UK accountancy price guide

The Real Cost of Running a Limited Company

Direct answer

Running a limited company involves accountancy, Companies House fees, software, insurance and banking. Our accountancy starts at £89 plus VAT monthly; statutory and third-party costs remain separate unless expressly included.

Written and reviewed by Waqas SagarMember of ICAEW, Fellow of ACCA, Fellow of AAT. Last reviewed 12 September 2026.

Regulated and qualified through ICAEW, ACCA and AAT memberships held across our team

Annual company cost framework

Use this table as a transparent starting point. It uses our current published prices or an official government amount, not an unsupported market average. We confirm professional fees and responsibilities in writing after understanding the company, its records and its filing position.

Service or examplePrice or amountWhat it means
Essentials accountancy£1,068 + VAT/year£89 monthly for core compliance
Complete accountancy£2,028 + VAT/year£169 monthly with bookkeeping, VAT and payroll
Growth accountancy£3,468 + VAT/year£289 monthly with management reporting

Professional fees exclude VAT unless stated. “From” prices require a confirmed scope. Tax examples are illustrative and are not a quote or personal tax calculation.

What changes the final cost?

Price follows the work required, not a keyword or postcode. A clean, reconciled record set generally takes less time than incomplete books. Before quoting, we identify the recurring filings, who keeps the records and whether earlier periods need attention. The main factors for this service are:

  • business activity and filing scope
  • software and banking choices
  • insurance required by customers or sector
  • payroll, VAT and pension duties

A proposal then separates recurring compliance from optional advice and one-off correction work. That makes like-for-like comparison easier and reduces the chance of a cheap headline fee becoming an unexpected bill later.

What is included, and what is separate?

Normally included in scope

  • Company accounts and CT600 are included in our monthly packages.
  • A written budget can separate fixed and activity-based costs.

Check or quote separately

  • Taxes are not a fee for running the company.
  • Government and supplier charges can change and should be checked at source.

The engagement letter is the definitive record of what we will do, what information the directors must provide and when. If your requirements change—for example, the company registers for VAT, hires staff or begins selling through additional platforms—we discuss the revised work before changing the fee.

How to compare accountant quotes properly

Put each quote beside the same list of deliverables: statutory accounts, CT600, confirmation statement, director Self Assessment, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and scheduled advice. Check whether transaction limits, software, Companies House charges, catch-up work and HMRC correspondence are included. Also ask who reviews the work and how quickly questions are normally acknowledged.

For a UK limited company, the lowest figure is not necessarily the lowest total cost. Missing bookkeeping, payroll or director-tax work may be billed later, while poor records can obscure tax deadlines and cash requirements. Choose a scope that matches the company now and can be reviewed as it changes. Our full limited company fees and packages remain the central source for our current recurring prices.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about cost of limited company

How are annual company cost framework priced?

The first relevant published figure is £1,068 + VAT/year for Essentials accountancy. The final scope also reflects business activity and filing scope, so we confirm it in writing.

What is included in the annual company cost framework figure?

For Essentials accountancy, the table records: £89 monthly for core compliance. Your proposal lists every recurring filing, review and record-keeping responsibility.

Does the annual company cost framework price include VAT?

Professional fees shown for annual company cost framework exclude VAT at the prevailing rate unless the table expressly says otherwise.

What could change the quoted annual company cost framework cost?

The most important initial factor is business activity and filing scope. New filing duties, incomplete historic records or work outside the agreed scope are discussed before an extra fee is charged.

Can I get a fixed annual company cost framework quote before deciding?

Yes. Share the records and obligations relevant to cost of limited company, and we will set out the deliverables, exclusions and price before work begins.

Evidence

Sources and review basis

Prices are taken from our live fees page. Tax and government-fee statements link to the relevant official guidance. Check official pages for later changes.

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Book a call

Pick a time that suits you and a qualified accountant will call you about your company, deadlines and fees.

Appointments run monday to friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Your confirmation is emailed straight away.

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