Tax compliance in the UK

Tax compliance in the UK is the recurring filing work that keeps a company in good standing with HMRC: the Company Tax Return, the Corporation Tax payment, and VAT and payroll returns where they apply. Corporation Tax is currently a main rate of 25%, with a small profits rate of 19% for profits of £50,000 or less and marginal relief between £50,000 and £250,000. A company that is not based in the UK but has a UK branch is taxed on the profits of that branch, which is why the structure you choose matters before the first return.

Ask a firm which returns it files for foreign-owned companies, whether it is an authorised HMRC agent, whether it has handled groups with a parent overseas and how it explains an HMRC letter to a client who lives in another time zone. Profiles on Accountanty show languages, the entity types handled and declared licences. This page covers compliance work only; the UK country guide explains the incorporation steps.

This is the broadest service on the site: 291 firms list tax compliance (277 accounting firms and 14 corporate services providers), which is every firm Accountanty holds for the country. 125 of them say they work with foreign clients. Find them by city in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, or ask for a free quote request.

Firms offering tax compliance 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

267 more firms offering tax compliance in the UK

Frequently asked questions

What tax returns does a UK limited company file?

A UK limited company files a Company Tax Return with HMRC and pays Corporation Tax, and also files VAT returns and payroll reports if it is registered for them. Companies House needs separate accounts and a confirmation statement. A compliance firm usually keeps a calendar of all of these.

Do I need to tell HMRC when the company starts trading?

Yes. HMRC expects to hear within three months of the start of the company's tax accounting period, and activities such as writing a business plan or negotiating contracts count as pre-trading. A tax compliance firm normally handles this notice as part of onboarding.

Can a firm file for me if I live outside the UK?

Many firms act as an agent for companies with overseas owners, once you sign the authority they need. Ask which of your documents they hold, how you approve a return before it is sent and how they handle correspondence from HMRC.

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.