Accountants for design and branding studios

Brand, product and web design studios billing by project and retainer.

• Unbilled time at the year end and how much of it is genuinely recoverable

• Fixed-price projects that overrun, and tracking margin by job rather than by month

• Software subscriptions, fonts and stock licences treated as revenue costs

• Intellectual property ownership stated in contracts before it matters

• Paying founders through a mix of salary and dividends across lumpy income

Whatever the sector, the company must file accounts with Companies House nine months after the accounting reference date, file a CT600 within twelve months of the period end, pay corporation tax nine months and one day after the period end, and file a confirmation statement each year.

Once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in a rolling 12 months, VAT registration and Making Tax Digital filing follow. Employing anyone, including a director on a salary, brings PAYE, RTI reporting and auto-enrolment pensions.

Thresholds, rates and deadlines quoted here reflect the 2026/27 UK position. Check current GOV.UK guidance, or ask us, before you rely on them for your own company.

We agree the scope and monthly fee before starting, set up bookkeeping that fits how you invoice and buy, and send reminders ahead of every filing date.

You get plain answers to sector questions in normal language, and we say clearly when something needs specialist advice rather than guessing.