time, without risking network exposure and maintain full compliance with GDPR, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus while operating with greater agility. It is a strategic enabler for the future of professional services.

In a profession built on trust, the ability to guarantee both data integrity and responsiveness becomes a tangible competitive advantage.

The new connectivity mandate
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The broader VPN debate is being highlighted everywhere from the living room to the House of Lords. While the conversations in accountancy firms are very different, the core principle is the same: regulation and control of our digital identities.

For Top 100 firms, moving beyond VPNs is not about chasing the latest technology. It’s about aligning connectivity with the realities of modern practice management: hybrid workforce, regulated data, rapid M&A and client-centric service models.

Firms that are rethinking connectivity now will be better positioned both competitively and reputationally than the firms that wait. By adopting an identity-based, zero-trust network fabric, accountancy firms can strengthen their security posture, streamline operations and deliver seamless performance across every service line.