The Modern UK Accounting Service For Contractors, Freelancers & Creators
The honest numbers

What does a contractor accountant cost?

Typically £70–£200 +VAT a month in the UK — but the price alone tells you surprisingly little. What the fee includes, and the service behind it, vary enormously. Here’s how to compare properly, including exactly what we charge.

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    Established 2017 ★★★★★ Rated Excellent on Google One fee, everything included 30-day rolling — no lock-in
    The market, honestly

    Why the range is so wide

    Contractor accountancy in the UK typically runs from around £70 to £200 +VAT per month. But price is a poor guide to what you’ll actually get. Two things decide the value: what the fee includes, and the service behind it.

    At the cheap end, the monthly fee often buys bookkeeping review and little else: year-end accounts billed separately, your personal self-assessment charged as an extra, software on top, and IR35 help invoiced by the hour precisely when you’re most worried.

    And a bigger fee doesn’t buy care. Many of our clients came to us from larger, pricier practices where they were passed between whoever was available, couldn’t reach anyone when a decision actually mattered, or learned about a missed deadline after the fact. So compare the all-in annual cost — and ask who, exactly, picks up when you call.

    • Ask for the all-in number“What will I pay you in a full year, including accounts, self-assessment, software and VAT returns?”
    • Ask what a question costsSome firms bill for phone calls and emails. The right answer is “nothing”.
    • Ask about leavingExit fees and long notice periods are how a cheap fee gets defended. Look for a rolling agreement.
    • Ask who answersA named accountant who knows your company, or whoever picks up the queue?
    Read the small print

    Six ways a cheap fee gets expensive

    Year-end billed separately

    The accounts and corporation tax return — the thing you actually hired an accountant for — arrive as a separate invoice, often several hundred pounds.

    Self-assessment as an extra

    Your director’s personal tax return is part of running a limited company — but many firms charge separately for it every January.

    Software on top

    Bookkeeping software is essential, not optional. If it’s not included, add its subscription to the real monthly cost.

    IR35 help by the hour

    Contract reviews charged per contract, right when a determination has you worried — the moment you most need advice is the moment the meter starts.

    Paying twice for one year

    Switch mid-year and a fair catch-up fee applies — the whole year’s accounts still have to be produced by your new accountant. The real sting: your old accountant kept months of fees without delivering them. Factor timing into your switch.

    Lock-ins & exit fees

    Twelve-month contracts and disengagement fees exist to stop you acting on disappointment. A confident firm uses a rolling agreement.

    Our answer

    What we charge, in full

    £159 +VAT a month includes

    • Year-end accounts & corporation tax return
    • Director’s self-assessment
    • FreeAgent software
    • VAT returns & payroll
    • Unlimited IR35 contract reviews
    • A named accountant, unlimited questions

    No setup fee. No exit fee — 30-day rolling. Company formation carries no charge from us; you pay only the £100 Companies House fee. Some specialist one-off work sits outside the monthly fee — always agreed up front.

    £159+VAT
    per month · 30-day rolling
    Get in touch Full pricing details →

    Honesty corner: if all you need is one set of year-end accounts and nothing else all year, a monthly service — ours included — may be more than you need. That’s what our one-off year-end service is for.

    Questions

    Cost questions, answered

    How much does a contractor accountant cost in the UK?
    Most UK contractor accountants charge roughly £70–£200 +VAT per month. The range mostly reflects what’s included — though a higher fee doesn’t guarantee better service, as anyone who’s been passed around a big practice knows. We charge £159 +VAT with everything included and a named accountant who answers.
    Why do some accountants look cheaper than they really are?
    A low headline fee often excludes the essentials: year-end accounts billed separately, self-assessment as an extra, software on top, IR35 reviews invoiced per contract. Compare the all-in annual cost, not the monthly headline.
    Is the cheapest option worth it?
    In our experience, no. Since 2017 we’ve yet to meet a contractor who took the cheapest option and didn’t seriously regret it — and it can be worse than having no accountant at all, because you believe you’re covered while filings slip, errors go in and nobody warns you before a deadline. The cleanup usually costs far more than the fee you saved. If budget is the constraint, our one-off year-end service is a smarter economy than a cut-price monthly service. And good planning generally pays for itself — try our take-home pay calculator to see what good planning is worth in your case.
    What should a good monthly fee include?
    Year-end accounts and corporation tax, VAT returns, payroll, a director’s self-assessment, bookkeeping software, IR35 support, and a named accountant you can contact year-round without a meter running.
    Does switching accountants cost anything?
    The switch itself costs nothing — we handle the whole process, there’s no setup fee, and billing starts monthly from when you join. One thing to price in: if you join partway through your company year, a fair catch-up fee applies for the months of accounts we’ll be producing that your old accountant won’t — switching just after your year-end avoids it, and we’ll always give you the number up front. Also check your current accountant’s notice period — many contracts tie you in for far longer than you’d expect, often a full year. Ours is just 30 days’ notice, which tells you how we prefer to keep clients.

    Want the number for your situation?

    Tell us about your company and we’ll give you one figure with everything in it — no follow-up surprises, no obligation.

    Get in touch Call 020 3637 9939