Accountants in Lewes

Much of the district is countryside. The Lewes District Local Plan, adopted in 2016, records that 56% of the district lies within the South Downs National Park. The East Sussex prosperity strategy says food production is an important sector across rural East Sussex and singles out viticulture as an especially distinctive opportunity for growth. It also names Plumpton College near Lewes as a specialist land-based college and Harvey's as a historic Lewes business.

To the south, the same strategy describes Newhaven as an important light industrial centre and a ferry port for, mainly, freight connections to France.

ONS figures for the year ending December 2023 show 71.2% of Lewes district residents aged 16 to 64 in employment and unemployment at 3.9%. ONS notes the related inactivity estimate rests on a small number of survey responses, so treat it as a rough guide.

If you are setting up or moving a business, the Newhaven Enterprise Zone is worth knowing about. It covers eight sites across the town, about 79 hectares in total, and aims to create and sustain around 2,000 jobs over 25 years. The council says businesses locating there have potential for relief on their business rates, so ask the council about eligibility before you sign a lease and build the answer into your forecasts.

Outside the zone, the shared Lewes and Eastbourne business rate relief page lists small business, rural, retail, hospitality and leisure relief and others, and links a discretionary relief policy specific to Lewes.

Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council are two separate councils. They share staff and a website, which is why Lewes pages sit on lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk, and East Sussex County Council provides county services on top. Lewes also has its own town council.

For landlords, the shared houses in multiple occupancy page describes mandatory licensing only, for properties occupied by five or more people regardless of the number of storeys. We found no additional or selective scheme in the district, and the council's HMO planning page describes an Article 4 Direction for parts of Eastbourne only; we found no equivalent for Lewes.

For business advice, the Business East Sussex Growth Hub serves the whole county, as does the Sussex Chamber of Commerce.

It is worth knowing that anybody can trade as an "accountant", because that title has no legal protection in the UK. By contrast, only members of the chartered institutes may describe themselves as a "chartered accountant", a restriction that comes from each institute's Royal Charter and rules.

Whoever you choose must be supervised for anti-money laundering, either by HMRC or by a professional body, and GOV.UK says trading without registration is a criminal offence. Ask who their supervisor is, and ask for the fee and the scope of the work in writing. If you farm or let property and your gross income passes the Making Tax Digital threshold, check that they use compatible software for quarterly updates.

• Farm and vineyard accounts, including equipment purchases and capital allowances.
• Self assessment tax returns for employees with rental or freelance income on the side.
• Annual accounts and Corporation Tax returns for small limited companies around Newhaven.
• Help with VAT, which a business must register for when its taxable turnover over the previous 12 months tops £90,000 or when it expects to pass £90,000 within the next 30 days.

Our cost guide explains typical fee factors, and how it works shows what happens once you get in touch.