Limited company guide
Bookkeeper, finance manager, financial controller or fractional CFO, which role you actually need, when, and what it should cost.
Written and reviewed by Waqas Sagar Member of ICAEW, Fellow of ACCA, Fellow of AAT, a double graduate and entrepreneur at heart, helping startups grow and serving thousands of businesses nationwide with an excellent team. Published by LimitedCompany.Accountants, 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Reviewed 12 September 2026 against 2026/27 UK rates and current Companies House and HMRC guidance.
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Xero Gold PartnerCertified advisor
QuickBooks PartnerCertified ProAdvisor100+ yearsCombined team experienceFully insuredUp to £2m indemnityA bookkeeper records transactions accurately and keeps the ledger current. A finance manager owns the month-end close, payroll and reporting. A financial controller owns accuracy, controls and statutory reporting. A CFO owns strategy, funding and the numbers behind decisions.
The four roles
The sequence that usually works
True cost of the hire
Setting them up to succeed
A bookkeeper records transactions accurately and keeps the ledger current. A finance manager owns the month-end close, payroll and reporting. A financial controller owns accuracy, controls and statutory reporting. A CFO owns strategy, funding and the numbers behind decisions.
Startups often hire one person and expect all four, then wonder why either the close or the strategy slips. Being explicit about which layer you are buying is most of the decision.
Outsourced bookkeeping first, then a fractional CFO layer for reporting and decisions, then an in-house finance manager once transaction volume and payroll justify it, then a controller, and only then a full-time CFO, usually around or after Series A.
Hiring a full-time senior person too early is expensive and often unsatisfying for them, because the work is mostly operational.
Salary plus 15% employer National Insurance above the £5,000 secondary threshold, at least 3% employer pension, recruitment fees, equipment, software seats and management time. Model that, not the headline salary.
Then compare against a fixed outsourced fee for the same outputs, and be honest about which gives you a working month-end close sooner.
Whoever joins should inherit a documented close checklist, a clean chart of accounts, written metric definitions and a maintained model. Handing over a system beats handing over a mess with a job title attached.
Keep an external technical relationship for tax, R&D, share schemes and audit-facing questions, even mature finance teams do.
Local help
We work with company directors across London and Surrey from our office at 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Pick your area, or send the form below and we will call you back.
Frequently asked
Usually when transaction volume, payroll complexity or the pace of decisions means finance work is daily rather than monthly, often around twenty to thirty staff, sooner in high-volume businesses.
Yes, and it usually does it more reliably than a first hire juggling several roles, because the deadlines are systemised.
Salaries vary widely by sector and experience; model the fully loaded cost including employer NIC and pension before comparing to an outsourced fee.
For statutory accounts, tax filings and technical work, almost always, the roles are complementary rather than duplicative.
Keep bank statements, sales and platform reports, purchase invoices, payroll records, VAT workings, finance agreements and Companies House correspondence. We confirm the exact list at onboarding and identify gaps before a filing deadline becomes urgent.
The fee depends on transaction volume, record quality, VAT and payroll requirements, historic catch-up and the level of reporting needed. We agree a fixed scope and price before technical work starts, with published packages available on our fees page.
Yes. We request professional clearance, collect the prior records and authorities, check the next Companies House and HMRC deadlines, and give you one clear handover list. The process is normally completed remotely.
Yes. We work through secure cloud records, scheduled reviews and digital approvals, while keeping a named team available by phone, video call and email. Clients can also visit our Morden office by appointment.
We regularly work with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage and connected sales or expense apps. The right setup depends on transaction volume, integrations and the reports you need, not simply the software brand.
The relevant calendar may include annual accounts, Corporation Tax payment and return dates, confirmation statements, VAT returns, payroll submissions and Self Assessment. We map the dates from your company year end and registrations.
Included approach
Check the current rules
Deadlines, thresholds and filing rules change. GOV.UK and Companies House publish the current statutory position; advice should then be applied to your company’s circumstances.
Talk to an accountant
Share your next deadline, accounting problem or growth question. We will reply with a clear next step and quote any technical work before it begins.
Chat with ACCOTAX on WhatsAppPick 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.
Four London offices
Work with us entirely online, or sit down with your accountant at whichever office suits you. Open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Office visits are by appointment only, so please book before coming in.
Free, no obligation
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.
