Accountants for Small Business in London
Running a small business in London means high costs, tight cash flow and a compliance calendar that never stops — Companies House filings, Corporation Tax, VAT quarters, monthly payroll and auto-enrolment, all while you are trying to grow.
AccoFirm provides complete accounting for London small businesses and limited companies: statutory accounts, Corporation Tax, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and practical growth advice, all under one transparent fixed monthly fee and all managed by a dedicated accountant who knows your business.
| Why London Small Businesses Choose AccoFirm — 2026/27 | |
| The Problem (Year-End-Only Accountant) | The AccoFirm Solution |
| Accounts seen 9 months too late to act on | Monthly management accounts, live profit and cash view |
| Corporation Tax bill a complete surprise | Tax estimate updated as you trade, no surprises |
| Salary/dividends taken tax-inefficiently | Director pay planned every year before year-end |
| Companies House / HMRC deadlines juggled manually | Every deadline tracked and filed for you |
| Bookkeeper and accountant not talking to each other | One integrated team, one cloud system |
| Advice only when you ask | Proactive tax planning and growth advice all year |
| What Small Business Accounting Includes — AccoFirm London | ||
| Service | What It Means | Impact |
| Statutory Accounts | Annual accounts filed at Companies House on time | No late filing penalties |
| Corporation Tax (CT600) | Return filed, reliefs claimed | Right tax, paid on time |
| Bookkeeping | Monthly reconciliations in cloud software | Live, reliable numbers |
| Management Accounts | P&L, balance sheet, cash flow monthly/quarterly | Decisions on real data |
| VAT Returns | Quarterly MTD returns from your records | Accurate, never late |
| Payroll & Pensions | PAYE, RTI, auto-enrolment run for you | Staff paid correctly |
| Director Tax Planning | Salary, dividends, pensions reviewed yearly | Less personal tax, legally |
Professional Accounting Services for London Small Businesses
For a small business, an accountant who only appears once a year to file historic accounts is a missed opportunity and a real risk. By the time year-end accounts are prepared — up to nine months after your year-end — the decisions they should have informed are already over: the hire you made, the dividend you took, the equipment you bought in the wrong tax year.
Small businesses need live numbers and advice during the year: a monthly view of profit and cash, a Corporation Tax estimate that updates as you trade, and a salary and dividend plan set before the tax year ends, not after.
That is how AccoFirm works. Your bookkeeping, management accounts and tax planning run continuously through the year, so your statutory accounts and tax returns become a formality — accurate, expected, and filed early.
“Need Professional Business Support?”
Let our experienced accountants handle the compliance and financial complexities while you focus on growing your business.
Why London Small Businesses Choose AccoFirm
- One dedicated accountant and bookkeeper team working from the same cloud records — no hand-offs between firms
- Fixed monthly fee covering bookkeeping, accounts, tax and payroll options, agreed in writing in advance
- Director tax planning as standard — salary, dividends, pensions and benefits reviewed every year
- Management accounts that show real profit, cash and tax — in plain English, not accountant jargon
- Every deadline managed — Companies House, HMRC, VAT and payroll, with reminders well in advance
- Growth support — pricing, hiring, funding applications and moving from sole trader to limited company
| Standard Accounting vs Growth-Focused Accounting (AccoFirm) | |
| Standard Accounting | Growth-Focused Accounting (AccoFirm) |
| Purpose: basic compliance | Driving strategy with live data |
| Reactive year-end filing | Proactive year-round planning |
| Desktop spreadsheets | Cloud Xero/QuickBooks real-time |
| No tax planning | Year-round tax optimisation |
| Decisions on old figures | Real-time KPIs |
| Opaque hourly billing | Clear fixed monthly fee |
Our Accounting Services for Small Businesses in London
AccoFirm provides complete accounting for small businesses and limited companies in London — statutory accounts, Corporation Tax, bookkeeping and management accounts, VAT, payroll and director tax planning — all for one transparent fixed monthly fee.
Statutory Accounts and Companies House Filing
We prepare your annual statutory accounts in the correct format for your company size and file them with Companies House within the deadline — generally nine months after your financial year-end for a private limited company. We also handle your annual confirmation statement and keep your Companies House record accurate.
Corporation Tax Returns (CT600)
We prepare and file your Corporation Tax return with HMRC, claim every available relief and allowance, and calculate your bill accurately and early. For 2025/26, Corporation Tax is generally 19% for companies with profits of £50,000 or less (small profits rate), 25% for profits above £250,000 (main rate), with marginal relief in between.
Bookkeeping and Management Accounts
Cloud bookkeeping on Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage, reconciled monthly, feeding directly into monthly or quarterly management accounts: Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow — the numbers you need to price, hire and invest with confidence.
VAT Returns and Making Tax Digital
VAT registration advice, scheme selection (standard, Flat Rate, Cash Accounting or Annual Accounting), and quarterly MTD-compliant VAT returns prepared and filed from your bookkeeping records — no separate data, no duplication.
Payroll, PAYE and Auto-Enrolment
Full payroll for directors and staff: monthly processing, RTI submissions to HMRC, payslips, statutory pay, auto-enrolment pension setup and administration, and year-end P60s and P11Ds where required.
Director Salary, Dividends and Profit Extraction
The way you pay yourself from your company makes a significant difference to your total tax. We plan your salary and dividend mix each year, take account of your other income and allowances, advise on pension contributions and tax-efficient benefits, and make sure every dividend is properly documented with minutes and vouchers.
Our Process for Small Business Clients in London
From your first free consultation to your year-end filings, our simple six-step process gets your company finances fully under control — usually within two weeks.
