Accounting and bookkeeping in the UK

For a company owned from abroad, UK accounting means two things: a bookkeeping routine that gives the directors reliable numbers during the year, and annual accounts filed at Companies House afterwards. The first accounts are due 21 months after the date you registered with Companies House, so the first deadline is far off, but the records behind it start on the first day of trading. A director living overseas still carries the legal duty to file, even when a firm prepares the figures.

When you read a profile, look at the working languages, the entity types handled (limited company, LLP, UK branch of a foreign company, sole trader), any professional membership the firm declares and whether it publishes prices. Ask who prepares the accounts, who reviews them and how the firm tells you when HMRC or Companies House writes to the company. If you have not yet chosen a structure, start with the UK country guide.

Accountanty lists 276 firms that offer accounting in the United Kingdom: 263 accounting firms and 13 corporate services providers. Most are small practices (206 small, 61 medium and 9 large network). English is the most common working language, followed by Polish (8), Romanian (6) and Spanish (5). Firms name construction, e-commerce, charities and healthcare as sectors they serve. Browse by city: London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Firms offering accounting in the UK

1Office UK

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

London

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +5 more

Languages: English · Estonian · Finnish · Latvian …

View profile of 1Office UK

Hawksford

Corporate services provider · International network

London

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +6 more

Languages: English · Chinese

View profile of Hawksford

252 more firms offering accounting in the UK

Frequently asked questions

When are the first UK company accounts due?

The first accounts are due 21 months after the date the company registered with Companies House, and later accounts nine months after the financial year ends. Corporation Tax is a separate deadline set by HMRC. Ask a firm to give you a calendar with every date for your first two years.

Does a non-resident director have to file the accounts?

The duty to file sits with the company and its directors, wherever the directors live. A firm can prepare and submit the filings for you, but a director approves them. Check that the firm confirms each filing in writing and tells you when something is late.

Should I choose a firm that does accounting and company formation together?

It can save handovers, because the same team knows the company from day one. It also means you depend on one provider, so check how you would move the records if you left. Look at the formation page and compare what each profile covers.

Other services in the UK

Accountants by city in the UK

Setting up a company in the UK: the guide and every firm

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.