How much does an accountant cost

Accountants price the work in front of them, so two businesses of a similar size can receive quite different quotes. The things that tend to move the price are:

• the structure of the business, because a limited company needs annual accounts, a Company Tax Return and a confirmation statement, while a sole trader usually needs only a self assessment return
• how many transactions there are, and how tidy the records are when they reach the accountant
• whether you are registered for VAT, run a payroll or have income from property, capital gains or abroad
• how close to a deadline the work arrives
• whether you fall within Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, which applies to sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 from April 2026, over £30,000 from April 2027 and over £20,000 from April 2028

The way the fee is charged also varies. Online providers mostly sell fixed monthly packages, many traditional firms quote an annual fee for the year-end work, and advice is sometimes billed by the hour. A one-off fee for a single job, such as a personal tax return, is common for people who only need help once a year.

The table below collects ranges from price guides and surveys that describe the wider market rather than one provider's own prices. Sources are listed alphabetically and are not ranked. None of these is a Sussex or South East figure. Bark labels its figures 2025 and the IRIS survey was carried out in February and March 2024, so both are older than the rest, and Sleek and myPOS are businesses that sell to small firms rather than independent researchers.

The spread is wide because the sources measure different things. Bark's average hourly rate of £35 to £60 sits well below the roughly £125 to £300 an hour that Sleek gives for a qualified accountant, and Zmartly describes its own figures as typical UK market rates, not quotes.

We looked for fees charged in Sussex and found none. The only South East figures we found come from accountingfirms.co.uk, published 18 May 2026, which gives annual ranges by region but cites no survey and gives no method, and does not say whether VAT is included. The same page also gives a national limited company range of £1,000 to £3,000 a year, which does not match its own regional table. We show the figures because they are the only regional ones available, but they should be read with real caution.

A fixed package usually covers the annual accounts and the main return for that kind of business, which means a self assessment return for a sole trader, or annual accounts and a Company Tax Return for a limited company. Unbiased, for example, describes its limited company range as covering accounts, CT600 and director payroll. Items that are often priced separately include:

• bookkeeping, if you would rather not keep your own records
• VAT returns, and payroll for staff
• personal tax returns for company directors
• Making Tax Digital quarterly updates
• accounting software, which Unbiased puts at £10 to £40+ per month on top of fees
• one-off advice billed by the hour

Fees may also change for people joining Making Tax Digital. A TaxCalc survey of 215 accountancy professionals, reported by MoneyWeek on 23 February 2026, found that nearly half (47%) of accountants say they plan to increase prices for MTD clients. Our other guides look at limited company fees, sole trader fees, tax return costs, bookkeeping costs and landlord fees in more detail.

There is no guaranteed saving, but a few common-sense steps tend to reduce the time an accountant spends on your work, and time is what most fees reflect.

• Keep records up to date through the year rather than handing over a bag of receipts in January.
• If your accountant offers accounting software, using the same package can save data being entered twice.
• Compare like with like by checking whether each quote includes VAT, which is charged at 20% on most goods and services.
• Ask for a fixed fee for a clearly defined scope, so that any extra work is agreed before it is done.
• Send your paperwork well before the deadline. Online self assessment returns for 2025 to 2026 must be submitted by 11:59pm on 31 January 2027.
• If your affairs are simple, you might decide to file your own return and pay for a one-off check or advice instead.

• Is the price fixed or hourly, and does it include VAT?
• Exactly which returns, accounts and filings does the fee cover?
• What costs extra, such as payroll, VAT returns, bookkeeping or a director's tax return?
• Is accounting software included or charged separately?
• Will the fee change if I join Making Tax Digital?
• How are extra questions, or letters from HMRC, charged?
• Which body oversees your firm under the money laundering rules? Every accountancy service provider must be registered with HMRC unless a professional body supervises it, and trading while not registered is a criminal offence.

Ask for the fee and the scope of work in writing before you agree. If you would like us to pass your enquiry to a local accountant, see how it works.