Limited company accountant fees

Every limited company has a fixed set of obligations, and these set the floor for any accountant's fee. A private company has 9 months from the end of its accounting reference period to file accounts with Companies House. The Company Tax Return is due 12 months after the end of the accounting period it covers, and Corporation Tax is usually payable 9 months and one day after the end of that period. A confirmation statement must be filed at least once every 12 months, and Companies House charges £50 to file it online.

Above that floor, the price depends on how much else the company does. Zmartly, updated 28 August 2026, splits monthly limited company packages into bands that show this well: £80 to £120 for a simple company, £120 to £180 once VAT and director payroll are added, and £180 to £250+ for a company with staff and bookkeeping (VAT not stated). Turnover, the number of directors who need their own tax returns, and whether the books arrive ready or need tidying also make a difference. A dormant company that does not trade usually costs much less.

These are prices published by online providers for their own limited company packages, or reported by a third party where we could not read the provider's own page. Providers are listed alphabetically and are not ranked, and listing them is not a recommendation. Crunch's own pricing page did not show its monthly prices when we checked, so its figure comes from ExpertSure. Gorilla Accounting's price is as reported by a competitor, Sleek, and we have not checked it against Gorilla's own site. 1st Formations also lists an "All Inclusive with Accounting" package at a price that looks anomalous, so we have left it out.

Some company owners keep their own books and pay only for the year-end accounts and Company Tax Return. The prices below come from a mix of provider price lists, guides, a survey and a marketplace. Budget online providers quote by turnover band, while Sleek, Zmartly and the IRIS survey describe what traditional firms tend to charge. Airtasker's marketplace figures are based on its own job data and sit below the Sleek and Zmartly ranges. The IRIS survey dates from 2024, so it is older than the other sources.

Packages differ in what they bundle, so the headline price is rarely the whole bill. Examples of published add-on prices, all from pages checked on 5 November 2026:

• Directors' own tax returns: The Accountancy Partnership charges £10.00 a month each for the first 2 directors, excluding VAT. Sleek reports that Gorilla Accounting charges £150 + VAT for an extra self assessment return.
• Payroll: Crunch includes director payroll for up to 2 directors up to the National Insurance threshold, charges £20+VAT a month for director salary above that, and charges £20+VAT a month for employee payroll for up to 5 employees. GoForma lists £6 per employee per month beyond the director, 1st Formations £8.00 per person per month excluding VAT, and Sleek £85 per employee a year.
• VAT returns: GoForma lists £24 a month (VAT not stated) and The Accountancy Partnership from £35.00 a month excluding VAT.
• Confirmation statement: Companies House charges £50 online. GoForma lists a confirmation statement service at £80, including the £50 Companies House fee, and 1st Formations at £75.99 excluding VAT.
• Registered office address: Crunch lists £8+VAT a month.

Where a provider does not say whether VAT applies, treat the price as VAT not stated.

The largest avoidable cost for a company is usually a penalty rather than a fee. Companies House charges a private company £150 for accounts filed up to a month late, rising to £1,500 for more than 6 months, and the penalty is doubled if accounts are filed late in 2 successive financial years. HMRC charges £200 for a Company Tax Return filed a day late and another £200 at 3 months. Getting records to your accountant in good time is the simplest saving.

Beyond that, keeping your books in software through the year means less tidying at year end, and checking whether director payroll and directors' tax returns are included avoids paying twice for the same work. If you are comfortable doing it, filing the confirmation statement yourself costs the £50 Companies House fee. A company that has stopped trading may qualify for a cheaper dormant company service.

• Does the fee cover the annual accounts, the Company Tax Return and the confirmation statement, and is the £50 Companies House fee included or passed on?
• How many directors' personal tax returns are included?
• Is director payroll included, and what does each employee add?
• Are VAT returns and bookkeeping included, or charged separately?
• Can you act as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider for Companies House identity verification, and is there a charge?
• Does your quote add VAT on top?
• Is your firm supervised for anti-money laundering by HMRC or by a professional body?

Ask for the scope of work and the fee in writing. You can read more about what the work involves on our page on accountants for limited companies.