Frequently asked questions

The work falls into two halves. There is the regular job of keeping your records straight, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and Making Tax Digital, and the once-a-year job of preparing accounts and tax returns. On top of that, we advise on tax planning, cash flow and the bigger decisions. You decide how much of it you want to hand over.

No law says you must use one. In practice, though, most small business owners find an accountant saves them hours of admin, keeps penalties off the table and usually covers its own cost through the tax it saves and the clearer picture it gives them to work from.

Bring a few details about your business and income, logins for any software or records you already use, your last set of accounts or tax returns if you have them, and whatever questions are on your mind. Our guide on preparing for your first meeting walks through it in full.

It is more straightforward than most people expect. Your new accountant writes to your old one for the paperwork they need, which is known as professional clearance, and we handle that side for you. You can move at most points in the year, not just after year end.

There is no single figure, because the price follows the work: how big the business is, how tidy your records are and which services you want. We quote a fixed fee before we start, so the number you agree is the number you pay. Our guide to accountant costs in Newcastle breaks down what moves the price up or down.

We work to a fixed fee wherever we can, usually set for the year and spread over monthly payments. That way you can budget without worrying about the clock running, and you know exactly what is included from the outset.

Yes, and there is no obligation to go any further. It is simply a chance for us to understand your situation and for you to see how we could help. You can request one here.

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons people come to us. We prepare and check your return, make sure every allowable expense and relief is claimed, work out what you owe and file it with HMRC well before the deadline. You can read more on our Self Assessment tax returns page.

Online returns and the tax due on them are generally filed and paid by 31 January after the tax year ends, while paper returns are due by 31 October. Payments on account can also fall on 31 January and 31 July, as our guide on when to register for Self Assessment explains. Dates can change, so always confirm the ones for your tax year with GOV.UK and HMRC.

It is a government move to digital record-keeping and quarterly updates to HMRC. It starts from 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000, with later phases planned for lower thresholds. Those thresholds and dates can change, so check the current position for your situation. Our MTD for Income Tax guide explains what it means in practice.

Yes. We prepare your statutory accounts, handle Corporation Tax and the Companies House filing, and help directors get the balance of salary, dividends and planning right. You can see the full picture on our limited company accountants page.

Bookkeeping is the ongoing task of recording money in and money out. Accounting takes those records and turns them into your accounts, your tax figures and useful advice. The tidier the bookkeeping, the quicker and more accurate everything that follows becomes. See our bookkeeping services.

We work with the main cloud platforms, including Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent. If you already use one, we will pick up where you are. If you are starting fresh, we will recommend the one that suits how you work. See our cloud accounting page for more.