Free Initial Consultation
We learn about your business — structure, turnover, staff, software and any compliance concerns — by phone, video call, or in person at our London office.
Fixed-Fee Proposal
Within 24 hours, a written proposal with one clear fixed monthly fee for all agreed services. No hourly rates, no unexpected year-end bills.
Cloud Accounting Setup
We set up or migrate your Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage system, connect bank feeds, configure your chart of accounts and ensure full MTD compliance.
Backlog Clear (If Required)
If accounts, bookkeeping or filings have fallen behind, we clear the backlog, reconcile everything and bring you to a clean starting point — typically within two weeks.
Ongoing Monthly Bookkeeping
Your records are processed and reconciled monthly, with a clear financial summary and advance notice of every upcoming deadline.
Quarterly Review & Annual Integration
Quarterly reviews of performance and tax position. At year-end, your clean records flow directly into your statutory accounts and Corporation Tax return.
Why Live Numbers Save Small Businesses More Than They Cost
File your accounts late at Companies House and the penalties start at £150 for a private company and climb to £1,500 — doubling if you file late two years in a row. File your Corporation Tax return late and HMRC adds its own penalties and interest on top. Every one of these charges is avoidable with records kept properly through the year and deadlines managed for you.
The bigger cost is the Corporation Tax bill nobody saw coming. When your accounts are prepared nine months after the year-end, the tax due is a surprise you have weeks to fund. With monthly bookkeeping and a tax estimate that updates as you trade, you know your bill all year and the money is already set aside.
And without a plan, the way you pay yourself costs you more than it should: salary and dividends taken in the wrong mix or the wrong year can mean thousands in avoidable personal tax. With AccoFirm, your director pay is planned before every year-end, your numbers are live, and decisions on hiring, pricing and investment are made on real figures — so professional accounting costs far less than the penalties, surprise bills and overpaid tax it prevents.
| Cost of Poor Accounting vs Professional Accounting — Small Business London | ||
| Risk | Cost | Solution |
| Accounts filed late at Companies House | £150–£1,500 penalties, doubling if repeated | Filed early |
| Corporation Tax return late | £100, then £200 after 3 months | Filed with payment planned |
| VAT return late | Penalty points + £200 | Quarterly filing handled |
| Salary/dividends unplanned | Thousands in avoidable personal tax | Annual director pay plan |
| Decisions on 9-month-old accounts | Missed savings and hiring mistakes | Monthly management accounts |
| AccoFirm accounting from: | Fixed monthly fee | All above risks eliminated |
“Need Professional Business Support?”
Let our experienced accountants handle the compliance and financial complexities while you focus on growing your business.
| Limited Company Key Dates — AccoFirm London | |
| Statutory accounts | 9 months after year-end |
| Corporation Tax payment | 9 months + 1 day |
| CT600 return | 12 months after year-end |
| Confirmation statement | Annually |
| VAT | Quarterly |
| Payroll | Monthly |
Integrated Bookkeeping and Accounting Services in London
Bookkeeping is the input that feeds everything else: your statutory accounts, your Corporation Tax, your VAT returns and your payroll all come from the same records. When one team keeps those records monthly, nothing is re-keyed, nothing is duplicated and nothing falls between two firms.
That is how AccoFirm works — one dedicated accountant and bookkeeper team on one cloud system, so your management accounts, filings and tax planning always agree with each other and with what HMRC and Companies House hold.
Changing accountants is easier than most business owners expect. We handle the professional clearance with your previous accountant, transfer your records, Companies House and HMRC authorisations, and set up your cloud accounting — you do not need to chase anyone or manage the handover yourself.
frequently Asked Question
What does a small business accountant actually do?
A complete small business service covers bookkeeping, statutory accounts, Corporation Tax, VAT, payroll, director tax planning and Companies House filings — plus advice during the year. At AccoFirm these are delivered together for one fixed monthly fee, by a dedicated team working from the same records.
What are my limited company filing deadlines?
In general: statutory accounts to Companies House within nine months of your year-end; Corporation Tax payment nine months and one day after your year-end; and your CT600 Corporation Tax return within 12 months of your year-end. VAT returns are quarterly and payroll is monthly. We track and manage every one of these deadlines for you.
How much Corporation Tax will my company pay?
For 2025/26, companies with profits of £50,000 or less generally pay the 19% small profits rate, companies over £250,000 pay the 25% main rate, and marginal relief applies between the two. If you have associated companies, the thresholds are divided between them. We calculate your exact liability from your figures and plan to reduce it legitimately.
What is the most tax-efficient way to pay myself from my company?
For most directors this is a combination of a salary up to an efficient level for Income Tax and National Insurance, dividends for the remainder, and pension contributions where appropriate. The optimum mix depends on your profits and other income, so we recalculate it every year rather than applying a generic formula.
I am a sole trader — should my small business incorporate?
Not always, and not at a single magic profit figure. Incorporation brings Corporation Tax and dividend planning advantages as profits grow, plus limited liability — but also Companies House filing, statutory accounts and director responsibilities. We model both structures with your real numbers so you switch at the right time.
How easy is it to change accountants?
Very easy. Once you sign up, we contact your previous accountant for professional clearance and the handover of your records and authorisations. Most switches are completed without any interruption to your filings or payroll.
Can you help with funding or a business loan application?
Yes. With live management accounts and clean records, we prepare the figures lenders ask for and can support applications with forecasts and accountant references.
My accounts are behind — can you catch everything up?
Yes. We clear bookkeeping backlogs, file outstanding accounts and returns, and deal with Companies House and HMRC penalties — typically bringing records fully up to date within weeks.