How Much Do Accountants Charge in the UK? A Simple, Clear Cost Breakdown

Accountant charge in the UK: Cost breakdown by business size

For any UK business owner, the question is not if they need an accountant, but “how much should an accountant charge?” This single question drives critical financial decisions, whether you are budgeting for compliance work, comparing local firms, or evaluating strategic options like fixed-fee packages and outsourcing.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, since how much an accountant should be charged will depend on the size of your business, your compliance requirements, and the type of ongoing support you will need from the accountant throughout the year. The guide below includes some UK-based averages for the cost of accounting services, which can provide a basis for you to compare costs.

Average Accounting Costs in the UK

Costs associated with accounting in the UK can vary widely; however, recent market research has provided some useful UK-wide average ranges for small- and medium-sized businesses:

  • £50 – £150 per hour for basic bookkeeping or accounting functions
  • £60 – £450+ per month for a combination of bookkeeping + accounts packages
  • £150 – £350 for preparing a Self Assessment return
  • £300 – £800+ for preparing year-end accounts for a Limited Company, depending on the company’s turnover and complexity

Businesses that are freelancers, sole traders and start-up companies tend to fall within the lower end of these price ranges, whereas those that have registered for VAT, who are processing large volumes of payroll-related information and whose businesses involve high levels of trading will likely be at the higher end of these price ranges.

Your actual cost will depend on the number of financial transactions you require processed, how frequently you need financial reporting and the level of tax or VAT support you require.

What Affects the Price?

Several factors influence accounting costs, which is why one business may pay £100/month while another pays £500+. The main cost factors include:

  • Business size & turnover: As the volume of financial transactions increases, so does the amount of time spent by an accountant in processing them.
  • Type of service provided: Bookkeeping, VAT returns, PAYE (payroll), CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) and management reporting are all examples of accounting services. Advisory services also provide a high level of expertise that requires greater levels of time from an accountant and therefore, incur higher costs.
  • Complexity of industries: Construction, e-commerce and hospitality have more complex accounting requirements due to the nature of the businesses and therefore typically require more detail and time from an accountant to complete their accounts and prepare financial statements.
  • Filing frequency & deadlines: The amount of time an accountant spends is heavily influenced by how often they must file with HMRC and the urgency of those deadlines. Services like filing VAT returns quarterly, processing PAYE (payroll) every month, and preparing year-end accounts and tax returns all contribute to the final fee structure.
  • In-house vs outsourced: The fundamental decision of whether a business chooses to hire an accountant internally or to outsource these services to an external provider significantly impacts the total cost. Outsourcing allows a business to directly avoid the considerable fixed costs of employing staff, such as salary, HR overhead, software subscriptions, pensions, and mandatory training.
Having this knowledge will allow you to determine if the quotes you receive are reasonable and how much your accountant should charge based on your specific needs.

Hourly vs Fixed-Fee: Which Works Better?

Many business owners, focused on immediate costs, look at accounting package quotes and immediately ask, “How much do accountants charge per hour?” While the hourly rate provides a useful baseline, it tells only half the story.

Hourly rates are useful when:

  • You need an occasional clean-up or correction of some sort
  • Your business has a backlog of bookkeeping that needs to be completed
  • You need a one-time piece of advice or technical help with something

Fixed-fee or monthly plans work better when:

  • When you require ongoing bookkeeping
  • If you process payroll or VAT returns
  • If you prefer to budget for your accounting costs on a month-by-month basis
  • If you would like year-round assistance and compliance support.
Ongoing monthly accounting packages similar to those offered by befree can save you 30–40% compared to hiring a local bookkeeper or a young accountant locally. Despite the affordable cost, you gain access to experienced professionals who are fully proficient in all UK accounting standards and regulations.

Why Outsourcing Makes Sense for UK Businesses

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and accounting practices are increasingly moving past the basic question of “how much will my accountant charge?” Instead, they are focused on a more strategic question: Is our current internal accounting model delivering real value and efficiency? For many, the answer lies in restructuring their operations. Outsourcing can be beneficial due to its cost efficiency, as you only pay for the services you require. In addition, befree offers businesses:

  • Transparent pricing, including all additional costs
  • An accounting team of qualified accountants managing day-to-day compliance
  • All bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, accounts and taxation services are undertaken by one team
  • No costs associated with recruiting staff, paying salaries, purchasing and maintaining accounting software or providing training
  • Support that is scalable and increases as your business grows
Outsourcing is a simple, reliable and efficient method to ensure that you remain compliant without increasing your internal workload and/or costs.

Conclusion: Making the Right Accounting Cost Decision

Accounting fees in the UK vary based on a number of factors, including business size, level of accounting services required and complexity, but outsourcing is generally one of the lowest-cost methods of accessing qualified accountants. Get a clear understanding of what an accountant would charge for your specific needs by getting a no obligation quote from befree and then determine your true costs and compare them against what an outsourced accountant would likely charge you.
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